NBN Co has moved to resolve the issue of constant network outages with retailers as it prepares to announce the rebooted version of its Special Access Undertaking. A special industry workshop planned for Wednesday will aim to resolve the outages issue and ascertain if RSPs are satisfied with some proposed NBN reforms.
A constant flow of both unplanned and planned outages was raised as a major issue by RSPs during the recent SAU variation process.
There were particular criticisms that NBN Co sought to raise prices without any commensurate improvement in outage volumes, something some RSPs described as “not in the long term interests of end users.”
An RSP said it receives less than one hour’s notice for a significant proportion of NBN Co’s “planned” outages, while a customer can experience up to 10 drops a day in their NBN service before it is classified as a fault. An RSP claimed that NBN Co publishes hundreds of unplanned outage tickets every day but does not publish this information quickly enough for RSPs to adequately notify consumers.
NBN Co has proposed a number of fixes. These include reducing the volume of emergency outages, earlier notifications and changing the window of outages so they are mainly incurred during the early morning hours, impacting less on businesses.
NBN Co executive general manager, network management Darren Mills said: “Through SAU and Wholesale Broadband Agreement engagement, NBN Co and RSPs have identified the potential for improving the end user customer experience in relation to planned outages on the NBN network. Planned outages are a very normal activity in the maintenance, growth, capacity management and repair of telecommunication networks and also in ensuring we keep the network secure.”
“In particular, NBN is keen to continue to work with RSPs to identify potential improvements in relation to planned outages and the information made available by nbn to RSPs in communicating planned outages to their customers. It is both a shared challenge and an opportunity, which requires industry to come together to develop an agreed industry solution. To assist NBN and industry in progressing these issues, Comms Alliance will be hosting a working group with NBN and interested stakeholders on Wednesday, 19 October 2022.”
The workshop comes as NBN Co puts the finishing touches on its revised SAU proposal after the last one was withdrawn in July on advice from communications minister.
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