ACCAN recently submitted to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on the Regional Broadband Scheme (RBS) Levy. The RBS is critical to the funding of non-commercial regional, rural and remote NBN services. ACCAN supports the positions of the ACCC, which will strengthen confidence and trust in the RBS by ensuring that the levy reflects the efficient costs of delivering non-commercial services.

ACCAN’s submission recommends:

• The adoption of a Building-Block Model (BBM) approach for calculating the base component of the RBS levy.
• The proposed exclusion of historical losses from the RBS levy calculation.
• The adoption of a five-year modelling period for future expenditure and revenue for non-commercial fixed wireless and satellite services.
• The adoption of a benchmark taxation allowance approach for the estimation of a taxation building block as part of a BBM approach.
• Forecasting cost and revenue data for the calculation of an updated RBS levy to align with the approach set out in NBN Co’s Cost Allocation Manual.
• Developing a common methodology for benchmarking the rate of return that aligns with the methodology applied to NBN Co for the delivery of non-commercial RBS levy funded services and core monopoly services.
• Detailed expenditure, revenue and demand forecasts for non-commercial services be provided to facilitate the calculation of the efficient costs in the RBS levy.
• 5G services that provide fixed superfast broadband services to residential dwellings, with a speed in excess of 25mbps, should be included within the RBS levy.
• 5G and 4G mobile internet services, which may provide variable speed services, with speeds that may fall below 25mbps, should be excluded from the RBS levy.
• The commencement of a revised RBS levy at the earliest opportunity to ensure that RBS levy charges accurately reflect the efficient costs of delivering non-commercial services.

Download: RBS submission295.67 KB

Download: RBS submission203.68 KB