NBN Discussion

[NM]

Shift to an RSP who will provide details (not Telstra, Optus or TPG). Aussie BB will, or go with third party VOIP.

Yes, that is the most likely direction for me. Will just need to make a few changes before I change. Some in the household rely on the email domain provided by the current RSP and changing that will take some effort. And sorting Fetch-TV that is part of the current bundle plan will need some planning too. None that can't be achieved with a little effort. Just need the tie and motivation to take the action. And ABB will be first alternate RSP to approach for sure.

 

[33kft]

It's a very good question. I currently have the APs on channels 1 and 11 (for 2.4GHz) where there is no overlap. I believe I could use 6 for the centre AP and still not overlap but I'd need to do some more reading first to be sure. It's entirely possible adding another AP may cause worse performance and I don't actually have a problem other than what I'd say is approaching a high number of stations on that one AP, but there's also nothing to suggest it couldn't service double those clients without issues.

It's also possible I could have 5GHz only AP if I needed, since it is single SSID for 2.4GHz and 5GHz too.

 

[jb747]

I tried installing the Ubiquiti USG early last year, but gave up. Looking at the Ubiquiti and Whirlpool forums, I wasn't the only person who did so.

Just finished my second attempt, and this time it's worked out. The total system now is a bridged modem, the USG, Ubiquiti Cloudkey, Ubiquiti 24 and two 8 port POE switches, 8 (!) access points, and 8 cameras. There are many Cat 6 runs. With a bit of luck, I'll be able to get 10gb over most of the Cat 6 when I eventually get around to it.

The need for so many access points was driven by the type of insulation we used in the house. Not only does it reduce heat transfer, but it seems to kill phone and wifi signals.

I'm not sure if this is real or not...but the results of speed tests (speedof.me) have been stable at 42 meg/sec down for some months. Looking at 45 right now. I don't know if a change of router could have had that effect, or if it's just coincidence.

 

[parsonstrish]

Unsure if posting in right section. I’ve had Telstra nbn couple of years, all great. Until past 10 days, no access to internet until early am, ie 1-7am, tonight an exception just after 11pm. 2 phone calls to Telstra, response 1, an outage, actually no outage. Today phone call, response no outage (which I knew), but something like circular hole, I think. Person on phone unable to explain why I get internet at described hours above & not other times.. NBN tech booked, have to be off work 4 hours Tuesday as unable to give me time of appointment. I like to understand when something worked, then doesn’t, finding this perplexing.

 

[Paddy55]

I'll happily add to the applause for ABB... been with them 12 months after a short, dreadful time with T*lstra - can't put a value on Australia based support!

Sadly, we're only 350m from the cabinet and we rarely hit 35mbs downloading.

Hoping govts new COAL and other projects mean we can upgrade to FTTC or FTTP at a more reasonable price.

 

[Quickstatus]

That’s unusual for 350m

The usually couple of things to consider.
Possible that your Node is not the one you think it is.
Possible that your in-house wiring is causing speed limitations.

Don’t forget it is the combined distance from Node to Telstra Pillar to premises.

You should be able to see what your Node-Pillar-house distances here by zooming into your spot:

 

[serfty]

You should be able to see what your Node-Pillar-house distances here by zooming into your

that link does not work for me ...

can't find the server at xn--http-p96a.

 

[Quickstatus]

NBN MTM Alpha

nbnmtm.australiaeast.cloudapp.azure.com

Link also corrected

 

[Quickstatus]

8 (!) access points, and 8 cameras. There are many Cat 6 runs

The need for so many access points was driven by the type of insulation we used in the house.

Does Ubiquiti allow you to set the AP channel on the fly?

 

[Paddy55]

That’s unusual for 350m

The usually couple of things to consider.
Possible that your Node is not the one you think it is.
Possible that your in-house wiring is causing speed limitations.

Don’t forget it is the combined distance from Node to Telstra Pillar to premises.

You should be able to see what your Node-Pillar-house distances here by zooming into your spot:

ABB provided the estimate of 350m - I'm hoping they're reasonably accurate.
I've checked the NBNMTM website just now and, at my house, no Pillar/Node location information is available.

What I can say is that we moved into this house over 3 years ago and I had professional cabling installed, and bought a decent (?) modem from ABB (Netcomm NF18ACV Power Modem). Speed through Ethernet connections isn't much different to wireless.

Anyway I think my best plan is to save up for whatever the Technology Choice has for me.

 

[AisleSeat]

NBN floats its own "Netflix tax".

NBN Co floats its own 'Netflix tax'

Proposes extra charges for video streaming.

www.itnews.com.au

"NBN Co has raised the prospect of treating streaming video differently from other traffic types on its network, with users charged extra for the privilege of using Netflix and similar services."

A utility has no business doing this.

 

[travelislife]

NBN floats its own "Netflix tax"

NBN Co floats its own 'Netflix tax'

Proposes extra charges for video streaming.

www.itnews.com.au

NBN Co has raised the prospect of treating streaming video differently from other traffic types on its network, with users charged extra for the privilege of using Netflix and similar services.

Got to love forward thinking Australia!

 

[33kft]

This is exactly what the net neutrality movement has been fighting from corporates for years. Makes me wonder why everyone reaches for the "shouldn't have privatised" lever when clearly public administration is no better.

 

[Quickstatus]

NBN floats its own "Netflix tax".

NBN Co floats its own 'Netflix tax'

Proposes extra charges for video streaming.

www.itnews.com.au

"NBN Co has raised the prospect of treating streaming video differently from other traffic types on its network, with users charged extra for the privilege of using Netflix and similar services."

A utility has no business doing this.

And I thought NBN is a wholesaler operating at OSI Level 2.
They do Level 3 on Skymuster but this new tax means NBN is taking some of the functions of a retailer RSP.

All because NBN cannot be funded on a stand-alone business which brought in the CVC restrictions and they are now further down the rabbit hole with Layer 4 and above.

 

[moa999]

In simple terms the NBN has a revenue problem due to the cost blowouts.
They are already losing the low-end users to 4G (and this will grow with 5G) so you need someway to charge premium users.

Plus (reading between the lines) I think there is pressure to remove the AVC distinction and effectively move everyone to 100 plans (at least for those not hobbled by FTTN or FW/Sat) which would drastically improve Australia's rank in the oft publicised global broadband stats.

So I think they are looking at other measures - probably increasing CVC again which would cause a greater differential between 100GB and 1TB/ Unlimited plans, and possibly this streaming/ boosted peak speeds idea.

 

[drsmithy]

This is exactly what the net neutrality movement has been fighting from corporates for years. Makes me wonder why everyone reaches for the "shouldn't have privatised" lever when clearly public administration is no better.

Nobody should be under any illusions that NBN was setup or intended to be a public utility. It was called NBN Co. for a reason.

 

[33kft]

Nobody should be under any illusions that NBN was setup or intended to be a public utility. It was called NBN Co. for a reason.

And yet it has been for the last 10 years, buying over $10bn in private assets to do so, and as a monopoly telecommunications provider funded entirely by taxpayer dollars (outside of the revenue it generates, with which nbn co finished up negative to the tune of $4.8bn last year) is absolutely currently fulfilling the role that it has for the last decade as a public utility.

And while I can't wait to see what sort of fantastic privatisation deal will be cooked up in the coming decade after the losses have been socialised, I dare say Telstra would not be rushing in to buy an asset which would cost them 48% of the compensation that they recieved for their entire copper and HFC networks in a one-off transfer of their assets, per year.

So I am afraid that for now it remains a public utility regardless of nomenclature.

 

[Quickstatus]

If it’s a public utility then there are no losses to be socialised in the future.

 

[33kft]

If it’s a public utility then there are no losses to be socialised in the future.

A public utility does not remain so in perpetuity. I don't see how the NBN does not meet this criteria:

A public utility company (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using that infrastructure). Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and regulation ranging from local community-based groups to statewide government monopolies.

The term utilities can also refer to the set of services provided by these organizations consumed by the public: Coal, electricity, natural gas, water, sewage, telephone, and transportation. Broadband internet services (both fixed-line and mobile) are increasingly being included within the definition.

The losses I am referring to are the difference between the $50bn spent building and operating the network until privatisation (with that number certain to rise) and the market capitalisation of the corporation when it is sold as a legacy physical network in a market that is rapidly embracing less costly alternative technologies.

 

[Quickstatus]

Yes but a public utility’s primary function is not necessarily for income profit or capital gain. If often makes an income loss in order to serve a public “good”. So any capital loss on the eventual sale of the public utility is the really the crystallisation of the financial losses accumulated while in public hands and the valuation of the business on a commercial basis. It is not “ socialisation” of losses. A govt can improve the commercial valuation if it chooses to do so but it may run into resistance from the public because that normally is associated with price rises. If the NBN is to be sold with no capital loss then it must have a rate of return to support that invested capital. Can’t have it both ways.

Currently NBN is not a public utility. It is a government owned entity with a target rate of return. The govt (on behalf of taxpayers) decided to deploy capital to create a business. The govt (on behalf of taxpayers) wants a certain return. That it may fail is no different to any private company failing and subsequently bought for a song.