BigPond boss has 'lost the plot' on net rates

28 November 2006

The net neutrality debate has begun in Australia, with BigPond hinting that it will start prioritising internet traffic according to the type and source of the data.

But Internode CEO Simon Hackett has blasted BigPond, saying it has "lost the plot" - misunderstood the Australian market or miscalculated its business model.

Telstra BigPond group managing director Justin Milne last week forecast a change in the structure of the internet in a speech to the Media and Broadcasting Congress in Sydney - in future, telcos would prioritise network traffic to guarantee service standards, which could leave internet-based telcos such as Skype "without a business model".