Shadow communications minister, Malcolm Turnbull, addressed attendees of the forum in Paris and claimed that the NBN was unique when measured against the rest of the world as it will fail to encourage greater competition in the telecommunications sector.

"Whereas other countries are seeking to encourage greater competition in telecommunications, including at the facilities level, in Australia the NBN will not only be Government owned but will be a fixed line monopoly," Turnbull said.

Turnbull labelled the plans to decommission Telstra and Optus' hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) cable networks in exchange for payment from the government as an "extraordinary measure without any precedent".

"This mandated monopoly for NBN is one reason why a number of other telcos, who initially welcomed the NBN since it would clip Telstra's wings, are becoming much less enthusiastic."

"Australia's NBN offers little prospect of cheaper access to broadband," he said. "As a heavily capitalised, Government owned monopoly the NBN has both the incentive and the means to charge high prices."