CA, the peak body for the telecoms industry, says the code is aimed at improving the consumer experience of Australians using next generation and legacy broadband services, including:

Minimising performance-draining interference between multiple telecommunications systems that are deployed alongside one another;

Protecting the performance of legacy systems such as ADSL2+ during the 18-month ‘coexistence period’ – i.e. the transition period that occurs in each roll-out area, when legacy systems and NBN-based services are both in play, until the legacy services are eventually switched off;

Ensuring minimum performance levels for certain next generation systems; and

Paving the way for technology upgrades such as NBN’s planned introduction of a new high-speed technology known as G.fast.

After completion of the consultation process and further revision, CA will submit the code to the industry regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, for consideration for registration.

The draft code has been created by a CA working committee of industry experts, led by Peter Cooke from Telstra.

CA says the code will require companies that are deploying next generation systems to cooperate in good faith, in particular by managing the power levels on the deployed services so as to avoid interfering with other nearby services.

CA chief executive John Stanton said, “Industry has come together to tackle some very complex technical issues and provide solutions that will benefit Australian communications consumers, both during the 18-month co-existence period and over the longer term”.

“The code will help ensure that the government’s performance goals for NBN-based services will be met, while also facilitating greater competition and paving a smoother transition to future services.”

The draft code will remain open for public comment for 35 days before seeking CA board approval and referring it to the ACMA for consideration for registration.