operators and markets

This page looks at markets and telecommunication providers in Australia and New Zealand.

It covers -

• the telecommunications landscape
• markets
• Telstra
• Optus
• other carriers
• internet service providers
• pay television

     telecommunications landscape

At the beginning of 1999, there were over 25 licensed telecommunications carriers controlling facilities in Australia and New Zealand. Around one thousand ISPs and other entities used those facilities to provide services to business, institutional and residential markets.

The ACA somewhat problematically estimated that in 2002-03 the 1997 telecommunications reforms resulted in "consumption benefits of $5.7 billion for the nation as a whole across the range of goods and services consumed by all households", with benefits to small business estimated at $1.8 billion.

The mobile telecommunications sector continued to experience the largest growth in Australian telecommunications, with the ACA estimating that the sector contributes over $5 billion annually to the economy. At the end of 2002-03 there were approximately 14.3 million mobile phone services in operation in Australia, up by 12.6% since June 2002 to reach a penetration of 71.9% (ie mobile phone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants). Most growth during 2002–03 involved pre-paid services (around three out of four new mobile subscriptions). Around 3.95 billion SMS were sent in 2002-03, up 44% on the preceding year.

     markets

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     Telstra

Telstra remains the only licensed carrier with a ubiquitous presence across Australia, providing 10.3 million fixed standard telephone services.

     Optus

Optus has approximately 1.1 million services connected to its network.

     other carriers

Other access service providers account for more than 130,000 of the fixed services in operation.

     internet service providers

The number of internet subscribers in Australia exceeded five million for the first time in 2002-03. During that year the number of broadband services across Australia more than doubled, bringing the number of broadband subscribers to 516,800.

     pay television services

At the end of 2002–03 there were around 1.6 million pay television subscribers in Australia, with access by cable, satellite and MDS. That was an increase of 100,000 subscribers on the preceding year.









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