The Commerce Commission is proposing that the unbundled bitstream access (UBA) service continue being regulated except for lines served from 51 exchanges where Telecom faces effective competition.The UBA service is a wholesale broadband service that allow
The Commerce Commission is proposing that the unbundled bitstream access (UBA) service continue being regulated except for lines served from 51 exchanges where Telecom faces effective competition.
The UBA service is a wholesale broadband service that allows telecommunications operators to differentiate their retail products from Telecom's retail broadband services.
Now Telecom is required to provide other telecommunications operators access to the regulated UBA service on request but, under a proposal from the commission, in areas where Telecom faced effective competition it would no longer be required to provide the regulated UBA service.
The commission today published its proposals in a draft report.
Telecommunications Commissioner Ross Patterson said the commission considered that Telecom faced effective competition where two or more other suppliers were providing broadband services using their own cable network or through the use of the unbundled copper local loop (UCLL) service.
The commission also considered that Telecom faced effective competition in an exchange with only one UCLL service provider and where the exchange was forecast to have at least 6500 lines after the cabinetisation process was complete in 2011.
Telecom is in the process of deploying 3600 roadside distribution cabinets throughout its network, with fibre optic cables between the company's telephone exchange buildings and the roadside cabinets.
Cabinetisation reduces the length of the copper wire going to end users, facilitating the deployment of high-speed broadband technologies.
Dr Patterson said the commission considered that Telecom did not face effective competition in the provision of UBA services delivered from cabinets.
