Internet speed snoops wanted

THE ACCC has revealed it is formally investigating broadband retailers’ speed claims – and it wants 16,000 volunteer households to help it work out if consumers are being misled.

Information collected from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s broadband army should also determine whether the NBN Co itself is to blame.

Australians spend $4 billion a year on fixed-line broadband services. That figure is growing quickly as the NBN rolls out in major cities.

But many people are unhappy when the speed they get turns out to be far less than what was advertised.

Official complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman jumped by 117 per cent in the second half of 2016 compared to the same time in 2015.

Often consumers turn to the TIO after getting no joy from their retailer or NBN Co, with each shifting responsibility to the other.

ACCC acting chairwoman Delia Rickard said it hoped its new monitoring program could reduce frustration while also increasing and competition.

“Consumers are screaming out for speed information,” she said.

The program will run for four years. Initially about 2000 households will have yet-tobe-determined hardware fitted in their home to check transmission speeds day and night.

By the fourth year, 4000 households will be involved.

But the ACCC actually needs four times that number to put up their hand now so it can select a specific mix of users in both cities and regions connected by different technologies transparency – such as “fibre to the premise” and “fibre to the node” – on both basic and high-end packages with all the significant retailers.

Ms Rickard confirmed the ACCC was formally investigating reports where broadband retailers may have breached consumer law by misleading consumers over the service speeds they could expect.

The monitoring data from volunteers will be crucial in building cases. Broadband delivered by mobile, wireless or satellite is not being included.

To sign up, go to accc.gov.au