148/07
Monday 17th September 2007

CDMA safeguard for regional Australia

“I am advised that the Attorney-General Philip Ruddock has made a decision to vary conditions on Telstra’s carrier licence to protect users in the transition from CDMA to Next G,” the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator the Hon Coonan said today.

“I welcome his decision,” Senator Coonan said.

Under the condition made by the Attorney-General, Telstra will be required to keep the CDMA network open until the Next G network provides equivalent or better coverage and services.

The intent of the conditions is to ensure that Telstra meets its public assurances that the CDMA network will continue to operate until Next G provides the same or better level of coverage and services apply with Telstra’s CDMA network and to ensure that consumers in regional areas who can currently receive services from the CDMA network will be able to access equivalent services from the Next G network.

Media Contact: Frank Peppard 0417 061 969