Quota war spurs Internode plan rethink
Just weeks after Internode revamped its broadband plans, managing director Simon Hackett has revealed the national broadband provider is again considering its options, as Australia's internet service provider (ISP) industry continues to be shaken up by massive download quota increases.
Last week iiNet launched what it claimed was the nation's first broadband plan with a terabyte download quota: a move soon after followed by similar plan releases from Primus and TPG. Others such as Dodo have revamped "unlimited" plan offerings and Spin has even promised a 2TB plan, although no pricing is as yet available and the company has not responded to an enquiry asking for more details.
"Despite having only just revised its plans a few weeks ago, Internode will indeed respond commercially to various significant changes in the marketplace," said Hackett on the forums of broadband information site Whirlpool, as reported by Computerworld.
"We're currently waiting on some answers to important and relevant questions from various suppliers over the next few weeks, before we can fully determine and release our next plan revisions... When we're ready, we'll just do it, as we did with the previous round of changes."
Hackett said Internode's response to the quota war would be "substantial" and that the changes concerned would be "significant".
Internode currently appears to have two major suppliers: Optus and Telstra.
Internode customers had been speculating feverishly about the plan changes over the past week and immediately started discussing Hackett's announcement; however, not all comments were immediately positive.
"I thought Thodey is a more approachable guy? It doesn't need weeks, does it ;-)," one poster gently teased Hackett. "I'll take a guess and say that there won't be any love for those of us on [zone 2/zone 3] Telstra Wholesale ports though," wrote another.
The current broadband quota war was kicked off by Telstra in late July when the telco dramatically cut prices on a range of its plans, including a massive chop on its 200GB Elite plan that saw monthly prices drop from $179.95 to just $89.95.
The price changes were immediately greeted by complaints levelled at the telco by rivals to the national competition regulator.