UPDATE | The group of ISPs has released the full letter to the ACCC, which reveals other participants to be Primus, EFTel, Wideband, Adam, Netspace and "Network Technology". It also explains their arguments in full.

The news comes after Telstra announced it would enable 900 extra exchanges with ADSL2+, most of which are not covered by competitors' ADSL2+ networks. At the time, Telstra claimed that it had been given assurances from the federal government that it would not need to wholesale the network if it flicked the switch.

But a group of ISPs, including iiNet, Internode, TSN and Westnet claim that this will cause a "substantial lessening of competition" and will "clearly have an adverse impact on consumers, both in terms of price and the range of services available to them in the long term."

"By excluding competitors from wholesale access to its ADSL2+ services, Telstra can lure customers of other ISPs into two or three-year contracts", they said.

The ISPs have offered a number of reasons why they should be able to purchase ADSL2+ from Telstra, including the high price of backhaul where Telstra is the only provider, exchanges that they claim are declared full prematurely by Telstra, and delays getting access to exchanges.

Links:

• ISP Media Release  (Internode, 25 Feb 2008)
• Telstra ADSL2+ at 900 more exchanges  (Whirlpool, 6 Feb 2008)