Communications

A third of NBN users now on higher speed plans

Residential broadband customers continue to shift to higher speed NBN plans, with more than one third of all NBN services now on 50Mbps plans, according to the ACCC’s tenth quarterly Wholesale Market Indicators Report released today.

The report for the quarter ended 30 June 2018 also shows more providers are connecting to more points of interconnection (POIs), increasing competition.

The number of 50Mbps services increased by 47 per cent over the June quarter and nearly 1.5 million customers are now on these high-speed plans, up from just 159,000 in December 2017.

Consultation paper

On 9 August 2018, the ACCC released a public consultation paper, draft Internet Activity Record Keeping Rule (RKR) document and templates as part of a consultation process for its proposed Internet Activity RKR. The purpose of this consultation is to seek submissions from a range of stakeholders, including industry and data users, on the ACCC’s proposed Internet Activity RKR.

Please email submissions to iarkr@accc.gov.au

Submissions to the consultation are open until COB Friday 21 September 2018.

Internet Activity Record Keeping Rule (RKR)

The ACCC is intending to undertake collection and analysis of internet activity data through a new Internet Activity Record Keeping Rule (RKR), under Section 151BU of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (CCA), from the December 2018 reporting period onwards. This follows a decision by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to discontinue producing its current Internet Activity Survey (IAS), with the June 2018 IAS being the final iteration.

ACCC commences inquiry into regulation of wholesale mobile voice and SMS services

The ACCC has today commenced a public inquiry to decide whether to extend, vary or revoke the domestic mobile terminating access service (MTAS) declaration, or whether to make a new declaration.

The MTAS is a wholesale service that allows consumers on different mobile networks to make calls or send SMS to each other. The ACCC regulates the MTAS to ensure that calls can be made between consumers on all mobile phone networks.

The Australian mobile industry has changed significantly even since 2014 when the current declaration was made.

Facilities Access Code Review 2018

The ACCC’s A Code of Access to Telecommunications Transmission Towers, Sites of Towers and Underground Facilities (the Facilities Access Code) was made under Clause 37 of Part 5 of Schedule 1 of the Telecommunications Act 1997. It governs how access to certain telecommunications facilities owned by telecommunications carriers, including mobile towers and underground ducts, is provided to other carriers seeking to install their equipment on or in those facilities.

Broadband speeds strong but improvements needed for some

The ACCC’s latest broadband speed data, released today, shows mainly pleasing, but some concerning, results. While most NBN fixed-line broadband customers are receiving relatively fast internet speeds, including during busy hours, which we strongly welcome, there is still an important number who are receiving poor service, including around 7% of consumers who receive less than half of the maximum speed of their plan.

Discussion Paper

The ACCC has released a discussion paper inviting submissions on whether the MTAS should continue to be declared and whether any changes to the MTAS are required.

Written submissions to the discussion paper will be accepted until 5.00 pm on 14 September 2018.