Optus welcomes the Australian Competition and Consumer Commissions (ACCC) decision to oppose the authorisation of the proposed Telstra and TPG network sharing arrangement.
Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said the ACCCs decision reinforces the importance of infrastructure-based competition and investment in our communications sector that will have lasting benefits for regional Australia.
The ACCC formed a view that the proposed arrangements will likely lead to less competition and leave Australian mobile users worse off.
All Australians benefit from competitive investment in telecommunications services, and for more than 30 years Optus has invested to provide Australians with choice, said Ms Bayer Rosmarin. By knocking back this deal, the ACCC has helped ensure that our regional communities will continue to benefit from competition in a sector that is fundamental to our digital economy and future prospects.
Optus reaffirms its commitment to providing Australias regional communities with a strong network and great service. This will be achieved through our ongoing investment program and focus on innovation for customers through our Living Network and other value adding products and services.
Optus Vice President Regulatory and Public Affairs, Andrew Sheridan said, From the outset we argued that this deal, which enabled TPG to quietly exit regional Australia, would entrench Telstras dominance, especially in the regions. Such an outcome would leave Australians worse off with less choice, higher prices, poorer services and less communications infrastructure.
The ACCCs decision is a great outcome for regional Australians and upholds three decades of policy designed to promote competition in telecommunications.
Since 1992, Optus has invested $43.7 billion in infrastructure and services. Venture Insights estimates that Optus investment of around $1.2 billion average per annum in its mobile network contributes approximately $18 billion to the national economy each year.
