On 17 April 2014, the ACCC commenced a public inquiry into varying the final access determinations for the unconditioned local loop service (ULLS), line sharing service (LSS), wholesale line rental (WLR) service and local carriage service (LCS) to reflect the changes to the scope of fixed line services regulation.
This inquiry considered whether the ACCC should vary the LCS and WLR service final access determinations to reflect the ACCC’s recent decision to remove the regulatory ‘carve outs’ for the central business districts of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
It further considered whether the ACCC should vary the existing ULLS and LSS final access determinations to implement a regulated price for the internal interconnect cable (IIC) service. The ACCC currently regulates the price for the IIC service through two arbitral determinations which apply to seven access seekers and which will expire on 30 June 2014.
The ACCC released a discussion paper to assist industry and other interested parties in making submissions to the inquiry. The discussion paper provided background to the proposed variation, the assessment framework for making a decision and the ACCC’s preliminary views. Submissions to the public inquiry closed on 19 May 2014.
On 18 June 2014, the ACCC varied the fixed line services final access determinations specifying price and non-price terms for the supply of the LCS and WLR service in CBD areas; and specifying a regulated price for the internal interconnection cable (IIC) service, a supplementary service required for the supply of the ULLS and LSS.
Extension of existing fixed line services and the wholesale ADSL service final access determinations
The ACCC is extending these final access determinations as it will not be in a position to make the new fixed line services final access determinations and the wholesale ADSL service final access determination before their expiration.
A copy of the the extension instrument can be found on the ACCC public register and the ACCC's reasons for this extension are outlined in the discussion paper.