First stage of web filter trials will not include iNet and Optus

It has been announced that the first trials of the Federal Governments web filtering technology will not be including the three biggest internet service providers in Australia.

Stephen Conroy, the Communications minister made the announcement of the six companies that will be involved in the trial and neither iiNet nor Optus were included in the list.

Telstra, the largest service provider in the country had already refused to participate in the trial but iiNet and Optus had entered an application to take part in these tests. The six providers announced to take part were Primus Telecommunications, Tech 2U, Webshield, OMNIconnect, Netforce and Highway 1.

Webshield, who are one of the providers taking part, has already provided its customers with a filtering service Negotiations with the other companies that had entered application were already underway said Senator Conroy. He said “Arrangements for the first phase of the live pilot have been finalised with six ISPs while consultations continue with a number of other ISPs that have applied to take part. The government is well-aware of technical concerns about ISP filtering and that is why we are conducting a pilot, to put these claims to the test.

The live pilot will provide evidence on the real-world impacts of ISP content filtering, including for providers and internet users.”

Customers will be allowed to choose whether they wish to take part in the trial or not and the first round of testing will last for a minimum of six weeks, although no firm date has been provided for the beginning of the trial.

The controversial filtering plan from the Government has been heavily criticised by iiNet who has said that in order to prove the scheme to be unworkable it would take part in the trial.

The involvement of iiNet in subsequent trials was something that Greg Bader, the iiNet chief technology officer said he expected. He said “We’re reasonably confident that they want us to be a part of it.” Mr Bader said that a discussion was to take place later in week between Senator Conroy’s department and iiNet as to how the trial would work. He said “We just need to sort out each other’s expectations. Our view hasn’t changed – we don’t believe the blacklist as a solution is really that effective.”