Govt open to Telstra Bill changes

The government has indicated for the first time that it is “open to amendments” on the Telstra separation Bill due for debate this Thursday.

“The government will always have an open mind to amendments that it believes will improve the Bill,” Communications Minister Stephen Conroy’s Office wrote in a statement on Friday evening.

The Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Competition and Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2009 has offered Telstra a choice to voluntarily opt for structural separation or face an imposed functional separation coupled with tough sanctions, including a ban on acquiring spectrum for 4G wireless services.

The government is “determined to debate and pass the Bill early this year,” Conroy’s office wrote.

The government hoped to reintroduce the Bill to the Senate this Wednesday; however, it has been pushed back to Thursday due to various health Bills, leaving little chance for it to be passed until Senate resumes on 9 March.

Independents as late as last week were yet to hear from Conroy regarding their concerns over the Bill, with Greens’ Senator Scott Ludlam questioning what exactly would be in it. Ludlam, Independent Senator Nick Xenophon and Family First Senator Steve Fielding have all indicated they want to see amendments made to the Bill.

The week’s break to 9 March could be seen as giving NBN Co and Telstra a short window to complete negotiations regarding the company’s structural separation, though the company’s CEO David Thodey said two weeks ago that decision would be “months away”. Thodey has also said that any deal with NBN Co must be approved by shareholders.

David Forman, executive director of the Competitive Carriers’ Coalition (CCC), said Thodey’s requirement to get shareholder approval will not stop the Bill proceeding.

“Public policy is not hostage to David Thodey’s opinions on what is agreeable to shareholders. That’s David Thodey’s problem,” Forman told ZDNet.com.au.

The CCC, which represents several carriers’ interests, had argued its case to crossbenchers, Forman said.

“We have had very constructive conversations with crossbench senators on all aspects of the Bill. I’m not sure whether that will translate into amendments, but I have very good reason to believe that these are taken seriously and confident that they will be discussing those changes with the government,” said Forman.

Broadly speaking, CCC has argued for an open process to determine whether Telstra’s proposed form of structural separation to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is adequate — if it proposes one prior to the government passing the Bill. It also wants to ensure that Telstra cannot use contract law to overcome pricing determinations made by the ACCC.

Telstra opens security monitoring facility in Canberra

Telstra SOC integrated with GOC and MNOC.

Telstra today opened its Security Operations Centre (SOC) at a secret location in Canberra.

The facility would aims to help the telco keep an eye on its own core infrastructure as well as those of its managed security clients.

The facility is 1,300 square meters, employs 40 security staff and according to the telco, is fully integrated with its Global Operations Centre (GOC) in Melbourne and Managed Network Operations Centre (MNOC) in Sydney.

Gavan Corcoran, executive director of Telstra Network & Services, said in a statement that the SOC was required because of increasing demand for managed security services from large customers.

“The growing demand from our enterprise and government customers for managed security services from Telstra has warranted the launch of this new multi-million-dollar site to complement our existing network monitoring expertise and facilities,” he said.

Corcoran said the facility would also keep close watch on Telstra’s core network.

“The SOC will specialise in the secure management of Telstra’s core infrastructure alongside the networks Telstra manages for a range of enterprise and Government customers,” Corcoran said.

I hope you enjoyed this article.

GS

Fixtel Communications

Telephone Systems | Phone Systems | Used Handsets | VoIP Telephone | Cheap Mobile Phones | Internet Providers | Telephone Headsets | Shopping Cart | Messages On Hold | Cheap Phone Calls | New Phone Lines | Cordless Phones | Conference Phones | GSM Gateways | Commander Phone Systems | Telephone Systems | PABX Phone Systems | Office Phones
100% Money Back Guarantee |Phone System Training | Phone System Installation | Phone System Warranty | Ongoing Phone System Maintenance
Alcatel Telephone Systems | LG Aria Telephone Systems | Avaya Pabx Systems | NEC Telephone Systems | Panasonic Telephone Systems | Samsung Telephone Business Systems | Telephone System Manuals.

FixTel Supply

Wireless Headsets | Messages On Hold | VoIP Phones | Messages On Hold | Alcatel telephones | Avaya telephones | LG Aria Business Phone System | NEC Phones | Samsung telephones | Panasonic telephones | Cisco Systems | Cisco telephones | Conference Phones | Mobile Phone Deals | Mobiles | second hand warehouses | Phone Systems Rental | VoIP Business Systems | Used Phone Handsets| Business Telephone Systems and New Business communications equipment.

Avaya IP Office phone system

is an all-in-one solution specifically designed to meet the communications challenges facing small and medium sized businesses.

Due to its modular design, Avaya IP Office telephone system can scale from 2 to 360 extensions to meet the needs of home offices, small businesses, stand-alone business locations, and multiple branches and head offices. Built on Avaya’s latest advancements in converged voice and data technology, small-mid sized businesses can benefit from many of the advantages that sophisticated communications can deliver.

Avaya IP Office Solutions

FixTel provide customers a powerful way to capitalise on the benefits of IP Telephony. FixTel can provide a complete communications architecture that includes Avaya software, infrastructure and voip services.