From July 1 1997, the ACCC assumed the primary role for competition and economic regulation of telecommunications services and has not hesitated to use its new powers. The ACCC set out certain allegations against Telstra Corporation Ltd in relation to its local call transfer process in two competition notices. A competition notice is the method by which the ACCC sets out a contravention of the competition rule, which prohibits a carrier or carriage service provider from engaging in anti-competitive conduct. The ACCC took the view that Telstra had not modified its conduct as described in the competition notices and instituted proceedings against it.

Gaire Blunt and Jenny Zaverdinos
Allen Allen & Hemsley
Sydney