NBN Sagas

[VK4ADC]

Some of you might recall a forum topic a few months ago about NBN providers (NBN  Providers? ) and your comments were appreciated but now that NBN is actually available in my area, reality has bitten - hard.

I received a notification that NBN was available as a FTTN service so I duly applied for a connection via my current provider. The modem arrived and I was due for connection on 7th September 2017, 7AM to 11AM.  The connection didn't happen but at 11AM, the landline telephone service was disconnected to go to VOIP. ADSL was still running so I knew the phone pair was 'as original'. Funny thing was that the ISP's account status showed  "Fibre Installation Completed Your Fibre service is active. Your Fibre Home Phone service is pending activation." 

The next day I happened to pass the local fibre node point to see 2 NBN vehicles there so I enquired what was happening about my connection. One truck was a NBN fault tech, the other a contractor supervisor. They told me that the NBN contractor who terminated the node point did a mirror-image termination of the jumpers. That meant that the outgoing tail to the pit connected to unused pins on the modules i.e. no connections worked.  They had another contractor coming shortly (Friday PM) to re-jumper the node but it would be yet a different contractor to do the 'work in the pit'. In the meantime, there was a 'hold' on my workorder.

The changeover to NBN still hasn't been done with excuses from the ISP and supposedly from NBN in that they can't confirm the pair to my place so can't proceed. The contractor must only visit this area on Thursdays as an appointment has been in place virtually every week - without success. This week they (supposedly) want to test and confirm the pair from the house to the pit adjacent to the fibre node about 200 metres away... 

Still no landline here nearly a month later. I raised an enquiry with NBNCo who basically said "not my concern, contact your ISP'.

Maybe this will be my "lucky week" (ie 5th October 17, a month late)  !

[VK2EHQ]

Don't you hate the "pass the buck" scenarios!
We've just become eligible for wireless NBN. Not sure what to expect

Cheers
Peter VK2EHQ

[VK3AV]

There was an article on the news or a current affairs show the other night about a gent who had no service and nil success after contacting all and sundry.

Mind you they mentioned that this service was up and running about 30 mins after the reporter contacted NBN for a comment.  

FTTN connected to my area. Many many letters and brochures received in the mail. Telstra even sent a promo/information truck to the area to 'answer questions' recently. I am in no rush to transfer off ADSL as there is still near 12 months before disconnection. I work from home and rely on the connectivity.

Regards
Bernard

[VK3RX]

We've just become eligible for wireless NBN. Not sure what to expect

Cheers
Peter VK2EHQ

Two separate people I know had wireless NBN installed, and both reported losing AM radio reception. One (non-amateur) said it didn't bother them as they didn't listen to AM radio, and the other (an amateur with no HF gear) said they'll get around to reporting it "sometime".

So I'm sure that on the day, you'll fire up your HF gear while they are there and see what happens

I recall discussions on VK Logger about this issue a couple of years ago. It would be nice to think that by now they have found a permanent fix.

[VK2EHQ]

Now that's a definite concern, Damien. I've returned UPS units, amongst other things that are HF noise generators. Sounds like 160m will most definitely be unusable.
I'm not sure if I want to find out the hard way, but I do recall a blurb on the WIA site of a VK7 had similar issues. He complained to ACMA and I think he also brought it to the WIA's attention. It was eventually resolved with either a mod or a different type of unit. Can't recall the exact details.
Bottom line is, I don't need the hassle, or does any ham if they use HF.

73 de Peter VK2EHQ

[VK3ALB]

There was an article on the news or a current affairs show the other night about a gent who had no service and nil success after contacting all and sundry.

Mind you they mentioned that this service was up and running about 30 mins after the reporter contacted NBN for a comment.  

FTTN connected to my area. Many many letters and brochures received in the mail. Telstra even sent a promo/information truck to the area to 'answer questions' recently. I am in no rush to transfer off ADSL as there is still near 12 months before disconnection. I work from home and rely on the connectivity.

Regards
Bernard

Good plan Bernard,

It is my impression that my ISP has oversubscribed the NBN service in our area and the real performance (IMO) is not as good as the ADSL 2 service I had previously. Also, the true download speed for those that want to do more than watch youtube is not accurately reported. It reminds me of the old days when sound systems would be rated at 1000W RMS PMPO one channel driven into 35% distortion and the mains up at 260VAC. Yep, smoke and mirrors for a 25W amp.

[VK6TU]

Í have got Wireless NBN with no noticeable noise oh HF, using a MB vertical.

As for speed, the main link to Perth cannot handle the traffic and nearly stops some days, they really need to improve the capacity.

73 from Michael
VK6TU

[VK3YCQ]

My NBN connection (plus VOIP phone) is approaching its first birthday and I wouldn't be without it. It's now very reliable after an initial wobbly start. The problems Doug has experienced are not uncommon from what I hear around the traps. I am surprised that it was possible to "raise an enquiry" with NBNCo... they normally don't deal with the public, and that is one of the fundamental problems. There is too much passing the buck leading to exactly the situation described. All the different players blame each other! But stick with it and try to make sure the cabling side of your installation is adequate if you want good speeds and minimal RFI.

If there is one thing I would recommend, it would be: Keep a fully charged mobile phone with you at all times... communicating with your provider about a dead NBN connection isn't possible without one!

73s
Ian

[VK4WDM]

My NBN connection (plus VOIP phone) is approaching its first birthday and I wouldn't be without it. It's now very reliable after an initial wobbly start. The problems Doug has experienced are not uncommon from what I hear around the traps. I am surprised that it was possible to "raise an enquiry" with NBNCo... they normally don't deal with the public, and that is one of the fundamental problems. There is too much passing the buck leading to exactly the situation described. All the different players blame each other! But stick with it and try to make sure the cabling side of your installation is adequate if you want good speeds and minimal RFI.

If there is one thing I would recommend, it would be: Keep a fully charged mobile phone with you at all times... communicating with your provider about a dead NBN connection isn't possible without one!

73s
Ian

We have NBN (Townsville) for over three years. There were a few problems early on but now it is wonderful!  No RF noise either.

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK4ADC]

Well after a lot of yelling at my ISP and threatening to go to the media (as I was quite prepared to do), the NBN connection is now in place and active. The VOIP phone connection will probably be in place next week sometime but, since we haven't had a landline for a month, that seems workable.

The initial info from the ISP indicated that we could expect a maximum line rate in the 80-85MB/s area on a 100MB/s plan as we are about 200m (from Google Earth) from the fibre node.  The actual values for my 25/5 plan via a screen grab :

Upstream line rate (kbit/s): 6400
Downstream line rate (kbit/s): 28100
Maximum upstream rate (kbit/s): 47235
Maximum downstream rate (kbit/s): 88681
Upstream noise safety coefficient (dB): 24.2
Downstream noise safety coefficient (dB): 25
Upstream interleave depth: 0
Downstream interleave depth: 0
Line standard: VDSL
Upstream line attenuation (dB): 16.7
Downstream line attenuation (dB): 9.7
Upstream output power (dBmV): -7.2
Downstream output power (dBmV): 2.2

A Linux box via a wired 100MB/s cable gave 22MB/s download rate.
Various wireless connections gave download rates from around 9 to 17MB/s. 
(Amazing variations in speed values depending on what web facility you use. )

I have more-or-less standardised on http://beta.speedtest.net/ across the platforms and selected the same servers to give comparative results.

Given that the highest value ever seen on my ADSL was 3.6MB/s, I am seeing at least a 3X improvement although I was hoping for more (as we all do).  I still have the option of a 100/40 NBN plan if need be.

73 Doug VK4ADC
 

[VK5PJ]

if you have Fixed wireless NBN coming, be sure to check the AM broadcast band for noise, initially it wiped us out and we had no way to listen for fire alerts (country dweller), that was how I approached it that the NBN was a hazard in the summer fire season, they later replaced the ODU and IDU with "beta" versions that had improved insulation from the case... no more NBN noise here.

I was a part of the vklogger thread about this.

Peter, vk5pj

[VK4ADC]

Wow, NBN internet one week then the VOIP phone active a week later.  Just because it is 5 weeks later than it was supposed to be doesn't seem to matter to either the ISP or NBNCo as far as I can tell.

I suspect that it still wouldn't be on had I not yelled at the ISP last week and threatened to go to the media about the bungling process that they have in place.  I suppose I shouldn't complain now that I have both internet and phone operational through NBN but their processes really need to be straightened out.

I was told by an NBN contractor that the FTTN arrangement would probably slowly be transformed  into FTTP in 4 - 5 years time so let's hope that transition is smoother.....

73 Doug VK4ADC

[VK2CSW]

I'll chip in with my two cents worth - in late 2020 when they finally get around to rolling it out here...

[VK2ZIW]

Power blackouts, has anybody read the non-information here:

https://www.nbnco.com.au/learn-about-the...ckout.html

I'm sure my local telephone exchange building has backup power systems.
So, if the fiber comes from it to my FTTC (four way box in my street pit, 20m away) and I power
it from my UPS, I will have service.

But, if I get FTTN ( a box on the street corner servicing 100 subs) with no power backup, we will
lose services even if the local telephone exchange building is OK.

Discussion please?

Alan VK2ZIW

[VK3LU]

Hi Alan,
You are correct. Looks like we will have to provide our own standby batteries. 
But of course if the box on the street fails it will be  all for nothing. I have seen photos of the innards of those boxes and they seem to have batteries in them. I don't know how long they are good for.
All in all, it's a half-arsed system. Critical infrastructure should not be in the hands of politicians.
We must be the laughing stock of the world. As a retired pmg/telecom/telstra tech it makes me despair at the poor grade of service we have to endure.
I feel for those in rural areas. The first thing that fails during fires is the power so where does it leave them? There is no guarantee that the mobile networks will last a decent blackout from my experience.
The nbn is being set up in our town right now so it will be interesting to see what is in the boxes on the street.

Nev

[VK5TM]

If it's anything like the wireless NBN down here, 4 hours is about all you will get on their battery backup.

And no point relying on your mobile phone either, it's no better.

The nbn is being set up in our town right now so it will be interesting to see what is in the boxes on the street.

Stuff that has been obsolete for ages.

[VK4BLP]

So, if the fiber comes from it to my FTTC (four way box in my street pit, 20m away) and I power
it from my UPS, I will have service.

But, if I get FTTN ( a box on the street corner servicing 100 subs) with no power backup, we will
lose services even if the local telephone exchange building is OK.

Yep, I'm FTTN here, and a few days  ago we had a 18 hour blackout, and even though we had generator power, we had no internet  after about 20 minutes (they do have backup power, but only for a short time).

I had hoped to get FTTC here, but wasn't to be.

So I've got myself a 4G dongle so I can stay connected that way.

[VK4ADC]

The UPS on the Forum server stayed up for just over 30 minutes on Sunday night and it powers the NBN modem too. Thus the internet + Forum was available for that extra half-hour then all went dark. I have no way of knowing how much longer the NBN FTTN stayed up but the NBN tech at the node installation time quoted me a battery run-time of 5-6 hours.

I have a WiFi hotspot that runs through Telstra 4G so I can connect the tablet(s) or notebook through that while the cellular system stays up BUT on the Monday morning (14-16 hours later), we weren't able to originate mobile phone calls but could receive them and and do SMS messages each way. I suspect that the cellular power sources were running down. In that case, a 4G dongle or WiFi hotspot means nothing.

I had contemplated beefing up the UPS battery bank for greater run-time but if the NBN distribution goes down, it is all for nought regardless.

I can hear the thunder of yet another approaching storm front (BOM radar shows it coming straight for us in those delightful red and black colours) and am  again wondering if we will lose power and/or have more damage..

[VK4AQJ]

I'll hang on to my ADSL connection as long as possible. I'm getting 15Mb/s at the moment, and they anticipate we'll have NBN between July and October this year. At least they are going with FTTC (FTTK if you use Australian spelling) and I have a modem ready to go if and when it finally happens.

Maybe I should wait for some of my neighbours to report a good service before I change the subscription.