Part 2: Expense Measures (Continued)
Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
National Broadband Network — Telstra negotiations — Establishment of USO Co to take responsibility for the delivery of the Universal Service Obligation
| 2009‑10 | 2010‑11 | 2011‑12 | 2012‑13 | 2013‑14 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy | - | - | - | - | - |
The Government will provide $50.0 million in each of 2012‑13 and 2013‑14 and $100.0 million per annum ongoing from 2014-15 to establish and support a new entity to take responsibility for the delivery of the Universal Service Obligation (USO) and other telecommunications public interest obligations. The USO will be jointly funded by the Government and industry through an industry levy scheme which will replace the current USO and the National Relay Service levy schemes.
The establishment of USO Co and the provision of Government funding are contingent on Definitive Agreements being reached between NBN Co and Telstra. USO Co's functions will include the delivery of:
- the USO for voice telephony services and payphones;
- public interest services such as emergency call handling functions ('000' and '112');
- special services such as the National Relay Service; and
- the migration of voice only customers to a fibre-based service where the copper exchange is decommissioned.
USO Co is expected to operate from 1 July 2012.
Provision for this funding was included in the Contingency Reserve at the 2010‑11 Budget and disclosed in the July 2010 Economic Statement. This funding will be retained in the Contingency Reserve pending the finalisation of Definitive Agreements between Telstra and NBN Co.
Further information can be found in the joint press release of 20 June 2010 issued by the Prime Minister, the then Minister for Finance and Deregulation and the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.
This measure was originally reported in the Economic Statement 2010.
National Broadband Network — Telstra negotiations — retraining
| 2009‑10 | 2010‑11 | 2011‑12 | 2012‑13 | 2013‑14 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy | - | - | - | - | - |
The Government will provide up to $100.0 million in 2011‑12 to a new entity established by Telstra to retrain its employees to support the rollout of the National Broadband Network. NBN Co will enter into arrangements with Telstra to access the services of the retrained workforce.
The provision of this funding is contingent on Definitive Agreements being reached between NBN Co and Telstra.
Provision for this funding was included in the Contingency Reserve at the 2010‑11 Budget and disclosed in the July 2010 Economic Statement. This funding will be retained in the Contingency Reserve pending the finalisation of Definitive Agreements between Telstra and NBN Co.
Further information can be found in the joint press release of 20 June 2010 issued by the Prime Minister, the Minister for Finance and Deregulation and the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.
This measure was originally reported in the Economic Statement 2010.
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