iiNet to sign NBN Co access agreement

ISP iiNet has resolved outstanding issues with NBN Co over its wholesale broadband agreement and will sign up to the commercial contract “imminently”.

iiNet and its Internode, Adam Internet and Westnet subsidiaries had initially refused to sign the document - which details the terms for access and price for companies providing NBN services.

The group cited “risk concerns” primarily around the level of responsibility NBN Co would accept in the customer service guarantee governing service levels for new fixed-line phone connections, fault rectification and the keeping of appointments.

iiNet first signalled issues with the second iteration of the WBA in January last year, and said it would result in service providers being forced to compensate customers for issues caused by NBN Co. The iiNet group is still a signatory to the WBA1 agreement.

The WBA2 comes into effect on March 1. NBN Co last month said Telstra, Optus and 25 other service providers had signed up to the agreement.

iiNet chief regulatory officer Steve Dalby today said while a few issues remained, the majority of concerns had been resolved. iiNet is expected to sign the agreement in the coming weeks.

iiNet today posted an increase of 23,000 NBN and fibre customers in the past six months, bringing its entire broadband base to 926,000 users, compared to the 840,000 it counted at the end of the 2013 financial year.