Why I’m ‘unready’ for the NBN
As a tech expert, I can attest that connecting to the National Broadband Network is just as bonkers and confusing for those who know a bit about it, writes Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson. Surely, it shouldn’t be this hard?
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So you think you’re ready to connect to the National Broadband Network?
Oh, how adorable.
But you’re not really ready are you? Really.
Do you know if your home is ready for service, ready to connect, or in need of a technician?
Do you have a plan to install new wiring from the grey box nailed to the front of your home? Have you bought a new modem and phone or are you leaving it to chance?
And do you know which of the 97 retail service providers are right for you? Have you investigated their capacity, peak speed, or typical nightly speeds? Do you know which RSPs service your area?
Have you chosen an NBN speed? Do providers even know what speed your home can achieve yet? Does your plan come with a download cap, a speed guarantee, or a prohibitive contract?
And are you even a real NBN customer if you haven’t been threatened with disconnection? Probably not.
Don’t mean to boast but my internet account has already been threatened and my suburb isn’t even fully cooked yet.
Yes, Australia’s biggest, most expensive and arguably most ambitious infrastructure project is also one of its most baffling.
And after reporting on it since shortly after it was a napkin sketch, I can attest that it’s just as bonkers, confusing, and cringe-worthy for those who know a bit about it.
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You see, my suburb got the tap this month. My ‘hood is now ready for the NBN, according to big, bold font on the company’s website.
“Does that mean you’ll finally connect to the thing you’ve discussed for two thirds of your young and glamorous life?” I hear you ask.
That would be a fair assumption but, no, my household will not be connecting to the NBN yet. And that’s for three good reasons.
Firstly, even though my home is “READY TO CONNECT,” as the website screams with a megaphone icon (no exaggeration), it also warns “getting connected may take longer than expected”.
It’s like the NBN Co gets you all hyped up and dancing … even though it won’t be ready to drop the bass for several days.
Apparently there are a lot of people waiting in the NBN queue due to “a recent increase in the number of orders”.
It makes you wonder if anyone could have foreseen high demand when connecting millions of properties to a new network.
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Secondly, even though my area is ready to connect to the NBN, my house is not.
No, I’d need to select an NBN retail service provider (that’s an internet provider to you and me) and ask them to book an appointment with an NBN technician to actually be connected to this silly internet superhighway.
Oh, and a technician will take two to three weeks. And that’s only if they show up first time. That often doesn’t happen.
Thirdly, the NBN plans coming my way don’t look terribly promising.
My household is connected to the internet using hybrid fibre coaxial cable, better known as HFC or pay-TV cable, and download speeds usually peak at over 100 megabits per second.
Yes, ADSL, satellite, and wireless users, I know how lucky we are.
But the wave of NBN leaflets washing up at my door only mentions 12, 25, and 50 megabit per second plans.
Even a look at the offerings of my trusty old provider, Telstra, delivered nothing faster than 50mbps.
Apparently that’s because NBN Co has yet to test the line into my home to make sure NBN cable can deliver a 100mbps service. And that’s because I have yet to pick a provider. And that’s because I don’t know if I will be able to get a 100mbps plan.
This argument looks quite rounded, doesn’t it?
And, if I’m lucky to qualify for the same download speeds under the NBN as I currently receive, Telstra has promised to do me a great deal … and charge just $40 more each month than I currently pay for the same download speed.
That’s when I decided to tap out of the NBN and told the sales rep I’d wait until the last moment to connect.
And that’s when he threatened to disconnect me.
So it turns out I’m not ready to connect to the NBN just yet, and neither is my home.
It’s due to be completed in 2020 and, while I’m doubtful it will be, I strongly suspect a few ‘unready to connect’ Aussies will have joined me in confusion and frustration by then.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO CONNECT TO THE NBN
- If your home is deemed “ready to connect” to the NBN, you need to choose a retail service provider from 97 available options. As a guide, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission publishes broadband performance data on eight major NBN providers, including average download and upload speeds during busy hours, and the number of outages they suffer daily.
- After choosing an NBN retail service provider, the company will book an NBN technician to connect your home. Under a new undertaking, NBN Co has to pay your internet provider $25 for every time they miss an appointment, and the ACCC your provider should pass on some benefit to you.
- If you are switching companies when transferring to the NBN, you do not need to inform your existing internet provider. Experts advise to wait until you are connected to the NBN before disconnecting your other service.
- Your existing internet connection and landline telephone will be cut off if you don’t switch to the NBN but consumers generally have 18 months to make the change. Some providers, including Optus, may give you less time to transfer. The NBN Co website should provide a final disconnection date for your address.
- Check if there are costs to terminating the contract with your current internet provider. Some may waive fees if you are transferring to an NBN service with them, but others can charge up to $350 if you leave their service before the end of your contract.
- You will need a new router, and potentially new wiring and a new landline telephone to use NBN services. Some internet providers will include hardware in your package.
- If you feel your services have been disconnected unfairly, or you are not receiving the NBN service for which you are paying, you should first complain to your provider and can follow up with the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman on 1800 062 058.
Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson is News Corp Australia’s National Technology Editor
Originally published as Why I’m ‘unready’ for the NBN