4 Things You Should Do Before Getting an NBN Broadband Service

The NBN project of the Australian government is almost complete in 2020. As it aims to provide faster and reliable internet in the mainland, many people flux to avail themselves of the services. For every 1 minute, an Australian is asking for an NBN Co upgrade. But soon, they’ll no longer need to ask. Because the internet service in Australia will fully switch to NBN technology. To further guide you, here are 4 things you should do before getting an NBN broadband service.

WHAT IS NBN?

NBN stands for National Broadband Network. It is an infrastructure project initiated by the Australian government. The project aims to equip the mainland with an internet connection using fibre optic technology. The infrastructure is going to replace the old copper wires used by internet service providers. 

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF NBN TECHNOLOGY?

The NBN will use a multi-technology mix. Access to a certain type of NBN technology depends on the available infrastructure in a certain area. These include the following:

• Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) is primarily available among Australian locations with existing Pay-TV cable networks. An NBN utility box will be installed outside the household. The utility box is connected to the cable wires of the Pay TV network. While the inside of the household is connected to the utility box via a cable socket or splitter.
• Fibre to the Node (FTTN) is the most common type of NBN technology available to most Australian households and locations. The node is a box on the street that serves as a central hub for internet connectivity. The nodes are connected to the fibre optic wires of the NBN network. While copper wires connect the household to the nodes. 
• Fibre to the Premise (FTTP) delivers internet connection either above or below the ground. Like HFC, a utility box is installed outside the household. The utility box is connected via fibre optic wires to a power supply. The household is connected to the utility box also using fibre optic wires. 
• Fibre to the Building (FTTB) follows the same principle as FTTN but is used among apartment buildings instead of a single household. 
• Fixed Wireless connects households to the internet without using cables and wires. Instead, it uses radio signals and transmission towers to provide internet connections. 
• Sky Muster uses satellite dishes to provide internet connection on remote areas unreachable by the cable or transmission tower technology. It gets its signal from low-orbit satellites in space.

Today, most internet service providers offer FTTN or FTTP. Fixed wireless and Sky Muster are commonly offered in remote areas of Australia.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT NBN SPEED TIERS?

An NBN speed tier is the level of internet speed guaranteed on an NBN plan offered in the market. Currently, there are 5 NBN speed tiers in Australia. These are:

• NBN Basic tier with an internet download speed ranging from 15 Mbps to 25 Mbps.
• NBN Standard tier with an internet download speed ranging from 26 Mbps to 50 Mbps.
• NBN Fast tier with an internet download speed ranging from 51 Mbps to 100 Mbps.
• NBN Superfast tier with an internet download speed ranging from 101 Mbps to 205 Mbps.
• NBN Ultrafast tier with an internet download speed ranging from 251 Mbps to 1000 Mbps.

For most Australian households, the NBN Standard tier is best recommended. Once the plan has been installed, websites like test my speed can be used to verify and keep a check on Internet speeds and whether or not they match the tier you opted for.

HOW MUCH DATA DO I NEED?

The amount of data every household needs depends on the number of people using the internet together with the online activities they engaged in. 

• A simple document download eats up around 2 MB.
• An hour of browsing the web consumes 10 MB to 25 MB. 
• An hour of browsing on social media like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter eats up 20 MB to 90 MB.
• If you do music streaming for 60 minutes, you’ll consume around 115 MB.
• While an hour of video calls or video streaming eats up around 250 MB to 600 MB.