Canning MHR Don Randall says residential estates and businesses in his electorate are missing out on communications infrastructure and may not receive it for up to eight years as the Gillard government presses ahead with the national broadband network.
Mr Randall told Parliament yesterday that residents had been forced into expensive and unreliable mobile phone and internet services because Telstra had become increasingly reluctant to provide any non-NBN infrastructure or services at new estates.
Telstra is governed by a universal service obligation, which means it can provide phone services using whatever technology it deems most appropriate.
Mr Randall said new areas such as Piara Waters and Harrisdale were connected to Telstra's copper infrastructure only after he contacted Telstra chief executive David Thodey directly.
But once the areas were connected, the telecom said there were no available ADSL ports for broadband internet at the Forrestdale exchange.
Mr Randall said Forrestdale Business Park-based Tilling Timbers had to pay $36,000 for a microwave link to get telephone and broadband internet access, after being promised infrastructure would be installed by Telstra for 18 months.
Carey Baptist College has also been forced into setting up a similar microwave link, Mr Randall said.
"Work is about to get under way for 16,000 home lots in the newer suburbs of Hilbert and Haynes, plus industrial parks are being developed in Pinarra and Nambeelup - are all these residents and business owners going to have the same problems," Mr Randall asked.
"These people could be waiting eight years or more for the NBN in their area. It's truly shocking to think this is happening in a burgeoning technical area."
