[LINK] NBN questions - HFC

[Jan Whitaker]

thanks for bringing it back to my questions, David. I've been doing some research all morning on providers. It's not easy! Unless you address is listed as already installed via the NBN database, it's nearly impossible to find out what will be resold there.

At 10:36 AM 8/12/2016, David Lochrin wrote:
>On 06/12/2016 16:24, Jan Whitaker wrote:
>> This is an HFC connection.
>> 
>> Here's my main question:  Since they provide themselves a four month window for installation, how in the world does one prepare for cutover?
>
>Jan, on looking over the preceeding discussion I'm not sure whether your question has been answered yet.
>
>Are you currently using an HFC Internet connection?  If so then I can't imagine anything will change.  I can't even see any technical reason why your current POTS service should be affected, however migrating POTS services to the NBN is part of the Government's financial deal with Telstra.  So I think you'll need to arrange a VoIP account (having your current phone number) with some provider, and acquire a VoIP box or a suitable modem with a VoIP interface.  You could do that now.

HFC is in the area, but I don't subscribe to any services on it. So I assume they'll dig a trench to the current entry point for my phone services. I'm not sure if they install a box inside the house at all, even though explanations I've seen on websites show an internal box. The pamphlet sent to me does NOT show that or that they supply an NBN box of any sort. 

Yes, I'm seeing VOIP options, with a range of call includes or per call charges. Seems like per call charges (a la Internode) are for POTS services. VOIP calls appear to be free. But my research is early days. And yes, the services are saying they will handle maintenance of phone number porting to whatever service is chosen.


>If you buy a VoIP box you should be able to plug it into a LAN port on any ADSL or HFC modem.  VoIP rates are good too, I pay 12c a call within Oz and have high-quality 1-hour conversations with a brother in the U.S. for only a dollar or so.

I use Skype for that for ~$46/year unlimited calls to US. I've had that for years.


>If you want all 'phone outlets in the house to connect to your VoIP port there's something else you'll need to consider, but fairly minor.
>
>If you're not currently using an HFC Internet connection, you'll need to find out what NBN Co. actually provide.  My guess is they'll connect the NBN network to the local HFC network somewhere and go home, since each customer should only require a standard HFC network connection and some ISP bookwork.

Yeah, I don't know about this either.  The Node info said that you can plug in your current phones, but I'm not sure if that includes all extensions or not. I'm guessing not. I think the solution for that would be a set of DECT phones. Not sure about how VOIP phones would work that way. Aussiebroadband provides 1 VOIP phone. I need at least two. I have phone jacks all over the house for various reasons, mostly future proofing and convenience for home office. But DECT phones provide similar capability in the house, so it may just all be outdated now.


>Maybe some other Linker knows?

Here's one more question:

Can all resellers sell into an HFC service? Because of this limitation of address search of NBN's database, which isn't up to date, despite them sending me the letter, there's no way to know who is going to sell here.

Imagine if you are away on holidays and you come home to find all this without any research being done in advance. I guess it's no worse than business that have lost total connection for weeks because of failures.

Anyway, I'm just trying to educate myself now that it appears imminent. I have a backup for data via a dongle, but that can get expensive and won't satisfy my monthly needs for long. I'd prefer to limit that reliance.

Cheers,
Jan




>David L.

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