New Code to Improve G.fast Performance and Competition, End of an Era for ULLS

3 February 2025: Communications Alliance has unveiled an updated industry Code to improve performance and competition on G.fast and VDSL2 high-speed broadband services, while also seeking to deregister legacy codes dealing with outdated ULLS (Unbundled Local Loop Services) technologies.

“These Codes mark the end of a great era of broadband competition – and the latest evolution of continuing innovation by the industry,” said Comms Alliance CEO Luke Coleman.

“Broadband competition in Australia was largely born out of Unbundled Local Loop Services on the old copper network, which for many years provided competitive DSL services prior to the rollout of the NBN. Today, ULLS is no longer a declared service as there are so few connections left, so we’re consulting on deregistering the legacy Codes associated with ULLS.”

“Today, VDSL2 and G.fast are used in multi-dwelling units to provide competitive high-speed broadband services – so we’re also consulting on a revised Code to ensure these services provide the best speeds and reliability while promoting competition between providers,” he said.

The draft Next Generation Broadband Systems Deployment in Customer Cabling Industry Code (C658:2025) is designed to prevent performance-degrading interference in customer cabling that carries legacy systems (e.g. ADSL2+ technology) and/or next-generation broadband systems (e.g. VDSL2 or G.fast technology).

The Industry Code has been revised to:

• Include G.fast as a ‘Deployment Class System’; and
• Incorporate new technical guidance learned from operational networks in recent years, since the publication of the previous version of the Code.

Information on the Working Committee which revised the Industry Code, including the Terms of Reference, can be found here.

In June 2024, the ACCC allowed the declaration of ULLS to lapse, enabling Comms Alliance to consult on the deregistration of the Unconditioned Local Loop Service (ULLS) Network Deployment Industry Code (C559:2012) and Approval of Non-Deployment Class Systems under ACIF Industry Code C559 Industry Guideline (G618:2004).

C559:2012 defines the performance requirements for DSL and other technologies on copper access networks, providing a coordinated approach to reduce the risk of interference between services deployed on access networks using the ULLS. G618:2004 is a related document that describes the process for proposing Non-Deployment Class Systems for C559.

Given the very low number of services that use the ULLS and the ACCC’s decision to allow the declaration of these services to lapse, C559 is no longer required to help manage the risk of interference between services.

Communications Alliance invites comment on its proposal to withdraw G618:2004; and apply to ACMA to remove C559:2012 from the ACMA register of industry codes and then, subject to an Authority decision on this application, withdraw C559:2012.

The Industry Codes can be obtained from the Communications Alliance website.

Public comment on the Codes is open until 25 February 2025.