NBN Co delays app throttling plans for fixed wireless

NBN Co has delayed plans to limit the bandwidth available to certain apps on its fixed wireless network during periods of heavy usage.

The company unveiled the proposal in October last year as a response to heavy users that routinely dominated available capacity in a particular cell, to the detriment of the experience of other users.

NBN Co said it intended to limit the bandwidth available to applications that heavy users favoured, such as peer-to-peer services and ultra high-definition streams.

With industry consultation completed at the end of last year, NBN Co had been targeting a Q3 2021 introduction of the capability, which it later clarified as September this year.

However, the company has now decided to delay the introduction of restrictions, from September this year to the second quarter of 2022 - six-to-nine months later than first expected. 

An NBN Co spokesperson did not clarify exactly why the introduction of the app throttling capability is being delayed.

“We are still progressing plans to implement this program, but timing has changed due to revised delivery timelines,” the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, NBN Co is continuing to weigh up a crackdown on heavy users of its fixed-line network, which iTnews exclusively reported the existence of in June this year.

iTnews understands that the fixed-line crackdown has been out to consultation with retail service providers (RSPs), with that process wrapping up today (September 3), at which point NBN Co will consider the industry’s feedback and reach a determination.