Australia's Competitive Carriers' Coalition (CCC) has attacked Telstra's decision to disconnect wholesale carriers from a Canberra exchange, stating the move may breach Australian law.
The CCC has called on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to investigate the move, to determine whether it breaches the nation's Trade Practices Act, the Australian said.
The Australian Capital Territory government has said it also plans to pursue the issue, according to ABC news.
Telstra has told competing carriers that its Deakin exchange will be closed in 15 weeks, the CCC said. The company has not offered any alternative arrangements or compensation.
Telstra said the lease had expired on the 30-year-old Alexander sub-exchange, so it was being moved to a new building.
The CCC last year criticized the ACCC's decision to exempt Telstra from some of its obligations to allow competitors to use its network.
The ACCC told competitors it wanted to invest more money into Telstra exchanges, the CCC said, but that equipment could be made obsolete by as early as this year as the government's planned NBN is rolled out.
"This means competitors are being forced to either spend money that they will have to write off at a loss, or else withdraw services from some customers. If they don't, Telstra will simply be able to cut off their access to these customers," CCC executive director David Forman said at the time.