CANBERRA – The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has published a draft report on a lengthy market study of the communications sector. It includes 29 recommendations on competition and consumer issues in Australia’s communications markets.
The market study found that there is strong price competition between the major service providers, despite considerable concentration in both fixed and mobile retail markets. It predicts this will increase with TPG launching its own mobile network and Vodafone now offering services over the NBN.
“However, the study has highlighted a number of areas of consumer concerns which will benefit from some immediate actions,” said ACCC chairman Rod Sims.
These include NBN pricing and speed claim issues; the competitiveness of smaller service providers; and issues flowing from new technology such as 5G, he said.
A key issue is said to be the experience of consumers with slower-than-expected Internet speeds, including NBN Co’s pricing of the services it provides to RSPs.
The ACCC is seeking comments on the draft by December 8 and expects to release a final report in early 2018.
