You don’t have to look too deep in our comments section to realise that a lot of you disagree with iiNet’s sale to TPG. Looks like the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission reads internet hate, and is now asking you to send your rage its way in a new public consultation process.
According to the ACCC’s chairman, Rod Sims, the public consultation has been kicked off over fears that iiNet’s customer service levels will decline under TPG ownership.
“The ACCC has received a number of submissions from consumers. Their concerns primarily focus upon fears that iiNet’s customer service levels will decline as a result of the proposed acquisition,” Sims said in a statement.
The call for comment will also seek to determine whether the acquisition of iiNet would reduce competition in Australia’s fixed broadband market.
“The ACCC is also considering whether the competitive constraint posed by the remaining competitors, namely Telstra, Optus, M2 and the much smaller market participants, would be sufficient to prevent a substantial lessening of competition in the supply of fixed broadband services. As a general proposition, competition is stronger when the market contains more competitors,” Sims added.
The ACCC is only calling for comment on whether fixed broadband competition would be reduced, however, after determining that competition in the cable backhaul market would remain largely unaffected by the acquisition.
The consultation is open until 2 July. [ACCC]