Time to end uncertainty over regional investment
Telstra is ready to continue our investment in regional Australia. But we need the ACCC to end the uncertainty and finalise their decision on regulated mobile roaming.
We welcome the ACCC’s draft decision not to declare mobile roaming.
Dozens of community groups, business leaders, local councils and politicians from across the country made a submission to the ACCC. The overwhelming call from regional Australia was that their top priority was encouraging telecommunications investment to improve and extend mobile coverage.
This draft decision is the right one for regional Australian communities because it ensures the industry still has the incentives to invest in improving and extending mobile networks to provide more coverage.
I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to have their say on this critical issue, including the WA Farmers Association, the Country Women’s Association of NSW, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, Cotton Australia, Indigenous Remote Communications Australia, the Local Government Association of Queensland and the Isolated Children’s Parents Association.
Last year Telstra committed to keep investing to improve and expand our mobile network in regional, rural and remote areas. Through our own direct investment, as well as co-investment, we expect to see up to $1 billion of investment flow to small towns and regional centres across the country over the next five years.
If this decision is confirmed we will immediately move to expand our 4G coverage to reach 99% of the population by later this year. It also paves the way for ongoing investment in the coming years that would see an additional 1.4 million square kilometres of 4G coverage for regional and rural Australia. This means that about 600 base stations will be upgraded from 3G to 4G giving the Australian population access to a world leading 4G network.
This draft decision means we are one step closer to being able to get on with this exciting work that will have positive impacts on people who live, work and visit regional areas.
Telstra’s response to draft regulated roaming decision, with CEO @Andy_Penn pic.twitter.com/B0MekXG198
— Telstra News (@Telstra_news) May 5, 2017
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The Author
Andy Penn became the CEO and Managing Director of Telstra, Australia’s largest telecommunications company, on 1 May 2015. At Telstra Andy is leading an ambitious change program transforming Telstra to be positioned to compete in the radically changing technology world of the future with 5G at its core. Andy has had an extensive career spanning 40 years across 3 different industries - telecommunications, financial services and shipping. He joined Telstra in 2012 as Chief Financial Officer. In 2014 he took on the additional responsibilities as Group Executive International. Prior to Telstra, Andy spent 23 years with AXA Asia Pacific Holdings, part of the AXA Group, one of the world’s largest insurance and investment groups. His time at AXA included the roles of Chief Executive Officer 2006-2011, Chief Financial Officer 2000-2002, Chief Executive Asia and Chief Executive Australia and New Zealand. At AXA, Andy was instrumental in building one of the most successful Asian businesses by an Australian company that was sold to its parent in 2011 for more than A$10bn. Outside of work Andy has a deep passion for the visual arts. He is Patron, on behalf of Telstra, of the National and Torres Straights Islanders Arts Awards (NATSIAA) and he paints in his spare time. Andy is also active in supporting community and social causes. He is Life Governor of Very Special Kids and an Ambassador for the Amy Gillet Foundation. He serves on the advisory boards of both The Big Issue Home for Homes and JDRF. In 2018 he was voted by the Financial Times number 8 in the top 50 male leaders globally in their HEREOS champions of women in leadership report.