ACCC to cease reporting broadband numbers

Stuart Corner
Thursday, 19 April 2007 13:37

IT Industry - Deals

However the degree of under-estimation, and its consequences wee made rather public earlier this month by the Shara Evans, CEO of telecoms industry research firm, Market Clarity.

Evans told a conference that, at 30 September 2006, the ACCC's Broadband Snapshot had the total number of broadband subscribers at 3.6 million and the ABS' Internet Activity report at 3.9 million. More importantly, she pointed said the OECD was using the lower ACCC figure for its international comparisons of broadband uptake.

ABS reporting now appears to be at least as comprehensive and as timely as that provided by the ACCC, and more accurate.The ABS professes to take a census of "all live ISPs", and counted 467 for its September 2006 report. However Evans said Market Clarity's research had identified at least 650. The ABS data used to be rather more delayed than the ACCC Snapshot. However the most recent data, for 30 September 2006, were released in February by both organisations.

The ABS also collects data on dial up Internet numbers, which the ACCC does not. And it provides a breakdown by business and residential and by speed, which the ACCC does not. The only information that ACCC provides which ABS does not is to report cable and satellite broadband numbers separately.

The Minister's 2003 directive requiring the ACCC to gather the data said: "the current monitoring and reporting arrangements provide some information on broadband, however, the utility of the information is limited due to timing, scope and confidentiality issues...The objective of the enhanced monitoring and reporting arrangements is to provide more information to improve transparency in the market. A more efficient market is also expected to have flow on benefits such as promoting competition and assisting rational investment in the industry. Additionally, the information will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Government's telecommunications reforms and assist further policy development. The greater level of detail is necessary to assess and promote the development of competition in broadband services."