Proposed changes to the pit and pipe requirements for rural developments

We have released a draft exemption instrument under Part 20A of the Telecommunications Act 1997 and seek your comments on it, including any implications for carriers, developers and consumers.

The draft exemption instrument proposes to exempt certain developments from the requirement to install fibre-ready pit and pipe under Part 20A of the Act.

The proposed instrument would cover developments where:

• no networked utilities or only above-ground electricity lines will be installed in proximity to each building lot (i.e. they are relatively remote and do not have mains water, sewerage or underground electricity);
• there is no kerb and channelling constructed, or planned to be constructed;
• the average length of the street frontages of the building lots within the development exceeds 60 metres (i.e. they are larger rural type blocks); and
• the development is not in a current or announced NBN fixed-line network rollout area.

Developments that meet these criteria are expected to generally be serviced by direct buried cable, wireless or satellite services that do not need pit and pipe infrastructure.

We developed the instrument in response to concerns from stakeholders about the cost of providing fibre-ready pit and pipe in areas where it is unlikely to be used.

We are also proposing to require developers to provide written notice to the Secretary of the Department of Communications and the Arts of development projects for which an exemption is claimed. It is proposed that the following project details would need to be outlined in the notice:

• the development name;
• the stage name or number of the development;
• the development’s type;
• how many building lots/building units that will be in the development; and
• location information.

We are proposing this would be an online system but seek your feedback on how it could be implemented.

Relevant documentation

• Draft exemption instrument (PDF, 181KB)
• Draft exemption instrument (DOC, 56KB)