Australia’s TPG Telecom joined rivals Telstra and Optus in agreeing with the competition regulator’s recommendation to not enter into new agreements with Google requiring its search services to be pre-installed and set as the default search on an exclusive basis on devices they supply.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Liza Carver noted in a statement TPG’s decision “is another important step” towards providing consumers with more choice about the digital platforms and services they use, and to encourage more competition.

The move resolves ACCC’s concerns about the operators’ involvement in alleged anticompetitive conduct, it stated.

The three operators can continue to offer Google’s search services and enter into agreements to offer the service, as long as the agreements comply with their court-enforceable undertaking to the ACCC.

An investigation into Google’s search services in the country found agreements Google had entered into with the operators meant its search services were pre-installed as the default search service on an exclusive basis on Android devices supplied by the operators.