[LINK] A real world NBN connection experience

[Irene Graham]

On Sat, 14 Feb 2015 11:31:08 +1100, Jan Whitaker wrote:

> Linkers may remember asked about connecting phone points to an NBN
> box. This is a FTTH connection. Thought you might find the experience
> of the actual person of interest.

The reported, appalling, experience is absolutely nothing like mine (NBN 
installed very late 2013) and reeks of an incompetent, or just plain lazy,
sub-contractor employed by NBN Co who did the install of NBN equipment. 
(End users have to apply to an RSP/ISP to have NBN connected, but the 
people who subsequently install the actual NBN boxes on walls in homes are
sub-contractors to NBN Co. NBN Co. sends a sub-contractor to a home after 
an RSP/ISP notifies them that a customer has applied for NBN 
connection/service).

For example:
> 2. They would only install in the nearest wall to the street. That
> happens, as with many Australian house designs, to be her formal
> lounge room. Very unsightly
> ...
> 4. She was first told she would need to pay for the battery back-up, but
> talked them out of that and because they stuffed up other things, they 
> gave her one so she will continue w/ phone service in any power outage.

A "standard installation" (i.e. free) by NBN Co. requires the installer to
install the NBN interior boxes at a location of the customer's choice, 
provided (among other things) that does not require the use of more than 
40m of interior fibre cable, and it includes the supply of the battery 
back-up box at *no-charge* to the customer, as stated in NBN Co. docs, 
e.g.:

"Inside installation:" [includes]
"* Fibre optic cable of up to 40m* (or longer if needed to replicate an 
existing copper telecommunications connection inside your home or business)
* NBN Power Supply Unit with Optional Battery Backup or Standard Power 
Supply Unit"
http://www.nbnco.com.au/connect-home-or-business/information-for-home/fixed
-line/installation.html

Hence it appears the installer, or someone, lied to the end-user.

I could remark, along similar lines, on numerous other things, but would be 

an even longer post!

Unfortunately, the person's experience is neither an isolated one (although 

it's one of the worst NBN horror stories I've heard), nor typical of all 
installations.

The Whirlpool forum section about NBN contains numerous good and very bad 
stories about installation, and both types date back to the beginning of 
NBN FTTP installations, and from long, long, before change in government 
from ALP to LNP.

The fundamental problem, imo, has long, long, been a combination of:

(a) apparently some shonky sub-contractors employed NBN Co who just want to 

get an install done as fast as possible so they can go do the next one. 
(I've heard, but could be wrong, that sub-contractors get paid by number of 

installs they do, regardless of how many hours it takes to do each one).

(b) totally inadequate information provided to end users about their rights 

in relation to where equipment can be installed at no charge, etc. - the 
result being that shonky sub-contractors can pull the wool over end-users'
eyes very easily.

Also, I've gathered from numreous posts on Whirlpool that Telstra may have
some 'rules' or something about NBN connections that are unlike those of 
other ISPs, e.g. I think Telstra may require installation of a Telstra 
supplied router or 'modem'.

Jan, fwiw, I'd suggest it might be worth asking the person whether they 
signed a paper document presented to them by the installer after the NBN 
equipment was installed. If so, it most probably required them to sign to 
say something along the lines that the installation was satisfactory.

However if the person didn't sign anything to that effect, then they've 
certainly got a 'right' to complain to NBN Co. about installation and 
request rectification. I'd tend to suggest they probably should, in any 
case, complain to NBN Co and their local Fed. MP, because I feel sure these 

really bad installations are going to keep happening until there's a lot 
more pressure on NBN Co. to make sure sub-contractors readily comply with 
NBN Co rules (and it becomes vastly easier for end-users to know their 
'rights' in advance of installations), and no doubt that won't happen 
until/unless NBN Co. gets 'enough' complaints, or pressure from Gov't, 
about sub-contractors who don't.

Imo, it's a huge issue, particularly in relation to e.g. elderly, or any 
other people, who are in effect being forced to have the NBN connected 
merely in order to retain a (sort of) landline telephone service. 

Irene