By Matthew Henry

SYDNEY: NEC Australia has asked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to abitrate a dispute with Telstra relating to the monthly price for access to the telco’s Unconditioned Local Loop Service (ULLS).

The ACCC today released a statement confirming it has commenced an arbitration process between NEC Australia and Telstra, but would not comment further on the matter.

The ULL is an unconditioned cable network – comprised mainly of copper cable – linking end users to a telephone exchange, and is made available to service providers including Telstra’s competitors.

The ULL is used by service providers for transmission of voice and data, including Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) broadband and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

This current ACCC dispute with NEC adds to the growing list of companies who have challenged Telstra’s pricing regime for access to the ULLS.

Earlier this year, Telstra created controversy when it began charging competitor phone and internet companies a flat rate of $30 for access to the service, which was regarded as an anti-competitive price hike by many Telstra competitors.

Telstra’s $30 fee proposal was rejected by the ACCC in June, despite Telstra claiming that the fee would only just cover its costs in providing the service.