6 July 2012: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has made an interim access determination (IAD) for the declared local bitstream access service (LBAS) and is seeking comment on the proposed final access determination.
The LBAS is a wholesale access service for fixed line networks that are built or upgraded after January 2011. It does not apply to the NBN or to wireless or satellite networks. The ACCC declared the LBAS in February.
The LBAS is a ‘last mile’ fixed line service provided to residences and small business where the download transmission rate is superfast (25 megabit per second (Mbps) or faster). The IAD contains both price and non-price terms and conditions for a wholesale non-NBN 25/5 Mbps service.
The IAD sets a price ceiling of $27 per service per month. The price in the IAD was set by benchmarking against the NBN Co wholesale broadband agreement price for a similar service. The IAD also sets out non-price terms and conditions of access to provide a base set of terms if parties cannot come to a commercial agreement.
“The ACCC’s preliminary view is that the proposed benchmark pricing approach is appropriate, given the limited number of services that are currently subject to the declaration,” ACCC Commissioner Ed Willett said.
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