THE Australian consumer watchdog has issued an almost unprecedented statement saying it would take an even closer look at Telstra’s broadband competition practices, despite its already hawkish eye on the telco giant.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced yesterday it has made a record keeping rule to force Telstra to retain records and report to the watchdog on all matters relating to access to its telephone exchanges.

The rule comes after the ACCC had received large numbers of complains over a long period related to delays in getting access to Telstra premises – and sometimes further obstructive practices – from market competitors.

Competitors had complained that Telstra had refused them access to exchanges on the grounds that there was insufficient space, and that they had been subject to lengthy delays in getting access to install equipment that would allow them to provide ADSL2 services.

“The ACCC believes that there is a strong need for independent oversight of Telstra's processes to cap exchanges to ensure that Telstra is held accountable and access seekers are not unreasonably denied access to Telstra exchanges,” ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel said.

“There is also a clear need to identify the exact cause of delays with Telstra's queuing system,” Mr Samuel said.

“The record keeping rule will assist the ACCC in carrying out its statutory functions under the access regime in the Trade Practices Act and provide confidence to access seekers investing in competitive DSLAM infrastructure about the accuracy of Telstra's processes,” he said.

A Telstra spokesman is quoted in Australian media saying the new record-keeping requirements were yet another cost-imposition on the company.

Telstra has had a difficult relationship with the ACCC, which it has previously described as a rogue regulator.