The opportunity cost of expanding telco obligations

This report analyses the growing tension between declining real-term telecommunications pricing and the expanding set of regulatory obligations placed on Australian operators. While the price of telecoms hardware and services has fallen significantly relative to CPI over the last decade, reaching an index value of 74.9 against a CPI of 133.7 by June 2023, providers face increasing pressure to deliver higher resilience, cybersecurity, and consumer protections. The brief argues that meeting these commitments carries significant opportunity costs that must be communicated to the public.