NBN Co’s Lightning-Fast 2Gbps Services Surpass ACCC’s Oversight Abilities
We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission which is paid directly to our Australia-based writers, editors, and support staff. Thank you for your support!
Quick Read
- NBN Co’s updated 2Gbps offerings surpass the ACCC’s current monitoring capacity.
- The ACCC’s existing testing instruments are unable to quantify speeds exceeding 1Gbps.
- NBN Co has logged 11,000 requests for the 2Gbps services.
- The ACCC has no short-term intentions to enhance its monitoring technology.
- More than 9.8 million homes and businesses across Australia can utilize multi-gigabit speeds.
Overview of NBN Co’s 2Gbps Internet Offerings
NBN Co has rolled out a new ‘home hyperfast’ package that delivers 2Gbps speeds to residential customers. Introduced in mid-September, these plans are available as 2000/200Mbps for FTTP and 2000/100Mbps for HFC connections. Demand has been robust, with 11,000 orders captured by December 10.
Limitations of ACCC Monitoring
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has faced challenges in monitoring these high-speed connections. The ‘Measuring Broadband Australia’ initiative currently relies on SamKnows devices, which can only gauge speeds up to 1Gbps. This shortcoming hinders accurate monitoring of the recently launched 2Gbps services.
Technological Challenges
The SamKnows equipment uses gigabit ethernet connections, limiting the maximum detectable speed to 940Mbps after accounting for network protocol overheads. Therefore, the ACCC’s present configuration cannot accurately portray the performance of NBN Co’s hyperfast plans, and services on this tier are excluded from the ACCC’s regular reports.
ACCC’s Reaction and Future Prospects
Even though 38 hyperfast services have been identified as unmeasurable, the ACCC does not have immediate intentions to upgrade its current monitoring technology, which is supplied by Cisco following its purchase of SamKnows. Future upgrades will depend on program funding and the rate of growth in hyperfast subscriptions.
Effects on Australian Internet Users
Currently, over 9.8 million Australian homes and businesses can access multi-gigabit speeds. NBN Co has actively promoted its high-speed service tiers and continues to witness significant uptake, with an additional 1,500 orders for 2Gbps services within just 18 days.
Conclusion
The launch of 2Gbps internet plans by NBN Co represents a major advancement in Australia’s broadband landscape. However, the ACCC’s existing monitoring infrastructure is unable to keep pace with these developments. While the ACCC has recognized this discrepancy, there are no immediate plans to upgrade the monitoring framework, leaving a segment of the hyperfast services without oversight as they rise in popularity.