Telstra has submitted a varied Migration Plan to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for approval, which is a condition precedent of the revised Definitive Agreements between Telstra, NBN Co and the Australian Government.

The varied Migration Plan will govern how Telstra goes about progressively disconnecting its copper and Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) networks once the National Broadband Network (NBN) is rolled out. It includes changes triggered by the change in Government policy to a multi-technology model for the NBN and the renegotiated NBN Definitive Agreements.

Group Executive Corporate Affairs, Tony Warren, said Telstra needed to change its Migration Plan to reflect the Government’s multi-technology model for rolling out the NBN, including provisions for NBN Co’s use of fibre to the node (FTTN) and HFC technologies.

“We have also taken the opportunity to improve the disconnection arrangements based on what we have learnt so far in the first areas to go through full NBN migration, including the feedback we have received from industry,” said Dr Warren.

“Consistent with the revised Definitive Agreements and the formal migration principles the Government released earlier this year, we are proposing variations that build on the foundations of the original Migration Plan and continue to deliver equivalence across Telstra Retail and Wholesale customers.”

Telstra’s varied Migration Plan applies existing concepts, such as NBN Co’s role in setting the Ready for Service dates, an 18 month migration window and mandatory disconnection of all services as the NBN is rolled out.

The variations also include specific changes to improve the disconnection experience for end users, such as allowing additional time for NBN Co to make premises serviceable, introducing more flexibility to reconnect premises where an NBN order has been placed and coordinating disconnection dates.

The varied Migration Plan does not change the value Telstra expects to receive under the revised Definitive Agreements.

“The varied Migration Plan delivers on the key objectives of the Government’s migration principles and will help contribute to a successful NBN rollout,” said Dr Warren.

“We will now work together with the ACCC and industry through the consultation process to help achieve approval of the plan.”