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Internet speed champion MyRepublic’s A/NZ MD, Nicholas Demos, reports "mixed feelings regarding the long awaited pricing review and raises concerns over the impact on the local market."
Demos said the proposed pricing "favours the 50 Mbps plan and discourages Australians from the 100Mbps tier," which irks the company as it reports "98% of its nbn customers are on the 100Mbps speed tier."
Naturally, Demos said "this approach has given our customers the best chance of having optimum speed on Australia’s network of the future.”
In the promotional pricing that commences today, 14 December, "there is no discount or incentive for the 100Mbps speed tier of which over 500,000 nbn customers enjoy today."
{loadposition alex08}We're told, however, that "the nbn has reduced the 50 Speed tier by $7 per month for new customers."
Thus, MyRepublic asks "why not provide an incentive for both the 50 and 100 speed tiers to give the Australian consumer choice within the premium plans? The wholesale price gap between 50 and 100 speed tiers was previously $4 and is now $11 per month."
The company said with today’s release of the proposed bundles for the much anticipated nbn pricing review due to commence in May 2018, "nbn have again favoured the 50Mbps speed tier."
Demos said: "Their bundled pricing is a step in the right direction, however the new 100Mbps wholesale bundle will cost 44 per cent more than the 50Mbps option. We don't want to be incentivised to put a hand break on our customer’s speed. As champions of faster internet, we will continue to fight for better options for the Australian consumer.”
Demos added that the comparison with Australia's neighbours is far from favourable:
“In New Zealand, MyRepublic’s Gig product costs $30 retail more than the 100Mbps option because it's a super high speed service; however, it's ridiculous to try and justify this sort of price hike from 50Mbps to 100Mbps."
In conclusion, Demos said that the Australian consumer should not be mislead by the messages from the nbn:
“The 50Mbps speed tier is being highlighted and the 100Mbps and above speed tiers are being buried due to NBN’s decision to roll out MTM (Multi Technology Mix). The 50Mbps promotion is about saving face for their MTM decision rather than what’s good for the consumer."
The company notes this is "proposed pricing that is open to another consultation process," and that "MyRepublic will be involved and will continue to push for fairer pricing for the higher speed tiers."
