I can remember back 10 years ago, in the days when I was a Internet geek and the Australian government was selling of the national carrier, Telstra. At the time everyone in the industry was surprised and amazed that there was no split between the infrastructure and the retail arms. After all, us tax payers had funded the building of the network, now we were selling it off.

Here is a comment from the [Oz-ISP] mailing list that I was part of at the time.

If, like me, you belive that the only way there can be true competition in the telecommunications industry, is for the cabling and infrastructure to remain in Govt hands and be available for all carriers and CSP's to use then you must make your voice heard TODAY. This could be your last chance. Please contact your local senator and the leaders of the parties in the senate and tell them your views.

Many years later the government is now going to fund a new National Broadband Network (NBN). Again the issue has been raised regarding separation of the infrastructure and access from the services and retail. With a good wholesale model everyone can access and add value.

However yet again Telstra are not playing the game. A good analysis can be found in this article NBN: Government must now enforce open network principles. I think its time for me to write to as well as ring my local member. I am not sure we can rely on our politicians to do the right thing this time around either.

Disclaimer : I have recently started working for the other major Australian carrier who is bidding in a consortium on the NBN, and who is also promoting reasonable wholesale access. I can't help it if they get it.