This month, the competition watchdog’s noose has tightened around the neck of an eighth National Broadband Network (NBN) service provider over misleading internet speeds.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says it has received undertakings from Vocus Group – which owns Dodo, iPrimus and Commander – to offer remedies to 5861 customers who were unable to access fast internet speeds for which they had paid.
The advertised speeds were inaccessible because the customers’ NBN connection was incapable of delivering it. The resulting slowdown of internet connectivity led to howls of protest from tens of thousands of Australians, who claimed they had been sold a dud by being forced onto a broadband system that was inferior to their previous connection.
Following its latest probe, the ACCC said affected customers would be offered options for remediation, including moving to a lower speed plan with a refund or exiting their plan with a refund and no exit fees.
“Dodo, iPrimus and Commander have admitted that by offering speed plans that could not be delivered, they likely breached consumer law by engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct and making false or misleading representations,” ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court said.
The NBN service providers will also be required to tell new customers if they are not getting the maximum speeds advertised to them.
The watchdog will continue, as a priority in 2018, to monitor and enforce measures against providers’ misleading claims about internet speeds.
“The ACCC has now accepted undertakings from eight internet service providers, who have all admitted they likely misled customers about internet speeds.
“As a result of these undertakings, more than 75,000 affected consumers are being contacted by their internet service provider and offered remedies,” Ms Court said.
Details of the providers’ undertakings to compensate NBN customers, and the deadlines by which they must contact them, can be found by clicking on the following links:
- Telstra (7 December 2017)
- Optus (2 March 2018)
- TPG Internet (2 March 2018)
- iiNet (27 April 2018)
- Internode (27 April 2018)
- Dodo (27 April 2018)
- iPrimus (27 April 2018)
- Commander (27 April 2018)
Broadband customers who have not heard about their eligibility for compensation from their telco by the due dates should contact those organisations. If the provider is still dragging its feet on delivering the undertakings it has given the ACCC, customers should contact the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.
Have you received remediation from a broadband provider? Were you satisfied with the outcome of your broadband issue?
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