Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, , 2:47:50 to 2:50:36
The ACCC inquiry into mobile roaming and radio access networks and its potential impact on regional telecommunications deployment.
Topics: Infrastructure
Speakers: Ms Lisa La Rance, Speaker 22, Mr David Mackay, Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah, Unknown Speaker
Okay, that's helpful. Um just want to move on to the ACCC's mobile services inquiry. Um, what has been the impact of this inquiry on regional telco deployment?
So the it's an inquiry that um has um attracted a lot of interest and um enthusiasm, and it is relating to I guess the focus has been around um roaming and roaming more broadly, separate from temporary disaster um roaming and the um discussion paper has been released, but the inquiry is active and ongoing, and um the outcomes of it will be considered in the context of the implementation of um UMO, which was a commitment as the legislation went through. Irwin, is there something you wanted to add to that?
Senator Andrew Irwin, Assistant Secretary Telecommunications Industry Branch. Um I think Ms. Laurence covered uh most of the territory. The ACC's discussion paper, it's quite comprehensive. 50 pages, 74 questions they're seeking information on. It covers a range of options. I think the paper is very careful to distinguish between mobile roaming and radio access network, which are different things, and they explain quite well on uh pages 22 and 23 there. Uh they have been quite careful to say that their inquiry is not looking at emergency services. That is a separate matter as we've discussed.
Okay. And and um are the findings of this inquiry going to be implemented in as it as they are handed down, or are we waiting for the inquiry to finish and then a whole suite of recommendations to be implemented?
I think the key element in respective roaming, Senator, is that ultimately the ACCC will make a decision on whether or not to determine to make a determination in respect of either mode. Mobile roaming or radio access network availability. And that's a decision of the ACCC. We will obviously be paying very close attention to commentary that the ACCC might provide during the inquiry. But the decision is for the ACCC to make, I assume at the conclusion of that inquiry.
Okay. Just want to go back to you Elma briefly, sorry, to jump around. Just last question. Sorry, yeah, thank you.