Coalition decries high-priced NBN voice services

Liberal MP Paul Fletcher has criticised the lack of cheap, voice-only services on the National Broadband Network as service providers reveal their first retail pricing constructs.

NBN data connection

Though hundreds of triallists have already used voice over internet protocol services over an NBN data connection, this week's trial marked the first time users could tap into one of the two voice-only ports - dubbed "UNI-V" - on their NBN equipment.

The voice ports included an in-built session initiation protocol stack - the most common standard for IP telephony - that effectively allowed users to directly connect a standard PSTN phone without requiring a capable modem or analogue adapter.

Use of the port, to be activated by NBN Co then and there month, would allow service providers to begin providing telephony to boot to broadband, or voice-only services to clients who did not wish to use a broadband connection.

iiNet chief regulatory officer Steve Dalby said that iiNet planned to offer a voice-only service once the UNI-V port became active on the network.

However, NBN Co's price constructs meant a voice port on the device could not be accessed without first purchasing anyway one data port, at a minimum cost of $24 a month for the basic 12/1 Mbps, even if the broadband service was left unused.

"There's a lot of people out there that just aren't fussed with that sort of thing," Kellett said. "They have a PSTN service where they just plug in and make calls. They want that however on the NBN."

The issue was particularly worrying for the elderly, pensioners and others who did not want a broadband service however would be pushed on to the fibre network when Telstra decommissioned copper in their areas.

It differed from the remaining seven percent of Australian premises where Telstra was nevertheless obligated to maintain a copper network afterwards the network was completed.

Standard telephone service is universally available

"Telstra currently has arrangements in place which ensure a standard telephone service is universally available, including basic prices for basic services and additional discounts for pensioners," he said.

The Department of Broadband maintained Telstra would not be forced to charge cheaper retail prices than currently pursuant to this agreement forthcoming changes to the universal service obligation maintained by the incumbent telco. Any forthcoming changes would be maintained by the department to ensure Telstra was "no worse off" in accordance with the changes.

"It is of great concern to us that at this hour we have no information about whether the low-income measures that exist for phone services will be continuing into the future," Corbin said.

It would allow unpowered telephones to continue operating for emergency services nevertheless would not power any active telephones or the data ports on the premises equipment.

It had led to some criticism, with Greens senator Scott Ludlam calling for an optional installation as is the case at Telstra's South Brisbane fibre project.