Here’s The Story So Far 

The National Broadband Network or NBN as it’s been coined is the national open-access data network project being rolled out by NBN Co. The NBN Co has been charged with providing high-speed broadband connection to every home and office in Australia. The national rollout is expected to be completed in 2020, meaning that theoretically, more than 90% of Australians will have access to faster, cheaper internet connection.

The access to the internet is fast becoming a necessity in our ever-evolving technological landscape, with more people and businesses than ever relying on an untethered internet connection to go about their daily lives, a national broadband scheme has long been in the works for Australia. After the wide-scale installation, Australia will be the only country in the world to offer its inhabitants high-speed broadband in what is set to be the largest infrastructure project in our countries history. This has been especially promising for rural and regional areas, which have long suffered from insufficient access to the internet.

The ambitious NBN endeavour, however, has not been without its controversies. The NBN’s initial rollout has been met with widespread disappointment and criticism. This stems from countless instances of substandard service, installation standards and insufficient speeds and overall access. Complaints related to the NBN have increased by 200% according to the Ombudsman and more than one-third of those connected to the NBN want their old service back.

Due to the timeline of the rollout, significant challenges have been faced with the initial installation of the NBN. NBN Co deploys subcontractors around the country to install the network infrastructure and many problems have been associated with a lack of service standards, professionalism and overall expertise in the area. These service failures include many instances of malpractice where wires have been left unprotected and exposed and services have not been sufficiently connected, leaving families and businesses without an internet connection for prolonged periods of time. 

The social and political pressures associated with the NBN rollout have accelerated the process, meaning many installations are rushed and it takes months for mistakes to be rectified. In actuality, there is nothing wrong with the technological premise of the NBN and the promised 100Mb/s fibre network. The problems that have arisen are predominantly service and installation faults, all of which could be rectified with the right service provider.

Another concerning element of the NBN rollout has been the lack of bureaucratic transparency from NBN Co and NBN providers. There has been a considerable lack of data transparency, making it extremely difficult to make any meaningful evaluations on the NBN’s overall performance and functionality. Many people who have had issues with their NBN installation or associated problems with their NBN service have had considerable trouble getting the help they need from NBN Co. When this help does finally come, there have been instances where NBN Co is either unable to resolve the issue or the affected parties have received an incurred cost to do so.

Connection and speed problems have also been associated with the mixed-technology NBN which refers to the mix of fibre and older networks like HFC. The prohibitive cost of the FTTP (fibre-to-premise) technology means that a lot of the network is connected through the FTTN (fibre-to-node). FTTN relies on old copper technology to carry the NBN signal to the premise. The more distance this signal has to travel over copper, the more the performance and speed of your connection is compromised. This is the core of some of the speed and drop-out problems that have arisen since the implementation of the NBN in some areas.

Another speed impediment is network congestion, especially in times of high usage like the evening. This is a result of service providers buying access to the NBN in bulk. Internet service providers estimate how much bandwidth they need to service an area, then purchase sufficient bandwidth to satisfy this demand. When these providers don’t buy sufficient bandwidth to support the number of people using data across the network, the network clogs up.

This wholesale service agreement between NBN Co and service providers includes a traffic clause that details a general speed and download standard. In this, there is a ‘best effort’ article that outlines the maximum speed you can expect on an uncongested network. It’s important to remain diligent in ensuring that your connection is performing at the rate and speed you’ve selected and paid for. By choosing Teksupport as your NBN service provider, we can investigate and resolve any lapses in speed. We work to make sure your network is performing as close to its advertised speed as possible. We strive to achieve as close to the purchased speed as possible and certainly ensure that the speed exceeds the next lower tier.

Despite the challenges, NBN is compulsory and will replace the existing network. In fact, 18 months after an area is deemed NBN ready, the old network will be disconnected. Depending on your location, you’ll receive a fibre-to-the-premise, fibre-to-the-node, fibre-to-the-basement, HFC cable, fixed wireless or satellite connection. This is part of the NBN’s mixed-technology network. To ensure a smooth NBN transition, it’s imperative to pick a trusted service provider.

To avoid encountering the problems that can arise from substandard NBN installation and service, make sure your business’ connectivity is protected. Here at Teksupport, we have experience in implementing the NBN service all over Australia. We have been on the front line and are familiar with the technology and issues that may arise. The Teksupport difference lies in the fact that we represent our customers to our suppliers, not the other way around. That means that we can ensure a quality of service that guarantees resolution to any problems you may encounter.

For a service provider that supports your interests, contact Teksupport today (03) 9590 0560!