In a move that is sure to spark a debate about "net neutrality" in Australia, Optus is soon likely to ask internet video streaming services such as Netflix to pay a fee to ensure that quality video streams are delivered to internet subscribers.

Speaking in Sydney at the telco industry conference CommsDay, Optus chief executive officer Allen Lew said that over-the-top content players like Netflix, Stan and Presto should be prepared to pay Optus if they expect end-users to get a quality service.

Optus CEO Allen Lew. Credit:James Alcock

"We will continue to preserve net neutrality but we're talking about the possibility ... [of offering] a premium service that we as a network provider can ensure to an [over-the-top] provider if they pay for that premium service," Mr Lew said.

"To ensure that the optimised, or the best customer experience, is achieved by the end user we need to make sure that the [over-the-top providers] — whether they're Netflix or others — understand that to preserve the network quality and give you an HD video in the homes, they need to work collaboratively with us," he said.