Australians continue to be among the least satisfied users of broadband in the world, according to a new report.
In a ranking of 26 countries based on respondents' level of satisfaction with high-speed broadband, Australia came in at number 23, followed only by Brazil, Peru and Italy.
More Technology Videos
- Video duration
- 00:41
Calls for broadband performance monitoring
- Video duration
- 00:42
Twitter to close video app Vine
- Video duration
- 01:27
What's up with WhatsApp?
- Video duration
- 01:04
Google won't bid on Twitter: reports
- Video duration
- 01:33
Google releases 'Pixel' smartphones
- Video duration
- 01:53
Dolly: a very special sheep
- Video duration
- 02:08
What is e-bile?
- Video duration
- 02:04
The ins and outs of sexting
Calls for broadband performance monitoring
Consumer representative ACCAN is calling for an independent monitoring program for consumers to better judge broadband products.
The finding appears in a new report by research firm Ipsos about the world's infrastructure needs and priorities.
It found Australians were largely satisfied with the quality and performance of airports, water and sewerage systems, and rail networks, and were most dissatisfied with broadband, energy generation infrastructure and flood defences.
Only 38 per cent of Australians surveyed described broadband as "very or fairly good". By comparison, 70 per cent of South Koreans, 68 per cent of Americans and 68 per cent of Swedes felt "very or fairly good" about their broadband.
The global average was 54 per cent.
Between January and March this year, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman received 10,985 complaints about internet services. The biggest areas of complaint were slow data speeds, unusable services and connection delays.
Laurie Patton, chief executive of Internet Australia, a non-profit group representing all Australian users, said the Ipsos findings were "simply embarrassing".
He said the findings reflect that of an Essential poll released earlier this month, which show 88 per cent see the internet becoming an essential service, such as water and electricity, yet only 22 per cent think the current NBN strategy will meet future needs.
"We need the government to accept that the decision to move to FTTN [copper] was based on flawed advice and revert to using fibre," he said.
"They've recently accepted that the Optus Pay TV cables are not up to scratch and won't be using them. It's time to dump the FTTN [ageing copper wires] as well."
He also said NBN needed to review its wholesale charging model so that retail service providers, such as Optus and Telstra, are encouraged to move their customers from existing legacy services to the new network.
"Most importantly, we need to take the NBN out of the political arena and recognise that it is a piece of vital infrastructure," he said.
The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network said the Ipsos results were "concerning" and also reflected their research earlier this year that found 70 per cent had unsatisfactory experiences with their broadband services.
The organisation is calling for the government to roll out an independent broadband monitoring program, as seen in other countries, for providers to give clearer information about speeds and for consumers to be better educated about the factors that can impact performance.
"There is a lack of reliable information on broadband quality for consumers to use when choosing a plan, which means that it is difficult for them to make the right choices and also to know what type of service they will get," its spokesman said.
Earlier this month, Rod Sims, chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, said telcos believed "that consumers have unrealistic expectations about broadband speeds".
The ACCC is in the midst of securing funding for the broadband performance monitoring program, which it believes will boost transparency, promote competition and help consumers.
The industry claims the program will be costly, ineffective and drive up prices.
"We're not convinced there's a market failure here," John Stanton, chief executive of peak body Communications Alliance, has previously said.
"We should make use of available tools and less intrusive strategies, such as crowd-sourcing."
The ACCC is conducting a market study into the communications market with the aim of identifying problems and finding solutions.