Houston, we have an NBN problem

A TASMANIAN astronomer selected by NASA to live-stream footage of an asteroid has been forced to abandon the opportunity because of frustrations with the NBN.

Astronomer Shevill Mathers at his Cambridge observatory. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

A TASMANIAN astronomer selected by NASA to live-stream footage of an asteroid has been forced to abandon the opportunity because of frustrations with the NBN.

Renowned astronomer Shevill Mathers was supposed to screen live across the US yesterday from his observatory in Cambridge.

But slow internet speeds, following his area’s connection to the NBN, meant the hook-up had too high a chance of dropping out during NASA’s hour-long TV show on asteroids.

Mr Mathers said the rollout of fibre to the node in his area, rather than fibre to the premises, meant the final span of internet connection to homes was being forced to travel through decrepit copper wires.

“We’ve taken a giant step backwards,” he said.

Mr Mathers said the speeds capable on the new optic fibre were fast, but the old copper wires going to premises were letting the new technology down.

“It’s like taking a 12-lane highway and funnelling all those cars down a dirt track,” he said.

Mr Mathers has featured on other international programs, including the Discovery Channel, with images of space he captures from his Cambridge observatory.

He has also previously partnered with NASA and other international scientific institutions wanting live hook-ups, because his unique perspective — the most southern optical observatory in Australia — is valued among star gazers.

His previous global hook-ups were done with his old ADSL connection, which Mr Mathers said was superior to his new NBN connection.

The live cross to NASA TV had been planned since March, when he was switched to the NBN.

In the months since, Mr Mathers has focused his energies and scientific background on his NBN problem — with calls to the NBN, his internet provider, politicians and the Telecommunications Ombudsman.

“It has been one of the most frustrating three months of my life,” he said.

Anger about the slow internet speeds due to fibre-to-the-node technology is mounting, with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission planning to monitor internet speeds throughout the country.

A spokeswoman for the NBN said average speeds on fibre to the node should be faster than ADSL speeds.

She said slow connections could be due to issues outside of the NBN’s control, such as the amount of bandwidth service providers had purchased.

After the Sunday Tasmanian contacted the NBN about Mr Mathers’s concerns, a team was sent to his property and a fault in the cable to his premises had been detected.

[e-mail]