FED: 013 charges will hurt country businesses, says Andren

AAP General News (Australia)
08-25-1999
FED: 013 charges will hurt country businesses, says Andren

CANBERRA, Aug 25 AAP - Telstra's decision to charge businesses for calls to its 013
directory service would further disadvantage small business in rural and regional Australia,
independent MP Peter Andren said today.

The federal government has agreed to Telstra charging mobile phone users and businesses 40
cents for domestic call inquiries and $1.50 for international inquiries.

"While I'm not opposed to some form of user-pay charge for businesses that abuse the
service, I can see that this charge will impact more heavily on regional business than their
city-based competitors," Mr Andren said in a statement.

"Regional businesses that deal regularly with people and organisations outside their local
area will now have to pay 40 cents each time they call 013 or alternatively get hold of yellow
and white pages directories or purchase the information in electronic form."

Mr Andren said many regional businesses already paid more for telecommunications compared
to their city-based competitors.

"For example, in regional areas the small populations covered by local call zones mean
companies often pay more in STD calls than their metropolitan competitors," he said.

Mr Andren said rather than imposing an across-the-board fee to clamp down on abusers of the
service - such as market research firms - Telstra could have a monthly cap on free 013 calls
of say 40 calls before firms had to pay the fee.

Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia chief executive Rob Bastian has also
called for a cap.

"If Telstra is arguing that they are helping small business by removing a cross-subsidy,
why are they ignoring our alternative, to cap free usage at 20 to 30 calls per month?" Mr
Bastian said in a letter to Communications Minister Richard Alston.

AAP fh/mfh/it/br

KEYWORD: TELSTRA ANDREN

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