NBN speeds took COVID hit

A new report says Australia’s download speeds deteriorated by as much as 23 per cent as the network struggled to meet demand.

ACCC Chair Rod Sims. Picture: Zak Simmonds

NBN speeds and performance took a hit as Australia moved to work and study from home amid the COVID-19 lockdowns, a monthly report from the ACCC found.

The Measuring Broadband Australia report, released Thursday, found average download speeds on NBN Co's 50 Mbps and 100 Mbps speed tiers deteriorated by 14 per cent and 23 per cent respectively between February and April, before the company moved to give retailers 40 per cent extra capacity for free.

The report also found results could have been higher if NBN Co and retailers addressed issues causing poor performance, such as problems with the connection at the customer's premise had been addressed.

“We encourage NBN Co and RSPs to build upon their initial gains so that many more FTTN customers can also receive the speeds of the plans they pay for,” ACCC chair Rod Sims said.

Download speeds have since recovered, with retailers accessing the extra free capacity from NBN Co.

Mr Sims said that one in five consumers on 100 Mbps or 50 Mbps connections were paying for high speed plans that were underperforming.

The NBN has come under pressure from broadband users as they increasingly work and study from home, a move that for some may become permanent even post-pandemic.

“Broadband services have experienced unprecedented demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many people and small businesses have been working from home and making increased use of telehealth, online learning and other services."

Mr Sims said that many households did not need a 100 megabit service, that was on average around $20 more per month than a 50 megabit plan, which would support most households' streaming and usage needs.

“These results should prompt consumers to consider whether they actually need to pay extra for a higher-priced plan, or whether a cheaper plan could meet their needs,” he said.

“Consumers should consult RSPs’ key facts sheets which set out what plans are most suitable for using popular online services. If consumers are still uncertain what plan they require they can start on a lower speed plan and move up to a premium higher speed plan if and when they need to do so."

NBN Co now has more than two-thirds of the network on speeds above 50Mbps, with just 32 per cent left on 25Mbps and 12Mbps connections.

The NBN is just weeks away from completion, and more than 11.38 million homes and businesses now able to access an NBN service.