Australia Competition Regulator Blocks TPG-Telstra Network Sharing

   By Stuart Condie 
 

SYDNEY--TPG Telecom said that it will consider appealing to Australia's Federal Court after a second competition regulator blocked its plan to share rival Telstra's regional mobile network.

TPG on Wednesday said that the Australian Competition Tribunal has declined to authorize a regional-network sharing arrangement with Telstra, Australia's largest telecommunications provider by market capitalization.

The plan would have allowed TPG to use about 3,700 additional regional mobile sites, expanding its coverage to 98.8% of the population from about 96%.

TPG said it will review the tribunal's determination before considering options for further appeal including a judicial review in the Federal Court. TPG and Telstra took the case to the tribunal after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission decided in December to block the arrangement.

"We are not giving up on regional Australia and will consider our options as well as advocating for policy reform," TPG Chief Executive Inaki Berroeta said.

Write to Stuart Condie at stuart.condie@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 20, 2023 20:22 ET (00:22 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.