NBN. What is your experience so far.

[Steffo1]

I had to swap to NBN 2 weeks ago - they were about to cut me off so I had no choice.

Reading all the horror stories, I was worried a little.

Got home from work one day and I had no internet - I had been plugged into the node. Plugged the new nbn router in and had NBN internet up and running in a matter of minutes.

It took a few days for my voip to come good, but so far, so good - no drama whatsoever (touches one's noggin)

supposedly, I am 500 odd meters from the node, so I expected some degredation in speed.

To be perfectly honest, I cant notice any speed difference over my adsl2+, but I'm not downloading anything. My next youtube upload will be interesting to see - they take me 10-12 hours or so to upload.

Wish I did the speed test on the adls2+ prior to cut off.

I'm on the NBN50 plan, so the speed test result is pretty good I reckon??

Thanks, Sharkcaver, I don't feel so bad now!

[paceman]

We have fixed wireless at our house and while its fine during the day it is very poor during peak times.

Apparently there is a tower upgrade happening in the first quarter of next year to fix the congestion, or so Telstra tell me.

What I am wondering, is if I was to go to another Internet provider besides Telstra would I still have the same congestion issues?? Do other suppliers use the same nbn towers as Telstra would be using? This is in a Rural area not a large city.

you may not have the same issues, depending on what is causing the congestion...

it's either too much traffic through the 'pipe', in which case, a provider change will probably be of no real help...

or, it's that your provider hasn't purchased enough CVC to handle the traffic... in which case, a provider change may help...

my provider (aussie broadband) actually publishes it's CVC usage graphs (which most providers don't do)...

this gives you an idea of how close they are to 'topping out' on their CVC...

https://ct.id.au/abb-cvc/

for example, change the POI to Mackay, and change the Range to a week and you can see how the downloads and uploads compare to aussie's purchased CVC limit (in red)

makes for interesting reading...

[noel_w]

We have fixed wireless at our house and while its fine during the day it is very poor during peak times.

Apparently there is a tower upgrade happening in the first quarter of next year to fix the congestion, or so Telstra tell me.

What I am wondering, is if I was to go to another Internet provider besides Telstra would I still have the same congestion issues?? Do other suppliers use the same nbn towers as Telstra would be using? This is in a Rural area not a large city.

Usually congestion is caused by lack of backhaul capacity from the tower back to the Major node in your region. Backhaul is mostly all the providers aggregated into one pipe from the tower to the Node so if there is limited capacity then you have limited speed to your place. Even though your last mile is capable of more speed you won't get it.
From the tower to your place you should be good as when the NBN installers put in fixed wireless they have to do a line of site check to the tower to confirm throughput. If it fails they usually won't pass the install and it goes no further. Initial fixed wireless was also limited to 24M which was a hardware limit. They have been busy swapping that out to newer stuff that has a theoretical limit of 100M but ceilinged to 50M usually.
I have been out of the game for a while but still have a mate who is a fixed wireless installer in the bush. He updates me on happenings every now and then.
So in answer to your initial question, if you did change providers you most likely will get the same speed as you will be using the same equipment back to the major Node.

[rockrat]

Finally bit the bullet today and ordered NBN through TPG to replace my dodgy AF Optus cable internet. Ordered online and within 30mins had a confirmed appointment for installation this Saturday.
So far so good... but anything has to be better than Optus.


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[bkim]

Finally bit the bullet today and ordered NBN through TPG to replace my dodgy AF Optus cable internet. Ordered online and within 30mins had a confirmed appointment for installation this Saturday.
So far so good... but anything has to be better than Optus.


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What type of tech Rockrat? TPG always seems to get a bad rap with comments, but I went to TPG 4 years ago next month on FTTP and it has been virtually hassle free, only one minor outage of a couple of hours, a slight speed problem after I changed my plan very early on (referred on to NBN and fixed in 24 hours), couple of scheduled outages (usually from 2am to 8am) notified in advance.

Speed is consistent around 94-95 down and 34- 36 up, 6 of my friends have all changed over to TPG, all on FTTP following my experience and none of them have had any problems and most of them have been with them for 3 to 4 years.

I have 2 friends on Optus FTTP who have consistent problems with regular long periods of no service, and 3 other friends and relations on Telstra, whose service is fairly reliable but they have problems with email and billing.

All of us elected to stay with the fixed line phone, but as TPG use the UNI-V port on the NTD instead of the VOIP point on the crappy Optus and Telstra Sagecom routers, the phone has been crystal clear and 100% reliable, unlike the poor quality and reliability on the Optus and Telstra setups.

As a matter of interest, I am going to one of the friends on Optus tomorrow with another router to try and improve his Wi-FI which is atrocious when he and his wife access it at the same time, because they have the VOIP phone I will use the other router as an wireless access point only, as you need to keep the original Optus router setup for the phone.  With TPG on FTTP you can use any brand of router you wish!

[rockrat]

Our place is HFC.
The current Optus cable is atrocious - get anywhere from 5 to 95 Mbps. They blame the NBN saying it has affected the cable performance.
Hopefully TPG will be better.


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[Fizzie]

Our place is HFC.
The current Optus cable is atrocious - get anywhere from 5 to 95 Mbps. They blame the NBN saying it has affected the cable performance.
Hopefully TPG will be better.

Did you look into Aussie Broadband?

Have a look at https://www.aussiebroadband.com.au/nbn-poi/ & it will tell you what POI you connect through, then https://www.aussiebroadband.com.au/cvc-graphs/ will show what their actual performance is like in your area.

I've been with them for about 3 months now, no issues to speak of, & saved a few $ / month over the same plan on Telstra - happy!!!

[glenm64]

I've got FTTC. No appointments etc. Just plug in and it was all working within 15 minutes. Another Aussie Broadband here too. Very painless to deal with.
Heres what Telstra were like to just cancel my ADSL. After a long wait ON HOLD I finally got someone I couldnt understand and they just kept trying to sell me their NBN. Finally got through the cancellation process after being more abrupt than I like to be, and had about $30 credit. After a month the credit still wasnt refunded to my bank account. Back to the phone queue and again someone I couldnt understand that was more interested in selling me their product. The kicker was "have you applied to have your refund credited back to your bank account"? Really? WTF?
Then he was perplexed when he offered me "a special deal" and I had to tell him where to insert it.

Cheers Glen

[Fizzie]

Just about exactly the same thing with us Glen.

We had the final bill come out early July for $54 credit.

Rang them to ask for a refund & they said OK, we'll fix it.

Last Friday got another e-mail from them to say our account is in credit $54

Got on to them to ask what's going on & she said We did that credit on 10 August - checked bank account & yep, $54 received  from Telstra on 12/8. So why have you just sent me a reminder to say we're still in credit

Have to wonder just how long we're going to get these reminders for

[Bird]

The current Optus cable is atrocious - get anywhere from 5 to 95 Mbps. They blame the NBN saying it has affected the cable performance.

Foil hat time

I was with Optus cable for 20yrs, never had an issue... Would still be with it if I could... but we got the "you need to change by x date or die" letter .. so we did.
But in the 4-8 weeks before we changed, we noticed that cable was becoming flakey... me - I believe it was deliberate to make you WANT to change...

TPG?? Not a ****in chance
https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/tpg-broadband-nbn
https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/tpg-broadband

[RebsWA]

Went to NBN which uses the mobile phone network in my area as my ADSL home phone and internet connection died. Not being a Telstra customer It ended up being a month before they would get to it. Twenty first century eh!
So I reluctantly went to broadband as I know some neighbours have had big issues with the service.
But now it's in, I am a convert.
Speed is so fast I don't have to wait for anything other than slow websites. Got the homephone on VOIP and that works a treat too.
Very happy so far

[WilSurf]

So who did you end up with?

[edz]

Telstra outages,  ongoing  monthly / weekly / daily / hourly drop outs,  snails move faster than the upload / download speeds ADSL was probably faster  .. We get fibre optic to the node  somewhere in the region ?  then the old copper phone lines to the houses ...
Ring the Sucks and its " Oh we have no indications of outages  happening in your area  "    if and when you can get through to them that is, because the phones go out when  the NBN does.
To put it mildly NBN Sucks Balls.
Been thinking of  getting a Night Hawk sim card  router and going on a plan and dumping the home phone / NBN  line set up ..
A mate has done that, going from ADSL to a $75 100 gig month plan / supplied his own Router, reckons  he's got the fastest internet he's ever seen .

[RebsWA]

Been with Westnet for 17 + years and stayed with them. Had no reason to change and did not want to change email address.
They are under the iinet umbrella now.

[RebsWA]

Telstra outages,  ongoing  monthly / weekly / daily / hourly drop outs,  snails move faster than the upload / download speeds ADSL was probably faster  .. We get fibre optic to the node  somewhere in the region ?  then the old copper phone lines to the houses ...
Ring the Sucks and its " Oh we have no indications of outages  happening in your area  "    if and when you can get through to them that is, because the phones go out when  the NBN does.
To put it mildly NBN Sucks Balls.
Been thinking of  getting a Night Hawk sim card  router and going on a plan and dumping the home phone / NBN  line set up ..
A mate has done that, going from ADSL to a $75 100 gig month plan / supplied his own Router, reckons  he's got the fastest internet he's ever seen .

What is your location edz?

[Wazza999]

We live in Weston Creek in Canberra. The NBN was connected about 3 years ago, fairly late in the cities roll out. I have been pleasantly surprised by the speed and reliability of the service. Ours is FTTN over ~45 yo copper. Prior to the NBN, ADSL 2 was giving 17-18 Mbs down.  In a direct line, we are about 1 km from the exchage which probably accounts for the reasonable speed. Initially Telstra left the NBN line speed unlimited to test capability. I was amazed when Telstra informed me that it was capable of 111 Mbs. We selected 50 Mbs and never seem to drop below this (wireless gives 47 Mbs). One thing Telstra have done is supply customers with a 'Smart' modem that connects to the wireless broadband network if the fixed line is down which I guess saves a lot of complaints. There have only been a handful of fixed line outages in the period. So very happy with speed and reliability, much better than the old ADSL service.

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[rockrat]

Telstra outages,  ongoing  monthly / weekly / daily / hourly drop outs,  snails move faster than the upload / download speeds ADSL was probably faster  .. We get fibre optic to the node  somewhere in the region ?  then the old copper phone lines to the houses ...
Ring the Sucks and its " Oh we have no indications of outages  happening in your area  "    if and when you can get through to them that is, because the phones go out when  the NBN does.
To put it mildly NBN Sucks Balls.
Been thinking of  getting a Night Hawk sim card  router and going on a plan and dumping the home phone / NBN  line set up ..
A mate has done that, going from ADSL to a $75 100 gig month plan / supplied his own Router, reckons  he's got the fastest internet he's ever seen .

I have 100gb on my mobile phone plan (also with Optus) and regularly find it is faster than my cable broadband and most of the time I get 2 bars of reception at most. But 100gb doesn’t go far once you start streaming 4K video.


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[edz]

What is your location edz?

Eastern Oz Rebs , right on the QLD / NSW Border .. Too far from Shitney and too close to Brisso for them to give a stuff ..

[Pete79]

What speeds are you paying for edz?

You’re speeds are 5x my ADSL 2+ connection and I have no option of ever getting on the NBN here...

[edz]

We got a letter stating we could go to a slower rate and get a reduction in cost .. stay the same cost $89 + landline  supposedly  25 to 50 upload  /  5 to 25 downloads or pay xxxx thousands $$$  and have them run fibre to the house . ..
just did another run and the ping is 21 and its 5.5 upload 8.5 download .. so traffic must be heavy with data dumps atm

[bkim]

Foil hat time

I was with Optus cable for 20yrs, never had an issue... Would still be with it if I could... but we got the "you need to change by x date or die" letter .. so we did.
But in the 4-8 weeks before we changed, we noticed that cable was becoming flakey... me - I believe it was deliberate to make you WANT to change...

TPG?? Not a ****in chance
https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/tpg-broadband-nbn
https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/tpg-broadband

 You are certainly entitled to an opinion, but based on myself and friends and other people I know experiences, I rate those review comments as ******it, put in any RSP and you will get the same feedback.

I spent 3 hours on the phone today, to ultimately convince some clueless individual at Optus, that my friend's Optus supplied router wi-fi was cactus, it was only when he realised that reading from his prepared script wasn't working, because I shot all his "technical" responses down with actual facts, that he ordered a new updated AC router to be sent

[tryagain]

We got a letter stating we could go to a slower rate and get a reduction in cost .. stay the same cost $89 + landline  supposedly  25 to 50 upload  /  5 to 25 downloads or pay xxxx thousands $$$  and have them run fibre to the house . ..
just did another run and the ping is 21 and its 5.5 upload 8.5 download .. so traffic must be heavy with data dumps atm

Who is that with? Sounds a bit on the pricey side.

What speeds are you paying for edz?

You’re speeds are 5x my ADSL 2+ connection and I have no option of ever getting on the NBN here...

They were my speeds pre NBN on a good day, now it's almost 10x that with NBN

[Bird]

it was only when he realised that reading from his prepared script wasn't working, because I shot all his "technical" responses down with actual facts, that he ordered a new updated AC router to be sent

You will find almost every single ISP has a standard trouble shooting script to work from, even the ones in AU
mate called telstra years ago, he is not IT savvy... They kept asking him if the Blue cable was plugged in... He was yelling down the phone to Ramjeet he had no ****in blue cable... they auto cut off when he lost his Shit each time.

He had a Yellow network cable.

[edz]

Telstra ! Birdman .. Been dicking around for near on an hour waiting for it to reconnect access, starting to realy give me the Shites with these drop outs .

[bkim]

I spent 3 hours on the phone today, to ultimately convince some clueless individual at Optus, that my friend's Optus supplied router wi-fi was cactus, it was only when he realised that reading from his prepared script wasn't working, because I shot all his "technical" responses down with actual facts, that he ordered a new updated AC router to be sent

Success! I must have hit a nerve at Optus when I had a few words to say yesterday, the new router was delivered to my friends house this afternoon, just over 24 hours! their previous record to another friend in Townsville was 5 working days.  Set up his wireless network with the desktops still on 2.4 ghz and all the other devices on 5 ghz,  desktops download has gone from 17 - 23 Mbps to a rock solid 47Mbps on a 50 Mbps plan, latency (ping) dropped from 31 to 14 m/sec, now the same as the wired lan connections