ACCC urges shopping around for NBN deals

WHOLESALE prices for the National Broadband Network (NBN) will change this month, and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is urging Australian households to shop around for the best broadband plan for them.

NBN retailers are also on notice about being upfront with consumers about retail price changes and accuracy in presenting the suitability of plans for different household types.

The ACCC recently accepted proposed changes to NBN Co’s regulatory commitments after a consultation and negotiation process.

As a result, the maximum wholesale prices for some NBN speed tiers will initially reduce, including prices for the most affordable services, while some others will increase.

For example, the wholesale prices for the 100 megabits per second (Mbps) and 25 Mbps speed tiers will initially decrease, while the wholesale price for the 50 Mbps speed tier will increase.

However, the actual retail prices paid by households are still set by retail service providers who compete for business, meaning there are a variety of deals available for consumers.

“It has never been more important for consumers to compare prices between retailers to make sure they are getting a deal that represents good value for them,” ACCC commissioner Anna Brakey said.

“There are significant price differences between retailers so it is worth seeing what other deals are available.

“Consumers can use our Measuring Broadband Australia reports to check how well retailers are meeting their speed claims and to see what different speed plans can deliver in terms of commonly used applications like gaming experience and simultaneous streaming.

“Given cost of living pressures impacting many householders, we expect retailers to assist customers to select NBN plans that best suit their needs so that they avoid paying more than necessary.”

Ms Brakey said a less expensive 25 Mbps speed plan gave households access to most online applications, including high-definition streaming applications.

“We are concerned where we see advertising by NBN retailers that suggests households need to be on 50 Mbps or even 100 Mbps plans to stream multiple shows at once, when a less expensive plan may be sufficient.”

For more information on the ACCC’s Measuring Broadband Australia report, head to accc.gov.au/by-industry/telecommunications-and-internet/telecommunications-monitoring/measuring-broadband-australia-program