A catalogue of questions on internet issues may soon be answered for frustrated Wagga residents as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission launches a public inquiry into NBN wholesale service standards.
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The ACCC will probe into whether the quality of service delivered is apt or requires larger regulatory mediation to improve user experience.
Wagga councillor Vanessa Keenan welcomed the inquiry but said it has been “long overdue”.
“It’s clear talking to anybody in the community that the NBN has been delivered below expectations and there’s ongoing issues for people in both residential and business,” she said.
“Phone lines and websites of businesses are dropping out. We’re here in one of the biggest areas of regional NSW yet areas in the city have appalling NBN services.
“There needs to be an acknowledgement there is an inferior technology and a look at ways on how we can address that.”
The inquiry will focus on enforcing appropriate service standard levels at a wholesale level, and redress arrangements when users seek compensation from retailers when standards are not met, according to ACCC chairman Rod Sims.
“We are very concerned about the high number of complaints from consumers around poor customer experiences, particularly in relation to customers connecting to NBN services and having faults repaired,” he said.
“Many of these complaints relate to matters set out in wholesale service level standards. We will examine whether the service levels that are currently in place are appropriate and effective.
"This is important as what happens at the wholesale level often flows through to the retail level and affects customer experiences.”
But president of Wagga’s Labor branch Tim Kurylowicz said the inquiry was “indicative of the Turnbull government rather than taking action themselves”.
“You’ve got these government bodies like the ACCC and ombudsman recognising the problem and fundamentally, (Labour is) not hearing from any leaders saying we’ve bungled this,” he said.
An NBN NSW spokeswoman said the company would “work constructively with the ACCC on its inquiry”.
“We are pleased to see the broad focus of the inquiry on the entirety of the supply chain, including wholesale and retail service levels,” she said.
