Editing Telecommunications in Australia (section)

==Telephony and related arrangements==
{{See|Telephone numbers in Australia}}
The [[Postmaster-General's Department]] regulated telecommunications and operated telephone and related communications within Australia over the copper telephony network from federation up to 22 December 1975,<ref name="NAA CA 9">{{citation|title=CA 9: Postmaster-General's Department, Central Administration|url=http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CA+9|publisher=National Archives of Australia|access-date=5 December 2013}}</ref> replaced by the [[Postal and Telecommunications Department]].

In mid-1975 the department was disaggregated by the [[Whitlam government]] into the two [[State-owned enterprise|Government Business Enterprises]]: the [[Telstra|Australian Telecommunications Commission]] (trading as Telecom Australia) and the Australian Postal Commission (trading as [[Australia Post]]) with a new [[Postal and Telecommunications Department]].<ref name=MRAbolition>{{cite press release|first=Malcolm|last=Fraser|author-link=Malcolm Fraser|title=Major Changes in Ministerial And Departmental Responsibilities And Functions|date=18 December 1975|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111020520/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=4008|archive-date=11 January 2014|url-status=dead|url=http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=4008}}</ref> The change was intended to take account of the increase in the functions of the department to include all electronic media matters which had previously been the responsibility of the [[Department of the Media]].<ref name=MRAbolition/>

The 1982 Davidson Inquiry regarding private sector involvement in delivery of existing/proposed telecommunications services recommended ending Telecom Australia's monopoly.<ref>{{Cite report | author1=Committee of Inquiry into Telecommunications Services in Australia | author2=J. A. Davidson| author3=Australian Parliament | title=Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Telecommunications Services in Australia | date=1982 | publisher=Australian Government Publishing Service | isbn=978-0-644-01231-7 }}</ref>

In June 1991, legislation was passed allowing duopoly competition with Telstra, Optus Communications became Australia's second general telecommunications carrier.<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/optus-rings-up-20-years-sticking-to-its-guns/news-story/d357df679f5db28b7a09184e0f27ee9f Mitchell Bingemann, (30 January 2012), Optus rings up 20 years, sticking to its guns, ''The Australian''] Retrieved 9 February 2017</ref> It was guaranteed access to Telecom's existing infrastructure on reasonable terms - meant to ensure its viability. Other players were prevented from entering the general telephone market until 1997.

Telecom Australia changed its name to [[Telstra]] in 1995 and has since been privatised. It faced growing competition in market niches such as long distance corporate voice and data services. Telstra was progressively privatised (33.3% 1997, 16.6% 1999, 33.3% 2006, with 17% transferred to the [[Future Fund]].)

Numbers of licensed telecommunications carriers grew from: ~20 controlling facilities in Australia at 1998 (with several hundred entities providing services using those facilities to [[end users]]); to 99 at 2002.