The Telstra/TPG submission to the ACCC is available online and outlines the benefits the deal is anticipated to bring.

However, it's not without critics from none other than the likes of Optus who state the deal will erode resilience for regional communities by reducing infrastructure variety in those regions.

TPG Telecom general manager external affairs James Richards states “TPG Telecom’s proposed network sharing deal will benefit more than five million customers across Australia overnight. It will strengthen TPG Telecom as a competitor in areas where we have not been able to previously compete, and bring real choice to millions of customers in regional Australia.”

Rickard also notes the deal is "nothing like the old days" and that Telstra is actually giving up a key network advantage.

"This infrastructure sharing arrangement is not without commercial risk to Telstra. TPG will have the ability to compete for and win a substantially increased share of customers in regional Australia from both Telstra and Optus."

“There is no truth to Optus’ claims that its access to spectrum will be restricted in some way. The numbers do not mislead - Optus will have more low-band and mid-band spectrum per subscriber in regional Australia than Telstra and TPG after they pool their spectrum. Importantly, the TPG spectrum must be used by Telstra in the shared regional network for the benefit of both TPG and Telstra customers," Rickard said.

“Optus is terrified because it knows this deal brings real customer choice and competition to regional Australia. It is deliberately twisting the facts to suit its own commercial agenda at the expense of TPG customers who should be allowed access to the superior regional mobile coverage enjoyed by Optus and Telstra customers.”