Australia plans to extend wholesale prices to fixed-line broadband networks

Australia’s competition regulator said on Tuesday it planned to extend maximum wholesale prices and other important terms and conditions for retailers to access superfast fixed-line broadband networks.

The regulated Superfast Broadband Access Service (SBAS) prices will continue to be benchmarked to National Broadband Network (NBN) prices for equivalent residential broadband services, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said in a statement.

TPG Telecom and de-listed Uniti Group are the two largest suppliers of the SBAS in Australia, with their networks together covering more than 1 million premises, primarily in apartment buildings and new residential housing estates.

The new regulations involve specific price terms allowing consumers and businesses to find offers that are potentially similar to, or better than, those available on the NBN, ACCC said.

The regulated monthly prices for the 25/5 and 50/20 Megabits Per Second (Mbps) speed tiers will give retailers greater certainty over the access costs that they pay, allowing retailers to develop consistent product offerings across all networks.

The changes will put downward pressure on the wholesale cost to access the entry-level 25/5 Mbps service and the popular 50/20 Mbps service, the regulator said.

“We have made this access determination so the one million or so Australians who rely on these networks for internet at their homes or businesses can select from a broader range of retailers and offers that can better meet their needs,” ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said.

The new access determination will come into force on Sept. 1 and apply until March 1, 2027.