www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Telstra shareholders have been requested by Telstra’s second-largest shareholder, fund manager Australian Foundation Investment (state-backed NBN would be permitted to offer retail services) not to sell the firm’s fixed-line assets to the government at a bargain basement price. It has been felt that Telstra is entitled to get appropriate value for its assets, including its customer traffic and the company can expect a “fair outcome” by the government.
Telstra’s copper network is eyed by the Federal Government as part of its controversial next-generation fiber network project, costing A$43 billion ($39.26b). According to the government, it will force Telstra to sell its 50% stake in pay TV operator Foxtel and forbid it from bidding for LTE spectrum if it fails to ink a fixed-line sale deal with NBN Co.
AFI managing director Ross Barker, on the other hand warned that there was a risk that the state-owned NBN could become a government-legislated monopoly. State-backed NBN would be permitted to offer retail services under the draft bill.