Australia has a very unique fixed broadband market in comparison with other similar countries. A long process of market de-regulation and privatisation of Telstra has failed to create a market structure that drives competition in the interests of broadband consumers.
Other countries with similar telecoms history to Australia, such as Canada, Britain and Germany, have successfully de-regulated and privatised their telecom industries and created market dynamics that deliver investment, innovation and efficiency that benefit consumers and the digital economy.
But in Australia we rely solely on government to heavily regulate the industry to protect the interests of consumers. Regulation enables the likes of Optus, iiNet and TPG to use Telstra’s monopoly copper network, thereby creating an artificial form of competition.
