[LINK] Good ol' Tel$tra

[Jan Whitaker]

Telstra releases NBN prices but keeps copper lines

Lucy Battersby
February 27, 2012 - 12:44PM

Telstra has announced its new pricing for the 
national broadband network, including plans to 
keep customers paying for copper-based telephone 
connections for as long as possible.

Its broadband and voice bundles range from $80 
per month to $150 per month for a minimum of two 
years. But Telstra's customers must keep renting 
copper telephone line if they want a telephone 
service, and cannot get a broadband-only service.

However, the NBN has been designed to carry voice 
services and accommodate all models of existing 
telephones over fibre-optic connections. Other 
carriers have announced voice and broadband plans 
which do not require customers to keep renting a copper line.

The copper telephone lines will be decommissioned 
about 18 months after NBN Co finishes installing 
fibre-optic in a designated area.

Telstra's executive director of customer service, 
Peter Jamieson, said the pricing is designed to 
mirror the broadband and voice bundles currently 
available over the copper network.

“We have taken the decision that it is much 
clearer for customers if the same pricing applies 
across the technologies," he said.

“Copper services will still be available in NBN 
areas for some time to come. Telstra will 
activate voice services on NBN once copper is decommissioned."

The NBN pricing will be available from tomorrow 
to customers already connected to the new 
government-funded fibre-optic network. These new 
bundles are also available to Telstra customers using existing technologies.

Telstra's cheapest bundle on the NBN is $80 per 
month for a telephone line and a 5 gigabyte (GB) 
download allowance over fibre-optic cable at 25 megabits per second (Mbps).

This rate includes professional installation and a wi-fi modem.

A stand-alone NBN broadband service – with no 
telephony – is $50 per month, plus $32 per month 
for copper-based voice services and a $350 installation fee.

Telstra is not selling any services at the 
entry-level speed of 12 (Mbps), which is faster 
than what most Australians can access today.

Along with the $80 plan, Telstra released a $90 
plan which includes 200 GB, $100 plan with 200 GB 
and unlimited calls to local numbers and Telstra 
mobiles, ranging up to $150 per month for the 
fastest speeds an unlimited calls nationally.

Government-owned NBN Co sells services on its 
network directly to carriers for $24 per month 
for the entry-level 12 Mbps service, plus some 
access and usage charges. It must sell the same 
services to all carriers at the same prices and conditions.

To date, no other carrier requires to customers 
keep their copper telephone line for voice services on the NBN.

However, they all offer different types of plans 
and bundles. For example, Optus gives a discount 
on NBN Co if the customer also takes a post-paid mobile phone services.

iiNet charges $50 a month plus an extra $10 per 
month for unlimited telephony services. Extel 
charges has an entry level price of $35 a month 
including telephony, and charges 10 cents per 
call to fixed lines and 22 cents per minute to 
mobiles, while iPrimus charges $89 per month for 
voice and broadband including all calls.

<mailto:lbattersby at theage.com.au>lbattersby at theage.com.au

This story was found at: 
http://www.theage.com.au/business/telstra-releases-nbn-prices-but-keeps-copper-lines-20120227-1txs7.html 




Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com

Our truest response to the irrationality of the 
world is to paint or sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.
~Madeline L'Engle, writer

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