Universal Telecommunications Services: A brief history and analysis of the issues surrounding the new Australian legislation on the Universal Service Obligation

2012 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart Corner
Keyword(s):  
Universal Service ◽  
Telecommunications Services ◽  
Universal Service Obligation

scholarly journals Revisiting the Universal Service Obligation Scheme

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-215
Author(s):  
Simon Moorhead
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Services ◽  
Universal Service ◽  
Australian Government ◽  
Customer Preference ◽  
Public Inquiry ◽  
Service Guarantee ◽  
Telecommunications Services ◽  
Universal Service Obligation

In this Journal’s tradition of revisiting past papers which have relevance to today’s events, this article reminds us of the value of the paper “Better telecommunications services for all Australians.” (2015) by Reg Coutts. This paper makes five interrelated recommendations to replace the current Universal Service Obligation (USO) policy in Australia, given the NBN rollout and customer preference for mobile services anywhere anytime.  Some of its recommendations were arguably taken up by the Productivity Commission’s Public Inquiry into the USO in 2016-17, and implemented by the Australian Government in the form of a new Universal Service Guarantee.

scholarly journals Better Telecommunications Services for all Australians

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 89-107
Author(s):  
Reg Coutts
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Mobile Services ◽  
Universal Service ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
The World ◽  
Telecommunications Services ◽  
Universal Service Obligation ◽  
Regional Australia ◽  
Roll Out

The Universal Service Obligation (USO) scheme we have in place in Australia in 2015 was put in place over 25 years ago when the world was very different than what it is today. The paper documents how the current USO entrenches an annual subsidy of some $300 to Telstra to provide a standard telephone service over an aging copper infrastructure to regional and remote premises across Australia. The current expensive USO scheme is inadequate for people in remote and regional Australia and in the light of the NBN roll out and the demand for mobile services is in urgent need of review. The paper reviews the approach taken to providing high cost telecommunications services in rural areas both developed and developing economies across the world and draws lessons for devising a basis for a way forward. Given the now bipartisan acceptance of the rural and remote component of the NBN roll out and drawing on these lessons, now is the opportunity to scrap the current USO scheme and establish a Universal Service Fund (USF) where the NBN is the Universal Infrastructure wholesale provider with alternative retailers. The paper supports five practical interrelated recommendations that diverts current USO funding to ensure broadband and mobile services extension in rural and remote Australia as well as reimagining future payphones around public WiFi and rural community innovation.

scholarly journals Better Telecommunications Services for all Australians

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 89
Author(s):  
Reg Coutts
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Mobile Services ◽  
Universal Service ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
The World ◽  
Telecommunications Services ◽  
Universal Service Obligation ◽  
Regional Australia ◽  
Roll Out

The Universal Service Obligation (USO) scheme we have in place in Australia in 2015 was put in place over 25 years ago when the world was very different than what it is today. The paper documents how the current USO entrenches an annual subsidy of some $300 to Telstra to provide a standard telephone service over an aging copper infrastructure to regional and remote premises across Australia. The current expensive USO scheme is inadequate for people in remote and regional Australia and in the light of the NBN roll out and the demand for mobile services is in urgent need of review. The paper reviews the approach taken to providing high cost telecommunications services in rural areas both developed and developing economies across the world and draws lessons for devising a basis for a way forward. Given the now bipartisan acceptance of the rural and remote component of the NBN roll out and drawing on these lessons, now is the opportunity to scrap the current USO scheme and establish a Universal Service Fund (USF) where the NBN is the Universal Infrastructure wholesale provider with alternative retailers. The paper supports five practical interrelated recommendations that diverts current USO funding to ensure broadband and mobile services extension in rural and remote Australia as well as reimagining future payphones around public WiFi and rural community innovation.

scholarly journals SafetyNet - A New Approach to Rural and Remote Communications

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
John De Ridder ◽  
Robin Eckermann
Keyword(s):  
Black Spot ◽  
Universal Service ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Large Step ◽  
Rural And Remote Areas ◽  
Universal Service Obligation ◽  
Remote Communications ◽  
Fixed Wireless ◽  
Radical Approach

Rural and remote areas will continue to struggle to keep up with urban telecommunications despite the progress that has been made with initiatives such as the Mobile Black Spot Program (MBSP) and the NBN fixed wireless and satellite. But, now a more radical approach is needed as we consider updating the Universal Service Obligation, public safety network options and mobile roaming. Instead of more expensive small gains at the margin, or a counterproductive roaming arrangements, we should take a large step forward by having the Commonwealth, States and MNOs work together.

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