NBN customers left in the lurch 80,000 times since last July

THE builder of the troubled National Broadband Network is failing to turn up to thousands of appointments every week. Now, it could pay the price for such shoddy service.

THE builder of the troubled National Broadband Network is failing to turn up to thousands of appointments every week, frustrating Australians waiting to connect to the service.

NBN Co has fobbed off customers 80,000 times since last July – nine per cent of all appointments.

The consumer watchdog is considering introducing penalties for the government-owned company if it continues to fail to attend homes and businesses when scheduled.

Outgoing NBN CEO Bill Morrow. Picture: Chris Pavlich

The Courier-Mail can also reveal three top executives at NBN Co splurged almost $40,000 on business-class flights and accommodation during a trip to Spain to attend a conference.

NBN Co’s attendance rate compares unfavourably to Telstra, which last year missed only 3.8 per cent of its appointments, while Optus missed less than 1 per cent, according to a report by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

The figures, which NBN Co was forced to release after Senate estimates last week, show the company is improving after missing 12 per cent of appointments in 2016-17.

A spokeswoman for NBN Co said the missed appointments occurred for a variety of reasons including “some beyond the technician’s control, such as the weather, end-user non-attendance and technical impediments”.

The consumer watchdog is considering introducing penalties for the government-owned company if it continues to fail to attend homes and businesses when scheduled.

Labor’s communications spokeswoman Michelle Rowland said the missed appointments were one of the “many regular complaints” she and other MPs received.

“Consumers have every right to be frustrated when they take time off work only to find the scheduled technician doesn’t turn up,” Ms Rowland said.

Australian Consumer and Competition Commission chairman Rod Sims has previously said rules would be introduced this year to penalise NBN Co when its technicians do not turn up for scheduled appointments.

NBN Co has also released details of a trip to Barcelona over February and March, when three executives attended the World Mobile Congress.

They spent $10,621.61 staying at four-star and five-star hotels and $28,409.59 on flights.

It can also be revealed the company spent $3.3 million on advertising for its “monthly dashboard” infomercials, which is aimed at allowing Australians to track NBN Co’s performance.

Figures provided to Senate estimates reveal NBN Co has 69 corporate affairs and public relations staff.

The staff include community relations, employee communications, government relations and administrative staff.