Complaints to the TIO about statutory infrastructure providers

What is the SIP Regime?

The SIP regime came into effect on 1 July 2020. Its purpose is to support the Universal Service Guarantee, which aims to ensure people across Australia have access to broadband and voice services. 

What is a Statutory Infrastructure Provider (SIP)

A SIP is a carrier designated for a particular area under the SIP rules. These rules set out key obligations for the SIP to connect and supply services at minimum speed.

The NBN is the default SIP for the whole of Australia, except where other carriers have been designated as SIPs for an area. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) maintains a register of SIPs on its website.

What are the obligations under the regime?

The SIP rules require SIPs to enable all people across Australia access to a broadband connection by:

• fixed line;
•  fixed wireless; or
• satellite.

SIPs are required to:

• connect premises in their service areas to their networks
• supply wholesale services, on reasonable request from a carriage service provider acting on behalf of an end-user 
• enable the retail provider to supply broadband services with peak download and upload speeds of at least 25/5 Mbps. 
• on fixed-line or fixed-wireless networks, enable retail providers to supply voice services. 
• SIPs must also publish the terms and conditions on which they offer to connect premises and supply eligible services to carriage service providers.

More information about SIP obligations can be found on the ACMA’s website.

How we handle complaints

Some complaints we receive about our members relate to actions that are needed to be undertaken by a designated SIP. Usually we will still take the complaint about the retail service provider, but we may involve the SIP if we consider it necessary to resolve the complaint. If a person knows the SIP for their area, we can record this on their complaint. 

Our complaint handling procedures allow us to involve a SIP in resolving the complaint, including:

• requiring information from a SIP to resolve the complaint
• requiring a SIP to engage in a conference call to resolve the complaint.

We are likely to lodge a complaint about a SIP directly when:

• there is a connection delay with SIP infrastructure; and
• there is no retail service provider involved.