While retail service providers and sub-wholesalers are set to begin pushing commercial services over the National Broadband Network this week, the nation’s two largest carriers have confirmed they will not reveal commercial pricing until a wholesale broadband agreement is finalised with NBN Co.About 14,000 homes and business in the five trial sites passed by the NBN are eligible to take up commercial services on the new superfast fibre optic network, but Telstra and Optus are yet to reveal their consumer pricing plans.
Telstra said it would not release pricing plans for its NBN offerings until the telco had “certainty” on the content and timing of NBN Co’s wholesale broadband agreement.
Optus said it would not launch pricing for the new network until it had secured a watertight and commercially sound agreement with NBN Co.
The delay comes as NBN Co continues to negotiate the final form of its wholesale broadband agreement with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. However the October 1 deadline meant carriers will be allowed to start selling commercial services on the back of wholesaler charges previously revealed by NBN Co.
However, NBN Co is seeking further comments on a revised draft of its wholesale broadband agreement. This is in response to concerns by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission over access to NBN Co services for third parties.
“The NBN will be a national, wholesale-only, fixed line network monopoly. As the interests of monopolies and consumers are not always the same, it is necessary that there is a robust regulatory regime in place to address excessive prices and ensure fair access to the network,” ACCC chairman Rod Sims has said.
