Australia’s consumer watchdog wants internet providers to openly advertise the typical upload speeds of their broadband plans, as it says upload speeds have “become more important to consumers” in recent years.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says clear-cut information around broadband upload speeds started to decline in 2020, just as upload speed became more meaningful with the switch to working and learning from home.
“At the same time, upload speeds information has become more important to consumers who rely on upload speeds to undertake activities at home that were previously done in the workplace and place of education,” read the ACCC’s consultation paper.
Some providers will state each plan’s upload speed in its critical information summary, but a link to this page is typically small and hard to find, and sometimes still does not include explicit details.
The two plans are sometimes identified by the providers are NBN 100/20 and NBN 100/40, although this is not consistent, and it can be difficult for consumers to know what they’re actually paying for.
As the ACCC looks to update its guidance to providers on broadband speed claims, it’s also looking to determine when the busy period is for upload speeds.
Why is internet upload speed important?
Upload speed is an important factor in online gaming, but since countless Australians have moved to working or learning from home, the ACCC believe it’s playing a larger part for the everyday internet user than it once did.
A better upload speed can improve video calling (a regular occurrence for most Aussies now), and it’s also helpful for uploading and sending large files over the internet, whether that’s a school assignment, or audio and video files for work.
If you’re not sure what upload speed you currently have, contact your provider, or search their website. Alternatively, you can do an NBN speed test to see just how fast your download and upload speed really is.
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