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NBN Special Report - Part 3


 The National Broadband Network on St Huberts Island - Part 3

 

THE BASICS

 

In this report I investigate what you need to know and do when the NBN arrives on the Island.

Various parties, including the Federal Member for our Island, and a Telstra retail shopfront tell me the NBN should be available at the end of February 2016.

I strongly suspect that Internet users on the Island, fall into two categories -

  1. I just want it to work. You couldn’t care less about the NBN, or how it works - as long as you get a decent and reliable Internet. You just want to know “The Basics”!
  2. I want to know more about it. You really would like to know more about this new and faster Internet. I will deal with these people next newsletter. 

 

I Just Want It To Work - so I can get on with things, Internet or otherwise.

Firstly you will be well looked after by your current Internet supplier - it is within their interests to do just that.

Secondly, you have up to 18 months to change over to the NBN.

However, when the time comes you still need to make some decisions. Your final Internet Retail Service Provider (RSP) will question you on these decisions that are investigated below.

 When the NBN is switched on on the Island, there will be an NBN letterbox drop telling us this, and it will include simple information on what you do next. At this time, you may well get swamped with lots of flyers from Internet Retail Service Providers - they want your business too.

However… it is almost certain before the letterbox drop, your current Internet RSP will contact you and remove the need for you to read the NBN letter.

Also… you will have the choice to change your current RSP, who will also look after you.

Which ever way you go, someone will look after your entire NBN/Internet setup based on your various decisions. Your chosen RSP then looks after all your problems, not the NBN (they only build, maintain and sell services on the NBN).

 

What are these NBN decisions (that we all have to make)?

* Medical alarms, back-to-base security systems, fax machines, EFTPOS machines… and more

This decision is important. As mentioned in Part 1 of these Special Reports, once the NBN is switched on, about 18 months later, your copper phone lines will be shutdown and you will lose use of this equipment.

If you currently make use of your phone lines for any of the equipment above (and possibly others), you will need to let your selected RSP know - and then you have about 18 months to make the change over of this equipment to the NBN.

Again, ensure your RSP knows about this equipment, and they will look after you. 

 

* Phones

For the same reason above, you will lose use of your standard copper wired telephone after 18 months.

You can decide any time within this 18 months when to change your telephone over to an Internet telephone. You can run your new NBN Internet and your copper wired phone during this time (but there may be Internet speed limitations).

 

 

* Internet Speeds

It appears that there will be four speeds to choose from - 12/1  25/5  50/25  100/40

The first number is the download speed (to you), the second is the upload speed (away from you), and the speed units are megabits per second (Mbps).

 

(Technical discussions on the Internet seem to indicate that until your copper phone connection is cut-off, the maximum speed of your NBN will be 12/1. We will wait and see!).

 

 

* Plans

Depending on your RSP, plans will vary according to -

• residential or business use
• speed in megabits per second
• data quota in GB (gigabytes per month)
• whether your data will be “shaped” or at extra cost to you if exceeded
• your phone - existing copper line or Internet phone (VoIP)
• bundling various services together
• extra packs for International and mobile phone calls
• type of VDSL modem (see “inside your home” next)

Your RSP will need answers here.

 

 

 

*What you want inside your home

Again, discussions with your chosen RSP will guide you here.

If you don’t want to change the way your home is set up for broadband Internet (we are not looking at mobile phone 3G/4G internet here), then all you will need is to replace your current ADSL modem with a VDSL modem. It is very likely this modem will be free.

 

 

If you don’t have WiFi Internet at home, you can get a VDSL/WiFi modem instead so your various smart phones, tablets, iPads etc can all use your home Internet connection.

Your Internet phone will eventually plug into this new VDSL modem when you decide to change from your copper wired phone.

 

The next (and last?) newsletter NBN report will answer the question for the 2nd group of Island Residents - I want to know more about the NBN.