The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has commenced an inquiry into the regulation of the superfast broadband access service (SBAS), which is crucial for retailers supplying broadband to consumers connected to non-NBN superfast fixed-line networks.

The current SBAS declaration is set to expire on 28 July 2026. In light of this, the ACCC has published a discussion paper to gather stakeholder opinions on whether the SBAS declaration should be extended, modified, revoked, or allowed to lapse.

Once a service is declared, it mandates that the service provider must grant access to other providers upon request. The ACCC also has the authority to establish price and non-price terms for access to these declared services, including setting maximum prices.

The inquiry will also consider the impact of emerging technologies such as 5G home wireless broadband and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, evaluating how their growth may influence future regulatory frameworks for the SBAS.

The ACCC is inviting submissions from stakeholders, with a deadline set for 5 pm AEDT on Friday, 19 December 2025. The discussion paper is accessible on the ACCC's official website.