Optus offers compo over ‘ misleading’ NBN deals

OPTUS will compensate almost 9000 customers after failing to provide them with the fast services over the national broadband network that it had promised.

The telco has offered compensation to a group of customers who purchased NBN services between September 1, 2015 and June 30 this year.

It had already admitted that some customers had not received the speeds they signed up for.

Optus acknowledged it may have breached consumer law by misleading customers.

Bigger rival Telstra last month announced it would compensate 42,000 customers after an investigation by the consumer watchdog found many customers could not receive the maximum speeds listed on their plans.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission yesterday revealed Optus customers, similarly, could not receive the maximum speeds of a lower- tier plan.

ACCC chairman Rod Sims said this was a “concerning” trend.

“Optus is the second major internet provider we have taken action against for selling broadband speeds they could not deliver,” Mr Sims said.

The telco has provided a court- enforceable undertaking to the ACCC detailing the compensation it plans to provide to affected customers, including refunds, moving speed plans, discounted speed plans and free contract exits.

It would also be required to check within a month of connecting customers to new NBN speed plans that the customers were actually getting the advertised speeds they were paying for.