The Australian Government is proceeding
with reforms to telecommunications carrier powers and immunities, which are
expected to lead to improved phone and internet services at affordable prices
for consumers.
Powers and immunities regulations allow telcos to install
and maintain network infrastructure, such as pillars and antennas, quickly and
cost-effectively. These arrangements ensure telcos can upgrade mobile coverage
and install fast broadband services without the delays imposed by protracted
development approvals processes.
Carrier powers and immunities are designed to strike the
right balance between the community’s need to access reliable, affordable
telecommunications services, while ensuring that property owners, local
governments and communities have a say in the deployment of telecommunications
infrastructure that affects them.
The Government commenced
consultation on 24 proposed reforms in June 2017. 81 non-confidential
submissions were received from a range of stakeholders. After giving
consideration to the views of property owners, councils and other parties, the
Government has decided to proceed immediately with 10 reforms while conducting
further consultation on 11 of the remaining proposals.
After considering this feedback, the Minister for
Communications agreed to remake the Low Impact Facilities Determination and the
Telecommunications Code of Practice. The remade instruments are now available
on the Federal Register of Legislation and are referred to as the Telecommunications
(Low-impact Facilities) Determination 2018 (LIFD) and the Telecommunications
Code of Practice 2018 (Code).
The Amendments to the Telecommunications (Low-impact
Facility) Determination are as below:
- Definition of co-located facilities: Clarifies that
facilities are only ‘co-located facilities' if they are installed on/in a
telecommunications facility or public utility structure (as opposed to on/in
another type of building). A radiocommunications antenna installed on a tower
or water tank would be a co-located facility if all the other requirements are
met. However, an antenna being installed on the roof of a commercial building
near a pre-existing radiocommunications antenna is not a co-located facility
because it is not being installed in or on an original facility or public
utility structure. As such it is not subject to the co-location rules in Part 7
of the Schedule of the LIFD - Shrouds for radiocommunications facilities: Specifies that
shrouds for radiocommunications facilities are ancillary facilities. Currently,
a radio shroud is not clearly included in the LIFD as an ancillary facility.
Under the LIFD, a facility is considered to be ancillary to a low-impact
facility if it is necessary for the operation or proper functioning of the
low-impact facility and is installed to ensure the protection or safety of the
low-impact facility or persons or property close to the low-impact facility. As
they seek to improve the visual amenity of a facility rather than ensure its
safe or proper function, radio shrouds are not clearly covered by these
provisions. This change would enable greater use of radio shrouds to screen
mobile phone facilities. - Omnidirectional antennas: Specifies omnidirectional
radiocommunications antennas as low-impact facilities in residential and
commercial areas, not just industrial and rural areas. This is intended to tenable
greater use of slimline omnidirectional antennas, which are are thinner and
considered to be less visually intrusive than panel or yagi antennas, which can
already be used in such areas. - Radiocommunications facilities: Replaces the
technology-specific term ‘microcell' with general language to cover facilities
with broader geographical coverage. This is intended to ensure all small
radiocommunications facilities are covered by the LIFD, regardless of the size
of their wireless coverage footprints. It would give carriers greater
flexibility to improve mobile and wireless broadband coverage for customers
using a wider variety of small radiocommunications facilities, without the need
for state and territory planning approvals. - Solar panel size: Increases the maximum size of solar panels
in rural areas used to power telecommunications facilities from 7.5 to 12.5
square metres. Carriers use solar panels to power facilities in rural areas
that do not have access to the power grid. They advise that 7.5 square metre
solar panels do not generate sufficient energy to power some current generation
radiocommunications facilities, and that 12.5 square metres is a more useful
size. Requiring planning approvals for suitable panels that are up to 12.5
square metres delays service provision to customers. - Open trench length: Increases the length of trench that can
be open at any time for the installation of conduit or cable from 100 to 200
metres. Allowing 200 metres of trench to be open in residential areas would
mean that carriers would be able to lay more conduit or cable each day,
reducing the days they need to work in an area and reducing disruption to the
community. It would also reduce carriers’ costs. - Environmental legislation: Updates to reflect changes in environmental law
The Amendments to the Telecommunications Code of Practice are
as below:
- Joint venture arrangements: Provides that in a joint venture
arrangement where two carriers are installing or upgrading facilities, only the
lead carrier's signature is required on relevant documentation, with an
additional requirement to be included so that a notice includes the names and
contact details of all carriers party to the joint venture - Updates to references: Updates to out-of-date wording and
references in the Code.
“Industry analysis has estimated that reforms to carrier
powers and immunities will deliver economic and productivity benefits to
consumers worth tens of millions of dollars per year, as well as providing
regulatory cost savings for industry and consumers,” said Minister for
Communications, Senator Mitch Fifield.
The Government will undertake further work this year with
telcos and stakeholders to address feedback regarding existing processes for
notifications and objections to works, dispute resolution arrangements,
guidance for property owners on their rights and avenues for redress, and new
arrangements for after an installation has been completed.
The Government is discussing further the other proposed
amendments as well as other issues raised in the consultation process with
stakeholders. A further update will be provided later this year.
