The commission released an issues paper on Tuesday which it says will help people prepare submissions, or provide brief comments, through its website.

The deadline for submissions is 21 July.

“Currently we have in place a Universal Service Obligation that means the government guarantees a minimum level of fixed line voice telephone services and pay phones across Australia,” said Commissioner Paul Lindwall.

“Our inquiry is looking at whether government intervention is still needed to support universal access to a minimum level of telecommunications services, given market, technological and policy developments over the past decade, not least of which is the widespread use of mobile phones and the rollout of the NBN.”

Commissioner Lindwell says the commission is expecting to hear from major telecommunications providers on the USO issue, but is also interested in hearing from individuals, local government and “anyone who has a view on the current Universal Service Obligation and future directions for change”.

As reported by iTWire, in February this year the federal government acknowledged that adjustments need to be made to current consumer safeguards to stay up-to-date with changes to available telecommunications technologies and consumer expectations.

The Minister for Regional Communications, Fiona Nash, and the Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield said at the time that the Productivity Commission had been asked to undertake an inquiry into the future requirements of the Universal Services Obligation (USO) in an “evolving telecommunications market”.

The comments in February about the USO were in response to the 2015 Regional Telecommunications Review report which made 12 key recommendations to improve telecommunications access in regional, rural and remote Australia.