NBN and phone only...what did the provider install?

[VK3LU]

Just wondering what gear was installed for the above setup. What are the power requirements etc?
Any problems?

Nev

[VK3RX]

What is installed depends on the NBN technology for the location.

I looked up your address on the ACMA DB and checked the Future Broadband site (link below) and you are FTTN (Fibre To The Node).

From your RSP for a normal data and phone service you will get a modem which will have a number of Ethernet LAN ports, WiFi and one or two RJ12 phone sockets for your landline. If with Telstra, it will be one of their SmartModem Gateway units, which provide 4G backup in the event of the NBN falling over.

However I don't know for a landline service only, if there is a different modem provided.

From a document I've seen, the power consumption will be around 13 Watts. A 12v DC plug pack is supplied.

I've not noticed any RFI from or to the system here.

https://futurebroadband.com.au/sq/

[VK4RW]

To follow up on the reply from Damien.

I will have a definitive answer over the weekend if you are with Telstra. Previously my mother had a phone only FTTN service with Southern Phone. They supplied a 'modem' which only operated on 4G, not via the copper/fibre network.

Wednesday she changed to Telstra and they connect via the phone line. The description of what Telstra installed, is at best vague.

Unless someone has an answer, I can help out later.

Ron
VK4BVI

[VK3LU]

Thanks Damien and Ron.
Yes, it will be with Telstra and phone only. We use wireless broadband for internet as it is easy to take on the road when we go caravaning.
Just a thought. Is the unit installed at the point of entry of the cable or somewhere convenient?
Just thinking ahead in case we need to provide a power point.

Nev

[VK3RX]

From what I've since read on Telstra's Crowdsupport and Whirlpool, it would seem that with Telstra at least they supply the same modem for both data and phone service and phone-only service.

Google "telstra smart modem gen 2" to see what one looks like, and it's DSL port connects via a supplied cable to an existing telephone wall socket.

Yes, it needs a power point nearby for the wall wart, and many people use a UPS to power the modem in the event of a power failure. Without that, when the power fails you lose your phone service.

[VK3LU]

Thanks Damien.
Losing phone service when the power goes off really p155es me off.
What a half arsed system! Thats what we get when politicians have the final say. It may be no big deal in the city but in the bush it is a real problem.
Grrr

Cheers
Nev

[VK2ZIW]

Exactly right.
How about considering the elderly. Who maintains the batteries in the NBN house installation?
What if you've exhausted the batteries and then want to make an emergency call?

Fibre to the Curb is coming here, Emu Heights NSW, if I have a UPS supplying the NBN gear
my end, will their network stay up in a power outage?
etc.. Many questions.

Alan VK2ZIW

[VK5TM]

if I have a UPS supplying the NBN gear
my end, will their network stay up in a power outage?
etc..

Alan VK2ZIW

Not on their fixed wireless systems. 4 hours and gone as happened when we had that statewide blackout a couple of years ago (and the mobile was useless too).

Don't know who is designing their systems, but useless is too polite a way to describe them. 

Standby generators should be mandatory in rural area's instead of just battery backup.

[VK2CSW]

Exactly right.
How about considering the elderly. Who maintains the batteries in the NBN house installation?
What if you've exhausted the batteries and then want to make an emergency call?

Fibre to the Curb is coming here, Emu Heights NSW, if I have a UPS supplying the NBN gear
my end, will their network stay up in a power outage?
etc.. Many questions.

Alan VK2ZIW

I am not sure about the power out situation, although the FTTC device that is installed in your premises does power the FTTC device on the pole or in the pit outside.

I am currently battling my RSP and NBNCo as the FTTC 'modem' picks up almost any stray RF and then starts to oscillate, wiping out most of the HF spectrum.

After weeks of arguing with the RSP and NBNCo, a tech finally showed up and when I showed him the WSJT-X waterfall and explained it was a bit like a spectrum analyser his eyes glazed over, he started to panic and make some excuse about checking some cabling and left.  He closed the job, so now I have had to start the whole process with the RSP again before NBNCo will send another technician.

The system is flawed and does not have any place in it for customer service, the equipment is cheaply made, poorly shielded and flaky.  I hace no idea how it got a C-Tick approval (but I can make a guess how).  A multi-billion dollar disaster that we are paying for.

[VK5TM]

I am not sure about the power out situation, although the FTTC device that is installed in your premises does power the FTTC device on the pole or in the pit outside.
.....

The system is flawed and does not have any place in it for customer service, the equipment is cheaply made, poorly shielded and flaky.  I hace no idea how it got a C-Tick approval (but I can make a guess how).  A multi-billion dollar disaster that we are paying for.

The consumer is paying to power half the system which is something of a rip-off in my mind, considering the cost of the plans and the 'above the law' attitude re the non-existent customer service.

I've had an NBN tech booked on 2 occasions who never turned up.

As for the equipment they are installing, most of it was 'end-of-life' technology wise when they bought it.

Australia and dumping ground is a phrase that comes to mind.

[VK4AN]

The consumer is not powering the NBN FTTN system. When the power goes out your system won’t work with a UPS, because the MSAN in the cabinet won’t have power from the local grid that is direct connected. FTTC is usually powered off the modem as the DPU (often Nokia kit) by the consumer, and it’s GFAST capabilities are not turned on at this stage, it’s hardly EOL equipment. FTTC will not work in a power outage with a UPS unless most of the users on the DPU have such a setup, as the reverse power is load balanced across subscribers.

If you are getting interference then I would suggest the first step is to put in a central splitter.

[VK2CSW]

As the only devices on the extant telephone wiring are the two NBN devices (DPU externally and the 'NBN Connection Device' internally, what purpose would the central splitter/filter serve?

Also where would it get plumbed into the system, between the two NBN devices?

[VK4AN]

As the only devices on the extant telephone wiring are the two NBN devices (DPU externally and the 'NBN Connection Device' internally, what purpose would the central splitter/filter serve?

Also where would it get plumbed into the system, between the two NBN devices?

A central splitter will reduce emissions from the VDSL which is 106MHz vectored (212MHz for GFAST) and also stop induced interference to the service itself, bit more info here: https://support.netcommwireless.com/site...itters.pdf

(I am not associated with Netcomm, just previously supplied VDSL gear to telcos etc for last fifteen years).

The splitter was free for a few months, and where there multiple wiring points in the home, made significant difference to service speed/bandwidth experienced.

https://www.itnews.com.au/news/nbn-co-ta...lts-473672

“That study found that a simple fix: moving the modem to the first socket, closing off unused phone outlets, installing a central splitter, or re-cabling poor wiring resulted in an average speed increase of 55 percent,” an NBN Co spokesperson said“

[VK4RW]

Nev

As per my earlier post, Telstra installed a G Fast box, plumbed into the existing phoneline.

This has ethernet ports and wifi connectivity, even though this particular install is only for a phone service.

Hpoe this helps.

Cheers

Ron
VK4BVI

[VK2CSW]

Thanks for the info - although it doesn't directly address the issue here, it is worth further investigation.

---

Further investigation shows that they are about $20 plus postage - so worth a try.

[VK4AN]

The splitter will also reduce the HF interference you are getting, keeping in mind it’s HF signalling that is used in VDSL in the first place. Suggest if you have the option to move the terminating device to a socket furthest away from the shack if you have more than one socket, and getting a cable to disconnect the other sockets if that socket is the feedin socket. Also suggest you ask for a profile change as well.

[VK3RX]

We are FTTN, and had an unused phone extension feed disconnected from the wall socket which is the termination point of the Telstra feed-in to the house (to which the modem is connected), and got a 60% increase in speed.

From what I've read over the last 12 months, the feeling is that the cause of many complaints about poor NBN speeds, dropouts etc. is the in-house telephone wiring i.e. unused extensions, extensions poorly wired etc.

Bit of light reading here:

https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/thread/3xwqly09

[VK4ADC]

Hey guys, 
please just use the Reply button instead of using the Quote. There is no need to include all of the previous replies.
If you need to, scroll down and copy (highlight with the mouse then Control+C) just a relevant part of an earlier post then paste (Control+V) it into your new response.

Thanks