NBN Co to take over Telstra copper, HFC.
Telstra’s Hybrid Fibre/Coaxial Cable (HFC) and copper access network assets will be transferred to NBN Co as part of new commercial arrangements for the Coalition government’s NBN #2.
Few details of the deal have been announced, but at its annual financial results briefing Telstra indicated that it expected the assets to be progressively handed over to NBN Co as the new network was rolled out.
While Telstra will evidently receive no further compensation for the transfer, over and above that already contained in its current $11 billion deal, it may stand to increase its NBN-related earnings through an increased level of participation in the NBN project.
According to Telstra, “Telstra and NBN Co are also negotiating in respect of design, construction and maintenance services by Telstra to NBN Co on commercial terms..”.
Obviously, those negotiations will have implications for the CWU’s Telstra members. We have requested a briefing from Telstra on the details of the new arrangements and their impacts on Telstra employees.
Members will be informed of that briefing when it occurs. In the meantime, Telstra’s enlarged role in the NBN project, including in maintenance, clearly has the potential to create work for current staff.
