Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Microcap & Penny Stocks : Globalstar Telecommunications Limited GSAT -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dennis Roth who wrote (11134)	3/23/2000 1:32:00 PM
From: Rocket Scientist	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 29986

While looking for news from China at ChinaDaily.com (sadly, there was none) noticed this piece on rural telephony in Australia which should help us there: chinadaily.com.cn Australian government to break Telstra monopoly (03/23/2000) The Australian government said Thursday it will change laws to break a monopoly by the country's biggest telecommunications carrier, Telstra Corp., in supplying telephone services to rural areas. Communications Minister Richard Alston said the government would tender out its so-called Universal Service Obligation so that other carriers can compete with Telstra to provide basic telephone services in exchange for USO funds. The USO has been an obligation placed by the Australian government on Telstra to ensure standard telephone services and public pay phones are accessible to all people in Australia, and is designed to protect those in unprofitable areas such as isolated rural communities. The obligation had been funded by all carriers in proportion to their share of industry revenue. Telstra, which is 51 percent government-owned, paid for all the USO and was then reimbursed by its competitors. Alston said the government will test the market with two regional pilot programs to see how new technology, such as satellite and wireless communications, will affect the USO. Telstra's closest rival Cable and Wireless Optus Ltd. has long argued that new technology will cut the cost of the USO, of which Optus pays around 15 percent. To ensure coverage isn't compromised by the test programs, Telstra will continue to operate in the test areas so people aren't forced to switch from Telstra to another telephone company, Alston said. The new USO legislation is being drafted and the government is aiming to have it in place by July 1, he said.