Optus: reforms are long overdue

Australia's second biggest telecommunications company Optus says the federal government's planned reforms of the telco industry are long overdue.

Maha Krishnapillai, director of government and corporate affairs at Optus, said the reforms will lead to far better competition outcomes.

"The sector has been dysfunctional and that has been largely driven by Telstra's behaviour," he said.

"This is a landmark change. It changes the entire landscape."

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy today announced the reforms, which pave the way for separation of Telstra's wholesale and retail operations and the implementation of the government's high speed national broadband network initiative.

AAP