[LINK] From my friend re NBN change

[Paul Brooks]

On 11/12/2014 3:44 PM, JanW wrote:
> At 01:45 PM 11/12/2014, Jan Whitaker you wrote:
>> 2. They are charging her $189 for installation she thinks 
> Correction:
> The NBN will be installed free,  but from their box to the modem will cost.
> ------
>
> I don't understand that. any help here?

If she's on HFC cable, that connection should not need to be changed. It'll be her
voice service on the copper pair that needs to be migrated to the NBN, not the HFC
broadband service. However, as no providers are offering just stand-along telephony on
NBN yet that I am aware of, there's not much point taking up an NBN voice+Internet
bundle, and keeping the HFC as a second Internet service!, so the HFC broadband ends
up being migrated unnecessarily.

1. She could give up the copper telephone service, switch to using a mobile service
for all voice, and keep the HFC for Internet. No migration to NBN, no forced charge to
install the Telstra box.

2. If she has Optus HFC in range, she could move to Optus HFC for Internet and
telephone - Optus runs telephone over their HFC, Telstra does not. No migration to the
NBN (yet), no forced charge to install the Telstra box. Probably an Optus installation
charge though.

3. Telstra appear to be forcing all NBN connections to buy and connect a
Telstra-provided home gateway/router to the NBN connection to provide the telephone
service as VoIP using the Telstra gateway, not using the in-built VoIP capability of
the NBN box.

4. If the Telstra service is recent, then she's probably within some sort of contract
period. Contracts should work both ways - customers must pay the bills, provider must
charge the rates listed in the contract and no more. If so, I'd be pushing back and
telling Telstra "you want me forcibly migrated, you do it at your own cost", as per
the contract. And/or go to the TIO on grounds of Telstra not honouring their contract.

The bit about going to a non-Telstra service provider "but you might be throttled" is
pure competition scare-tactic poppy-cock. No reason to think any other service
provider will be more or less throttled than Telstra. Its not an NBN issue, its
Marketing. Maybe time to consider a different service provider.

The bit about not being able to use the house wiring is probably not correct and just
laziness, especially if nobody took the trouble to go to the house and inspect the
house telephone wiring. There are ways to wire up the NBN connection to re-use the
existing phone points and re-direct them to the NBN voiceport at the first socket.
However this is a bit complex so they are telling people "you can't use your existing
wiring" because its easier/lazier than doing it properly.
See Comms Alliance G649 "Cabling existing telecommunications services in the
customer’s premises for the NBN via FTTP"
http://www.commsalliance.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/43855/G649_2014.pdf

The jumper link from existing wiring will need to be to the voice port on the Telstra
gateway, not the voice port on the NBN box, if she ends up going with the Telstra
migration. She may well need to get a cabler in to make the modifications to use the
existing ports, but they aren't usually extensive changes needed. Alarm systems
complicate matters though.

Paul.