AVC ID Service Transfers

Understanding your AVC, SMA and OAC ID

New Requirements Mean You’ll Need Your AVC/SMA ID to Transfer Your Service to Another Internet Provider

From April 2025, new requirements have been implemented with the aim of reducing the number of internet services that are incorrectly cancelled and transferred away, by requiring Activ8me (and all other ISPs) to provide the AVC, SMA or OAC ID of your old provider’s existing
service when you’re requesting to transfer the service to another provider.

What’s the difference between an AVC, SMA and OAC ID?

AVC, SMA and OAC IDs are effectively the same: ‘AVC’ is the terminology used by nbn, ‘SMA’ is the terminology used for nbn Sky Muster Plus services, while OAC is the terminology used by Opticomm. Depending on whether your service is an nbn connection, an nbn Sky Muster Plus connection or an Opticomm connection, your internet service will have one of these three IDs.

The requirement currently only applies to nbn services (AVC and SMA IDs); however, it’s expected that this new requirement will come into effect for Opticomm services in the future as well.

What is an AVC ID and why is it important?

Access Virtual Circuit (AVC) IDs and Sky Muster Access (SMA) IDs are unique identifiers assigned by nbn to each nbn connection Australia-wide. When you first connect an nbn service with any service provider, nbn will create an AVC ID (or SMA ID) and provide this to your ISP as a way of identifying your service.

The AVC ID begins with ‘AVC’ and is followed by a sequence of 12 numbers, such as ‘AVC123456789100’.

Similarly, the SMA ID begins with ‘SMA’ and is also followed by a sequence of 12 numbers, such as ‘SMA123456789100’.

AVC/SMA IDs are only supplied to customers that utilise nbn infrastructure. If you are in an Opticomm area, you will be provided with an Open Access Circuit (OAC) ID. Both IDs serve the same purpose.

For the sake of simplicity, the rest of this document will refer to ‘AVC’ IDs, but all the same information applies to ‘SMA’ IDs as well.

What is the purpose of an AVC ID?

As the AVC ID is the unique reference for your individual broadband service, it plays a vital role in the setup, management and maintenance of your internet connection. It’s primarily used by your Internet Service Provider and nbn for:

• Service Provisioning:
  When you first activate your internet connection, the AVC ID is used to ensure the service is set up on the correct line at your premises. It eliminates the risk of connecting the wrong address, which can delay your internet activation.
• Service Transfers:
  If you decide to switch to a different internet provider, your new Internet Service Provider will request your AVC ID. This allows them to locate and take over your existing service smoothly and accurately. Once the transfer is complete, your new connection with the new provider will have a new, different AVC ID.
• Troubleshooting and Support:
  In the event of connection problems, your AVC ID helps our Activ8me Support Team and nbn quickly identify your exact service. This allows for faster diagnosis and resolution of technical issues, as it aids in isolating the specific connection that is experiencing issues.
• Managing Multiple Services
  If you have multiple, active internet services at one address, such as for business purposes, if you’re in a shared building or utilising a multi-tenant setup, the AVC ID becomes extremely useful. It allows Activ8me to pinpoint and manage the individual connection without confusion.
• Speed Tier Upgrade/Downgrades
  If you want to upgrade or downgrade your plan, the AVC ID ensures the speed change is applied to the right connection.

Your AVC ID is considered sensitive service information. Only you and your current provider have access to it. This restriction helps protect your service from unauthorised service transfers or changes to your internet account. Keeping your AVC ID private ensures your connection cannot be taken over or altered without your knowledge and consent.

Where can I locate my Service’s AVC ID?

Your AVC ID can be found on your monthly invoice from Activ8me. It is located on the second page of the invoice document. This section of the invoice includes detailed information about your plan, monthly cost and of course… Your AVC ID!

The AVC ID is listed under the heading “Service Description.”

If you’re having trouble finding it:

• Check your digital invoice (PDF) that is emailed to you each month, or access your previous invoices in the Member’s Area.
• If you receive paper invoices, simply flip to the second page and look for the section referring to AVC IDs.
• Still unsure? You can contact Activ8me Customer Support on 13 22 88 and they will be able to assist you in providing you your AVC ID.

Remember, your AVC ID is unique to your service and important for any changes or support requests, so it’s helpful to keep it on hand or note it down somewhere safe.

Here is an example of where to locate the AVC ID on your Activ8me invoice:

Why Do I Need it to Sign Up with Activ8me?

If you’ve got an existing connection at your address, Activ8me will ask you for your existing AVC ID, as we’re required to provide it to nbn when requesting your service be transferred across to us.

From 18 April 2025, we’re required to provide this AVC ID as proof that you’re the owner of the connection, otherwise nbn will not let us ‘take over’ your service from the existing provider.

You can find it on your current provider’s invoice.

What If I Can’t Find My AVC ID?

If you can’t find your AVC ID, or you’ve just moved into the property and the active service isn’t yours (meaning you don’t have access to the AVC ID), Activ8me will ask for Proof of Address Documentation in order to verify you’re the tenant/owner of the premises.

Using this documentation, we’re able to circumvent the requirement to provide an AVC ID. Please note, we’re only able to get around this requirement in legitimate cases where you’re unable to get access to the AVC ID, not in cases where you’re simply unwilling to provide it.

More Information

If you require any further assistance with AVC IDs, please reach out to our friendly Aussie-based Support Team on 13 22 88.