Commonwealth of Australia

Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999

Universal Service Subsidies (2004-05 Default Area) Determination (No. 1) 2002

I, RICHARD KENNETH ROBERT ALSTON, Minister for Communications,  Information Technology and the Arts, make the following Determination under subsection 16(1) of the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999.

Dated 27 August 2002.

RICHARD ALSTON

Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts

_________________________________________________________________

1     Name of Determination

This Determination is the Universal Service Subsidies (2004-05 Default Area) Determination (No. 1) 2002.

2     Commencement

This Determination commences on gazettal.

3    Definitions

In this Determination:

Act means the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999.

claim period means the 2004-2005 financial year.

default area means the area for which the Minister is taken to have made a determination as a result of subsection 9G(3) of the Act.

relevant service obligations means:

             (a)   the obligation referred to in paragraph 9(1)(a) of the Act (dealing with the standard telephone service); and

             (b)   the obligation referred to in paragraph 9(1)(b) of the Act (dealing with payphones).

standard telephone service includes an alternative telecommunications service (ATS) which is supplied in accordance with an approved ATS marketing plan in fulfilment of the obligation under paragraph 9(1)(a) of the Act.

4    Universal service subsidies

For the purposes of section 16 of the Act, the amount of the universal service subsidies specified in the Schedule is determined for the default area in respect of the relevant service obligations for the claim period.

Note: Subsection 9G(3) of the Act provides that if at a particular time any areas of Australia are not within a universal service area, covered by a determination under subsection 9G(1), in respect of a service obligation, those areas together constitute at that time a single universal service area in respect of that service obligation and the Minister is taken to have made a determination under subsection 9G(1) to that effect.

5     Circumstances in which subsidies are payable

A universal service provider for the claim period is eligible to be paid the subsidies specified in the Schedule if the provider complies with the provider’s obligations under section 12C of the Act.

Schedule – Universal service subsidies

1.             The subsidy in respect of the supply of the standard telephone service for the 2004-2005 financial year is $155,852,935.

2.             The subsidy in respect of the supply, installation and maintenance of payphones for the 2004-2005 financial year is $10,890,856.