The ACCC has approved Telstra’s proposed variation to the NBN Migration Plan to enable fibre to the curb (FTTC) as a new access technology for NBN connections.
The Migration Plan outlines steps Telstra will take to progressively migrate voice and broadband services from its existing copper and hybrid-fibre coaxial (HFC) networks to the NBN.
Stakeholders identified concerns with NBN Co's proposed connection processes, in response to a discussion paper we released in December on Telstra’s proposed FTTC variation.
“The proposed connection processes could have resulted in people being left without a phone or internet service before their FTTC service was operating,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said.
“NBN Co have now agreed to change connection processes and undertake data testing to ensure FTTC services are operating prior to disconnection of existing services.”
“The ACCC welcomes these improvements, which should provide a safeguard against consumers being disconnected before they have access to a working NBN service,” Mr Sims said.
NBN Co will also notify FTTC service customers that they have up to 18 months to switch their existing services to the NBN service before their phone and internet services are disconnected.
The ACCC’s Final Decision and the varied Migration Plan are available on the .
Background
FTTC allows for greater use of existing copper lines to connect customers to the NBN, avoiding the need to dig new lead-in conduits to premises.
The Migration Plan sets out the steps that Telstra will take to progressively migrate voice and broadband services from its copper and hybrid-fibre coaxial (HFC) networks to the NBN as it is rolled out across Australia. The current Migration Plan incorporates the shift to a multi-technology mix (MTM) NBN and was approved by the ACCC in June 2015.
On 6 October 2017 Telstra submitted a proposed variation to the Migration Plan to the ACCC. The proposed variation included measures to facilitate the rollout of FTTC as an access technology for the NBN and some other more minor amendments to the Migration Plan.
The ACCC’s consideration of the proposed variation is limited to whether or not the Migration Plan, as varied, complies with Migration Plan Principles issued by the Australian Government in 2015.