Australia - Broadband - Competition 2003

Synopsis

Australia is well behind comparable trading partners in broadbanding. In 2003 it featured at the bottom of the OECD rankings. Continued relative slow growth will see the country get further behind in years to come. The major reason is the lack of effective infrastructure competition. In countries with high penetration levels cable TV companies have been the drivers behind this. In those countries these competitors are also starting to lead the push for IP based voice competition. An inquiry on broadband competition is underway in Australia, but there is no intention from the government to take this issue serious.