ACCC pushes back NBN Co notice again

NBN Co will not receive a formal notice to alter the text of its special access undertaking before next month's federal election.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has been shopping the draft text of the notice since July 4, attracting a large number of submissions from NBN Co and other access seekers.

It has been consulting on what to include in that draft notice since April 4 this year.

The ACCC had originally been working towards a May deadline to formally direct NBN Co to edit its special access undertaking, which lays out the minimum terms and conditions for services supplied over the NBN.

Last month, the May deadline was pushed back until at least late July. It will now bleed into September.

"In the ACCC's view the proximity of the federal election means that it is not practical to issue the [formal] notice at this time," the competition watchdog said.

"The ACCC would expect to finalise the notice to vary shortly after the federal election."

The watchdog is under pressure to keep the timeline moving on the special access undertaking.

ISPs that run services across the NBN have been living under a set of temporary access arrangements for almost two years, waiting for more permanent rules to be negotiated — something the ACCC is all too aware of.

"The ACCC is ... aiming to settle the arrangements in the SAU as soon as practicable, given that interim contractual arrangements between NBN Co and access seekers will expire before the end of the year," it said.