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Telstra nominates Independent Telecommunications Adjudicator

The ITA will take care of disputes between Telstra and wholesale customers as part of the telco's structural separation undertaking (SSU).

Telstra has put forward former Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) general manager, Rob Nicholls, for the role of Independent Telecommunications Adjudicator (ITA).

Part of the telco’s commitment to structurally separate its retail and wholesale arms was to establish an ITA with appointments to be made by the ACCC. This is to ensure “transparency and equivalence in the supply of regulated services to its wholesale customers during the transition to the NBN”.

Nicholls has a background in telecommunications engineering and was a technical consultant for law firm, Gilbert + Tobin.

As part of the conditions stipulated in the structural separation undertaking (SSU), the former ACCC general manager has confirmed he does not hold any direct financial interest in Telstra and has not done consultancy work with the telco for the past two years.

“Accordingly, we believe Mr Nicholls is a strong candidate for the ITA Adjudicator role and will provide the industry with confidence that the role of the ITA Adjudicator will be performed with independence and integrity,” ITA Co chairman, Mark Hall, said in his letter to the ACCC.

The ACCC will have the final say over the appointment of the ITA.