NBN tries to lure new customers with lower prices and faster speed
The company whose in charge of building the National Broadband Network has decided to open the door to cheaper and faster internet plans.
It comes after abandoning an earlier and unpopular proposal that wanted to charge users more to stream videos.
NBN Co called it a “Netflix tax” on streaming video that was using up capacity on the network, but due to the backlash from customers has quickly distanced itself from this plan.
The NBN has indicated shifting its focus to maintaining reliable performance during peak periods as well as making higher speed tiers more affordable.
“The majority of respondents in the first round of consultation highlighted streaming video as an important application driving the need for higher download speeds and more capacity inclusions,” NBN Co chief customer officer Brad Whitcomb said in a statement.
Currently, NBN Co sells internet plans to retail service providers on a wholesale basis but providers have been complaining about the wholesale pricing is too high.
A bundle that was offered earlier in the year that offered up to 50-megabit-per-second downloads and up to 20 mbps uploads surged in popularity once the NBN lowered the price to $45 a month.
“A number of respondents stated that a discount to the entry level wholesale bundle would help them to maintain an affordable retail broadband plan in a market with uncapped data inclusions,” Mr Whitcomb said.