iiNet, Optus reject Telstra's revised NBN infosec plan

ISPs iiNet, Optus and AAPT are pressuring the competition watchdog to reject fresh revisions to the way Telstra proposes to handle confidential NBN information.

The three access seekers have written to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to complain that Telstra's latest NBN information security plan does not provide enough assurance about how NBN data received under the definitive agreements can be shared by Telstra's business units.

The plan has been under close scrutiny since November last year.

The ACCC knocked back Telstra's first plan in February. Telstra resubmitted the plan with some concessions, but critics say these do not go far enough.

The plan is meant to prevent confidential NBN migration information being passed to Telstra Retail, where it could be used for anti-competitive behaviour, such as marketing.

iiNet welcomed Telstra's "general commitment" to information usage in the revised plan, but said without detail "this general commitment is of little value" and should not be approved. (pdf)

AAPT called the revised commitments "positive" but did not think the current plan would "sufficiently prevent Telstra from using or disclosing NBN Co migration information to gain or exploit an unfair commercial advantage over Telstra's wholesale customers". (pdf)

Optus also called the current revisions "welcome" but said they "fall short of providing the industry with sufficient comfort regarding appropriate use and disclosure of NBN Co Migration information by Telstra". (pdf)