whirlpool

Any ideas what "soon" is?

In my experience so far trying to get NBN connected (BRU-05), soon can mean anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 years.

The problem is that during this time, there's no way to find out about the progress, no one to talk to about the progress and no one to actually help until out of nowhere NBNCo says 'oh, now it's ready!'...

I live in an MDU in 3BRU-02 (currently live) and received the NBN letter about services "soon being available".

Any ideas what "soon" is?

I must admit I got the coming soon letter from transfield in Brunswick and after maybe 9 � 12 months the NBN was finally connected to my house. I watched them lay the fibre all around the place during that time

Transfield will be working in Brunswick for the next two months. Hopefully a lot of connections get done.

Hey all, moving to Brunswick West and the NBN map tells me were are right to go with getting it (yay!) except when I enter in the address in either iiNet or Internode it says 'nup, sorry you suck' ... ok maybe it just says 'sorry it is not available' but it feels the same.

Is there a lag/difference between the two systems?

From what I am lead to believe the NBN has been down the street we are moving to for a while now ...

maho writes...

except when I enter in the address in either iiNet or Internode it says 'nup, sorry you suck' ... ok maybe it just says 'sorry it is not available' but it feels the same.

Is there a lag/difference between the two systems?

I believe many people had the same issue and have tried a few NBN providers just to make sure thats its not just a glitch. I believe if its not then call up NBN and they can update their database and your good to go (fingers crossed).

Ben B writes...

It's weird. I checked on the Telstra site and it says we are right to go ahead ... calling iiNet and Internode now to see what's up.

Will call NBN peeps thereafter if no luck :)

I haven't seen any work being done 3BRU-07 or 3BRU-08 in the past month. We've been pushed back a month already after already being removed and then readded to the NBN rollout map. I'm just worried it will be pushed back and delayed until next year and then it will be pushed back further as they assign us to being part of the MTM mess.

Has anyone seen telstra or nbn crews out in the area?

thermal7 writes...

For others applicants in the Brunswick FRS, how is your application going?

According to myNBN http://www.mynbn.info/fsam/3BRU-07 we're still scheduled for a October start date. Unfortunately I have not seen anyone in the area either

http://www.mynbn.info/fsam/3BRU-08
Jan 2015!!! wowz0rs

yeah 3BRU-07 been pushed out to Jan 2015 as well. I give up

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Concerning 3BRU-06: there is an area-wide signal outage that may go into remediation. A neighbour advised of this.

In my street the closest NBN termination point is nearly 100 meters from the property boundary, cable conduits were damaged, NBN tech could not lay cable from termination point to property. No remediation ETA has been provided. Two business days since.

We're now in remediation hell. ETA posted after 3 business days: April 2. :|

Lots of digging around Grantham/Union St recently

Not sure if it's for the NBN. Service map says it's already active

Lots of digging around Grantham/Union St recently

That's for new water / irrigation under the road / footpath.
We've already got NBN.

Well, got an installation appointment this afternoon in 3BRU-05. What an auspicious day � I placed the order with iiNet exactly 6 months ago, on the 21st of August 2013. Will we have an active NBN connection by the end of the day? Watch this space!

Update: Nope, still no connection! Pit conduit still blocked � the same issue we had four months ago. I give up.

I hear your frustration, NBNco is overextended, behind schedule, and, it seems, dishonest about rollout progress.
Basically, NBNco didn't complete a bunch of work, pushed the dates back and then forward which suggests fudging the rollout completion stats.
It seems it was decided to advertise the area as "completed" when it would have been known that no actual further completion work had been undertaken (see email snippet below).

To call this "remediation" seems rather like calling the surgery complete before the patient is stitched back together.

This is from the email I received from my ISP today:

"I have looked into your appointment and have been advised that there is a planned remediation date: 02/04/2014. They have advised that there is a problem in the external network past the multiport." (Concerning 3BRU-06)

Basically, NBNco didn't complete a bunch of work, pushed the dates back and then forward which suggests fudging the rollout completion stats.

I'm in 3-CTN-08, which neighbours the Brunswick rollout. Under the last rollout schedule under the old government I was Dec 2013, I'm now Jan-15.

I don't think much has changed on the underlying installaiton contract, so it's eitehr a case of go slow on existing contracts (perhaps remove reosurce peaks?) or they simply had a "complete FSA's" at all costs mentality, without really caring about the final connection from the core conduit into people's homes, and reading baove perhaps letting defects stand.

It's fascinating to watch the change under the new government, I just hope it's just to more focus on actually delivering to the end customer and not a reprioritisation and slow down on pre-existing contracts situation (so they can work out FTTN and have work till that point).

Anyway, enough speculation, let's just hope they work through these issues quickly and get back to adding new areas (like 3-CTN-08!)

write_my_name writes...

Anyway, enough speculation, let's just hope they work through these issues quickly and get back to adding new areas (like 3-CTN-08!)

It looks like that there isn't any work being done anytime soon. I wouldn't expect that Jan 15 date to be a solid timeline for activation.

["NBNco is overextended, behind schedule, and, it seems, dishonest about rollout progress."]

What is the point of the NBN Co sending out letters to say contact your service provider to get connected when they have not completed their work.
We are in West Brunswick and I put in an order through iiNet to have the NBN connected after receiving the NBN Co. letter advising we were good to go.
Contractor came out on the 6th of Feb but could not connect as there was no conduit running from the pit that the NBN put in the nature strip to the house. A civil crew was needed as it required cutting concrete pavement to install the conduit to carry the fibre.
iiNet telephoned the next day saying that NBN Co are giving them a delivery date of 22 March 2014 . This coincides with a date that the NBN Co letter gave us that NBN sent saying if you don't contact an ISP we are going to come to your house and install the fibre to an external point on the house.
Receiving an update from iiNet every Friday by SMS saying expected delivery date still 22 March 2014.
iiNet have been terrific. I cannot fault their customer service.
NBN Co are saying on their roll out maps and their multiple mail-outs that they have finished in our area.
I am giving NBN Co 2/10.
Marks off for falsely raising our hopes,for digging up our water mains at 7:30 on a Saturday morning. Also marks off for wasting taxpayers money sending the fibre up the Telstra pits in our street early last year and then coming back and laying a new conduit in December . Hopefully they don't cut through the water a second time. I might fill the bath on the day the civil crew come just in case.

NBN team were pulling large green fibre spools late on Saturday, around 6.30pm on Brunswick Road, near Guthrie / Fleming Streets. (North side of Brunswick Road).

IIRC isnt the thick green fibre some backhaul or main cable? Seems odd they are still doing that in the area. Must be a delay of some kind.

Hopefully they'll light it up soon.

Just walked outside and it looks like the NBN crew are right outside my apartment doing some work on the pits. Strange seeing as the PCD was already installed, must be some other work going on.

Annoying thing is I'm planning to move out in the next month or so :(

Maybe there's a partial blockage in the pit which is stopping someone else getting connected?

I'm in an MDU and the PCD's were installed 2 weeks ago. It was a Friday so at lunchtime it was determined that the pit was 'blocked'. Seems to happen a lot with Friday pits :P

I had a good laugh when the guys told me that the Civil Works team would resolve the issue in less than a week. No chance.

Called NBNCO got the usual runaround of "oh we can't see anything in the system � all we can do is email the civil works team who may or may not respond!"

At least they gave me a good chuckle.

I'm in West Brunswick, but at the northern end, connected to the Moreland exchange, so I haven't been part of the NBN roll-out at all.

I've been trying to get Telstra Cable for internet, but they won't look at installing it because they say I'm due to get the NBN sometime.

I think this is a mistake, but I couldn't convince them. I wondered if anyone here knows more about the NBN roll-out north of Albion street? Are there plans for it now?

On Union St here. Just moved into a house there (lovely house!), NBN Tech came out to install on Tuesday did a lot of looking around etc, but there was a lack of any work being done.

Was told once he finished that the conduit was blocked and the civil works team was required to come out and fix ... in a few weeks ... lol

Ok no problem will get ADSL then ... ummm no.

WTF?

How can they put in place a process ... where you cannot get anything? Sure it's fine for someone waiting who has had ADSL for a while ... but I'm new to the area and our Photography business relies on the Internet for both uploading photos for clients through to backing up to the cloud (we back up at home too � but had a scare recently that lead us to cloud based services on top of that).

Toby I checked a few addressed in your area and it looks like you would fall under the 3MLN area. Sadly this was removed from the roll-out plans by the current Government.

You will probaby get (turn)BULL-NET NBN some time when they can be bothered :(

Maybe chat to Hellstra again and mention this removal to them. All you can do is try.

Yay the pit issues have been resolved near my place and the cables are being run to the external point(s) right now.

Now the install needs to go through the cert and QA process and I'll be able to order a service.

Might get NBN this year after all :P

Hoping someone can answer my question, I'm on Sydney road in Brunswick and have been told that I have till may 23rd till the copper lines are stopped, but I don't even have a NTD installed in my shop. Does this mean I can't get on the trial as I don't have a box and what will happen to my copper service in may?

Mightypies80 writes...

but I don't even have a NTD installed in my shop.

Have you ordered a connection? Just call your ISP (or iiNet, Skymesh etc) and book a connection. Seems to take a few weeks at the moment.

Do I need landlords consent?

Mightypies80 writes...

Do I need landlords consent?

Yes. But you should discuss all this with your ISP, not in the B'wick rollout topic.

Mightypies80 writes...

I'm on Sydney road in Brunswick and have been told that I have till may 23rd till the copper lines are stopped

My guess is that you are not the only one in this situation. Can anyone confirm that 75% of premises have to be connected in a given area before they can discontinue copper-linked services? Is there any way to find out what percentage of premises are NBN-connected now? As someone who is happy with the existing ADSL2 service, I don't like being pressured into accepting NBN within a given deadline without proof that the criteria for disconnection of copper have actually been met.

Even the cheapest NBN plan I've seen will cost me quite a lot more than I'm paying for internet+telephone at present, plus the extra cost & nuisance of an electrician to create a new power-point.

A couple of related queries:
1. Are they still compulsorily installing those big battery back-up boxes?
2. Is it cheaper to have a single power-point converted to a double one, than to have a completely new power-point installed? Would the former be acceptable as the 'dedicated' NBN power-point?

Even the cheapest NBN plan I've seen will cost me quite a lot more than I'm paying for internet+telephone at present,

Maybe you can expand on that a little. What do you currently have and what do you need?

I don't think you need to have a dedicated power point anymore.

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What do you currently have and what do you need?

I'm with iiNet and my average daily usage is 67 MB (with occasional spikes up to 140 MB) on a plan that offers 100,000 MB per month.

Here's my most recent bill:
Monthly charge for ADSL2+ Home-1 service
[ for the period 10/03/2014 to']
10/04/2014. $29.95

Phone

Phone 1 Residential service calls until
22/02/2014 $0.28
0393877938: Home Access Monthly charge for the period
10/03/2014 to 10/04/2014 $29.95
0393877938: Silent number Monthly charge for the period
10/03/2014 to 10/04/2014 $2.93

VoIP

Monthly charge for iiNetPhone service for the
period 10/03/2014 to 10/04/2014. $0.00
iiNetPhone service calls until 22/02/2014 $1.60

Total New Charges $64.71

My monthly bill for everything including calls is rarely over $67.

I use VOIP for most outgoing calls but no incoming calls. I want people to be able to phone me when my computer is not in use and switched off. I do not have a mobile phone nor do I want one.

I don't think you need to have a dedicated power point anymore.

That would be good news if correct, but it's not what I've been reading elsewhere. Though it is possible that the battery back-up box is no longer required. I'd like to know for sure about that.

I use VOIP for most outgoing calls but no incoming calls. I want people to be able to phone me when my computer is not in use and switched off

I presume you leave your router switched on so you can make outgoing calls?

Next question: what speeds are you currently getting and what speeds would you prefer?

PS: Edit out your personal details (phone number) from your post.

Hexactly writes...

Toby I checked a few addressed in your area and it looks like you would fall under the 3MLN area. Sadly this was removed from the roll-out plans by the current Government.
Maybe chat to Hellstra again and mention this removal to them. All you can do is try.

*sigh*
I try and try again to explain to Telstra but they just don't get it.
I can't get NBN because I'm not in the Brunswick rollout, but I can't get cable because allegedly I'm in an NBN area. So frustrating! Meanwhile I'm stuck on ADSL1 at a few megabit.

PS: Edit out your personal details (phone number) from your post.

Many thanks for picking up that; as I never give that number to anyone I don't even recognize it as my phone number.

I presume you leave your router switched on so you can make outgoing calls?

No. If I need to make a phone call at a time when the computer isn't switched on (and that's quite rare), I do use the fixed line phone.

what speeds are you currently getting and what speeds would you prefer?

I don't know what speed I'm getting, but I have no need for anything faster. It's standard ADSL2 but I think I'm quite near the exchange: maybe that makes a difference.

No. If I need to make a phone call at a time when the computer isn't switched on (and that's quite rare), I do use the fixed line phone.

Hmmm...you don't need to have the computer switched on to make a phone call unless you are using a softphone. How do you make your VoIP calls?

Also, just for fun, why not test your speed and report back: http://www.speedtest.net/

Also, just for fun, why not test your speed and report back: http://www.speedtest.net/
Here you are: http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3360347007

How do you make your VoIP calls?
I have an old HP OfficeJet all-in-one with a telephone handset. It's connected to a power-board and also to my modem, which is also connected to the power-board, as are my printer and (in winter) two heaters. Each has a switch on the power-board and most of the time only the computer and the modem are switched on. The power-board is connected to the only power-point in the room, and is switched off at the wall when I stop using the computer, either at night or because I'm going out for a few hours. I can still make or receive calls on the landline phone when the power-point is switched off.

Now perhaps it's clearer why I don't want the NBN hogging that power-point.

I have an old HP OfficeJet all-in-one with a telephone handset. It's connected to a power-board and also to my modem, which is also connected to the power-board, as are my printer and (in winter) two heaters.

I'd be more concerned about not being able to call the MFB when your two heaters pulling 2400w at max (10amps) set the power board on fire.

The power-board is connected to the only power-point in the room, and is switched off at the wall when I stop using the computer

Quite apart from whether or not you get the NBN I think you seriously need to address the power supply situation to your room.

That set up is simply asking for problems and is seriously affecting your IT experience.

your two heaters pulling 2400w at max (10amps) set the power board on fire.
They are Thermofilm personal heaters, max 160w each, and I rarely have both on at the same time.

That set up is . . . . seriously affecting your IT experience.
How so? I'm happy with it and it does all I need.

Still wanting answers to the questions I asked previously:

1. Can anyone confirm that 75% of premises have to be connected in a given area before they can discontinue copper-linked services? Is there any way to find out what percentage of premises are NBN-connected now in any given area? In my block of 16 flats I'd say it was only 3 or 4.

2. Is installation of the battery back-up box now optional?

3. Can the NBN connection use half of double power-point? Is it cheaper to convert a single power-point to double or to install a separate new one.

1: I can't find a source to backup this 75% figure. There's also confusion between actual uptake and availability to premises where there may or may not have been uptake of service. I'm leaning towards disconnect when NBNCO gives the date.
http://www.nbnco.com.au/get-an-nbn-connection/home-and-business/nbn-services/switch-off.html

2: Optional (via informed consent form � updated) http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco/documents/fibre-premises-equipment-obb-informed-consent-guidelines-checklist-23-october-2013.pdf

3: Single socket minimum is the requirement. More than that is fine � one socket of a double gang outlet is enough but a router will still need to be connected if internet is required (other half of outlet for example).
http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/preparation-and-installation-guide-for-sdus-and-mdus.pdf

Thanks, Hexactly, for your very helpful an well documented response. I wrote a long reply which I've lost by inadvertently navigating away from this page. But I really appreciate all the information in your post.

I'll just add that I found this document www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-fibre-user-guide.pdf which does say

Can I plug the power supply into
a power board?
Yes, however NBN Co prefers the NBN
connection box and power supply is connected to
fixed power point where possible. However in the
event this is not possible then the power supply
can be plugged into a double adapter, extension
cord or power board as long as they are safe.

So perhaps I can save the expense of getting in an electrician to install an additional power-point.

I'm glad that the information was of use.

I can understand the power board option as, without battery backup, I can't see the rest of the equipment drawing too much current.

A good win for you on the outlet expense!

Check out, http://www.internode.on.net/residential/fibre_to_the_home/nbn_plans/phone_services/fibre_phone_nbn/

I'm with iiNet and my average daily usage is 67 MB (with occasional spikes up to 140 MB) on a plan that offers 100,000 MB per month.

My monthly bill for everything including calls is rarely over $67.

Well, you'll lose 70GB from your plan but at worst you use no more than 5GB a month so quota shouldn't be an issue? Only 2 bucks more than you pay now, and I'm sure there should be cheaper options than Internode for sure.

Hexactly writes...

A good win for you on the outlet expense!

Let's hope it proves to be OK in practice. I never did want the battery backup anyway.

Thanks also for your input, Gomes. I'll probably stay with iiNet as I've been a satisfied customer there for many years. Also it seems that iiNet's bundled phone has $0 charge for local calls whereas Internode charges them at 18c.
Either way I can't get the basic cost under $69.90 p.m. which is more than I'm paying at present including call costs. The promised low income / concession NBN plans are nowhere to be found.

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I'll probably stay with iiNet as I've been a satisfied customer there for many years.

Very disappointed to learn today that iiNet will not accept an order for a NBN installation without a battery back-up.

What's the best website for comparing NBN plans? I would have expected it to be Whrirlpool but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Edited to add: Skymesh proves to be another that insists on battery back-up. Who else can I try for a cheap low-end system?

Hmmm I can't understand their logic if you have signed a waiver but regardless..

Tried Exetel?

A comparison site: � whistleout.com.au/Broadband/National-Broadband-Network-NBN-Plans

I'm not sure about me adding a direct link as it might be a WP competitor � mods edit as you see fit cheers.

http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco/documents/fibre-premises-equipment-obb-informed-consent-guidelines-checklist-23-october-2013.pdf

Very disappointed to learn today that iiNet will not accept an order for a NBN installation without a battery back-up.

I'd call iiNet back and refer them to this page: http://www.nbnco.com.au/industry/service-providers/industry-blog/obb.html

and this PDF:

They may have a internal check list etc, or sales procedure that hasn't been updated.

From the NBNCo site : "Optional Battery Backup will be available to order in NBN Co Platforms (Service Portal & B2B Industry Interface V6). The six month Optional Battery Backup Transition Period commences on 19th December, 2013 and will conclude on 19th June, 2014. "

Either iiNet or Skymesh etc, the installs are contracted by NBNCo. So whom ever you order it through NBNCo's 3rd party contractor will pull the fibre and install the NTD / Battery Backup if you require it.

Just an FYI for everyone in Brunswick and surrounding Suburbs..
Take note that Nearly 75-80 percent of lead-in Conduits from the pit near or out the front of your premises are 10mm Conduits, that are as old as Time itself!..

Don't be surprised if the Installer comes out and tells you that the conduit from you're premises to the Lead-in Pit is blocked or broken, especially when there is already an existing cable in it.. This is the situation with so many homes in these areas.

If you feel like being a bit "Pro-Active", and wish to better you're chances of getting connected. go outside and inspect the lead-in pipe to you're house, and If you have the resources and tools feel free to fix anything that looks dodgy that you think you can do yourself.
Happy days!

So whom ever you order it through NBNCo's 3rd party contractor will pull the fibre and install the NTD / Battery Backup if you require it.

Thanks for those useful links, mavrck9. I've heard elsewhere (maybe in another Whirlpool NBN thread) that if the order from the RSP says to install the battery back-up and the customer insists they don't want it, the contractor will not proceed with the installation, and the customer has to try another RSP and goes back to the end of the appointments queue.

I have a hunch that the RSPs who are telling me they have to include it in the order are simply wishing to duck out of that informed consent loop, as it's too much bother. But there is also another behind-the-scenes possibility:

Glenn at Devoted intimated to me that the problem is a shortage of the cable required to connect directly to a power-point rather than via the battery back-up box.

Maybe there's an installer around who could comment on this?

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I noticed outside Victoria and Melville Road (West Brunswick Post Office) there is a large billboard telling people to update to the NBN by May23 however the area does not even have fibre in it yet nor any chance of obtaining it. (3BRU07) This is going to confuse people in the area.

The Australian Government...our tax dollars hard at work.

Well my MDU is now live, time to order some 100/40 fun times.....

Walked out the front door of my apartment today to see cables hanging down from the ceiling right across the floor.

Apparently we're a couple of weeks away from being switched on.

Now the dilemma of what to do, I'm currently with Telstra, only choice I had when I moved in, and get some foxtel channels (for footy and racing) through my tbox. Sticking with Telstra would probably mean a new 2 year contract, won't be there that long. Another provider would mean I'd need Foxtel as well. Frustrating

Gazzilla writes...

Yep � we had a "blocked conduit" problem when we got a tech out to begin the install a couple of weeks ago.

They had to rip up the concrete and run a new conduit up to the house.

All done in a week and a bit (install also) ... we were lucky as there was genuine need to escalate and the lady who handled our complaint from the NBN was awesome (when we were told it was going to be a couple of months and as we had just moved there so we could not even get ADSL due to it being in a copper no longer available area).

Progress in 3-CTN08 today � there's a bunch of vacuum trucks in Drummond St sucking material from the Telstra ducts. The people working them are in sealed suits, so one could assume it's asbestos removal from the ducts.

Kind of weird process, as it was only on pits about 500 metres apart, so god knows what happens to ducts elsewhere, but hey, they're the experts!

I have noticed over the last week or so that there seems to be a ramp up of techs and civil works in the area around Union Street ... even to the point that they are working all day Saturday and Sunday now.

Has something changed? Do they need to get this area completed ASAP and move on the to the next?

Is it customary for a NBN installer to turn up without an appointment to do an installation? Who would be to blame for this, NBN or the RSP?

NBNCo are starting to disconnect copper wire on 23 May 2014 as per this map.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5q407z082t704dm/BRUNSWICK_1604395_10152356490845972_1699666592_n.jpg

It seems incorrect that the areas lower than Brunswick Rd (Carlton North area) and the area east of Lygon are being turned off, as they have only been live less than 12 months. The turnoff was reported to be 18 months after the are went live.

Probably best though transferring your phone number / line to a Voip provider to be safe.

NBNCo are starting to disconnect copper wire on 23 May 2014 as per this map.

It's odd that the small area north of Blyth and east of Lygon is going to be disconnected. That spot has only been live for ~6 months.

Is it customary for a NBN installer to turn up without an appointment to do an installation? Who would be to blame for this, NBN or the RSP?

I had a similar situation earlier this year...

I applied for NBN through and RSP and then I received a call from the installer a couple of weeks later asking to confirm I was ok for the installation appointment the following day.

I had heard nothing from anyone about any appointment! I told the installer it was fine and he came and did the install

I contacted my RSP about this and they advised they had a couple of scenarios like this where they had not been told anything by NBNCo about any appointments being scheduled and installers just showing up..

I guess I was lucky my installer called me the day before as I was able to make arrangements at short notice to stay home. If he has just rocked up on the day there would have been no one home

So it seems NBNCo has been failing to advise the RSP of the appointments being made... or is the RSP lying? who knows

MaDDHaTTeR writes...

So it seems NBNCo has been failing to advise the RSP of the appointments being made... or is the RSP lying? who knows

I did ring the NBN about this and they said the RSP were totally responsible for making the installation appointments and notifying customers. My RSP said "someone" was supposed to have phoned me the night before; well, I wasn't in then, and that's not what I regard as sufficient notice anyway. The NBN said that they would take it up at their "next meeting with the RSP". That bothers me a little as I'm switching, and don't want to get off 'on the wrong foot' with this new provider.

Anyway, a new appointment has now been made for the week after Easter on a day that suits me.

For those interested, NBN just updated my expected rectification date for the full conduit between pits outside my property to May. That'll make it nine months from order to installation, and counting! Wonder if we'll make it to a full year... haha. Good luck disconnecting copper any time this decade with installation nightmares like mine.

Ditto at 3BRU-06. New conduits are being laid. ETA Mid-May according to NBNco letter. The "remediation" process in our street has been chaotic and inefficient. Different companies were tasked to work on different sections of the street. E.g. all house numbers 5-35 by one company. Another company (on a different date) house numbers 1-3. To do the same job: renew conduits.

Which is also to say that NBNco should not have advertised the area as ready. It never was.

I won't worry about it too much. I spoke with NBNCO recently about the test/cert that still needs to be done at my premises and was informed that, even though it has been outstanding for some time, the major focus is on completing all outstanding work in parts of Brunswick where copper lines are about to be disconnected. (including new installs for premises where no cable is in place yet)

I was told it will be a couple of months still!

Even if you get conduits fixed and cable run to the premises then there's a long boring wait after that. After so many delays with the initial roll-out and so many other delays; I have lost interest in the whole thing. I'll be having a 'roust discussion' with NBNCO if they dare try to cut my copper line less than 18 months after they complete their BS processes. (end rant � sorry!)

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Cables were installed above all the doors in my building a few weeks ago, shortly after plastic IDC boxes were installed to house the cables. I noticed there is a new cabinet in the garage where the cables connects And it looks like its live.

There has been no info on what's taking place in the building and when NbN might be connected. Anyone have any info on this?

I'm also wondering how the cable is going to make it from the IDC above my apartment door into the house?

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rsmh writes...

I'm also wondering how the cable is going to make it from the IDC above my apartment door into the house?

In my case the individual external box is low down on the far side of my apartment door, diagonally away from the power point and telephone connection, and on a section of wall that doesn't back onto any interior wall, but only onto the hinged side of the door frame. My installation date is now set for Tuesday. I'll be interested to see how the technician manages the wiring.

ETA They did a very neat job with instant stick-on wiring taking it up the junction between the walls, along the lower edge of the ceiling moulding and down the further wall junction to install the box precisely where I wanted it. No fuss about plugging it into a power board, either.

Hexactly writes...

I was told it will be a couple of months still!

NBNco seems to have advised Internode that appointments for installation were reopened. In our street, however, some sidewalk conduit work isn't complete.

Even if you get conduits fixed and cable run to the premises then there's a long boring wait after that.

Getting close to 12 months delay.

I'll be having a 'robust discussion' with NBNCO if they dare try to cut my copper line

If you ever get to speak to a manager. The telephone operators are no more than a complaints screen.
The many thousands of complaints NBNco must have received by now are no doubt interred on an elephant cemetery harddrive on an ageing server...

3CTN-02 (Carlton) is live as of tonight :) if you're in the area, you can give your RSP of choice a ring to see if you can connect!

Carlton
- 3CTN-02-06
- 3CTN-02-13
- 3CTN-02-17
- 3CTN-02-01
- 3CTN-02-04
- 3CTN-02-12

Install booked for this Wednesday, fingers crossed.

A bit of work being done (yesterday) around Rathdown and Richardson St. Looks like they are fixing up pits, and the "difficult" installs.

Install booked for this Wednesday, fingers crossed.

It works and it's beautiful.

It works and it's beautiful.

That's good news. Could you reveal which section of B'wick you're in?

That's good news. Could you reveal which section of B'wick you're in?

3BRU02 near Union Square shopping center. It's been live for a while but I'm in an MDU which got lit up only recently.

Hi Brunswick NBN forum,
My name's Bec and I'm a reporter at The Citizen, an online magazine that runs out of Melbourne Uni's Centre for Advancing Journalism. I'm also a Brunswick resident. I'm writing a story and putting together a video news piece about the upcoming shutdown of existing phone services (copper) in Brunswick. I'm looking for people who may be willing to do a five minute video interview to talk about their experience connecting to the NBN in Brunswick, to talk about any issues they've faced with the transition, to talk about whether they think most Brunswick residents know about the switch and whether they think there's enough being done to help people- particularly the elderly and non-English speaking people with the transition. I'm hoping to do the interviews in the next week but I'd be happy to come to you wherever you are and to do the interview whenever you're available. If you're interested or know anyone who is, please message me here or email me at beczajac@gmail.com. Thanks for your help. Cheers, Bec

Yellow covers on those "telstra cable hole thingys"
Spoke to the guys working they advised they have to clean them out to get them ready for the NBN install.

Im in BRU-08

Installation appointment made for May 30.

Internode suggested there were already live connections in Hooper Crescent.
Can anyone confirm?

http://m.theage.com.au/it-pro/government-it/residents-earn-reprieve-after-concerns-over-nbn-telstra-landline-switchoff-20140522-zrkwe.html

Internode suggested there were already live connections in Hooper Crescent.
Can anyone confirm?

I'm quite close on the bendy part of Union St in front of CityLink which is also on 3BRU-06 I believe. Just got off the phone again with NBNco and Internode. Internode says it's still not available for them to put in an order and NBNco says it's in the final stages of QA checks but can't give me a date on availability. The PCD has been on the side of building for a little over a month now though.

llamaboy writes...

NBNco says it's in the final stages of QA checks but can't give me a date on availability.

I keep seeing NBN installers there almost every day, but it seems the cable crews have moved on. So boxes are already in houses, but no data is incoming? Let's hope you're getting close!

3BRU-08, anyone know how accurate there timeline is?

Expected Ready for Service Date 2Q-2015

First it was November 2013 lol.

Saw the guys in asbestos suits cleaning out a pit yesterday. Was near the corner of Pearson and Victoria streets.

Remember the Copper wire cuts off tomorrow � 23rd May 2014 in ther original NBN area of Brunswick.

Will it cut off at Midnight 22nd? Midday or midnight the 23rd? I guess not. I'd say its a "stunt", calling Telstra's/NBNco's bluff. It will be a staged cut-off or even delayed over a few weeks/months.

Historical Fact: Ends around 100 years of Telstra/PMG rule of telecoms in Brunswick. (But they still own the Exchange and the pits).

Bunch of MDUs in the original zone still not fibred up into the premise.

Anyone been cut off today?

Saw the guys in asbestos suits cleaning out a pit yesterday. Was near the corner of Pearson and Victoria streets.

Same guys at my place, near Melville road today. Great to finally see some action here

A linesman told me that the Moreland exchange was starting to get fibre rolled out from it.. I'm surprised, there's nothing on the the roll-out map yet for it.
Still, might be good news for those of us in the north end of Brunswick that were on that exchange and not the Brunswick one.
Anyone know more?

3BRU-06 Union/Hooper area minor update:

NBN installed / 120m of cable needed /
NBN did not work until Internode support called NBN Faults � remote enabling was needed. Now working thanks to wherewithal of Internode tech support.

Internode Silver plan 25/5 mbits/s.

Is there a predicted schedule for completion or a table we can check?
Just says work commenced 2013.

NBN Co has now started reporting areas where Telstra remediation has commenced on the NBN Co rollout map. The following areas are now shaded green with a "Build preparation" status:

3CTN-06 � (Melbourne)

jxeeno writes...

3CTN-06 � (Melbourne)

The UNI Melb is now glowing green. Be interested to see if NBNCo is using some of the Melbourne Uni fibre network that runs between buildings etc on the sprawling campus.

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3559293492

I wonder how the NBN is going to be utilized in this area, most of it seems to be offices, classrooms, college accommodation � all being more difficult to hookup compared to the typical residential house. I guess the University will just add fibre for redundancy as they would already have a mix of metro ethernet and aarnet. As for the colleges I doubt each each room would get an NTD as they would most likely already be hooked into the University LAN..

Yeah I also wonder how the NBN is going to be utilized in this area, with most of it being offices, classrooms and college accommodation � all being more difficult to hookup compared to the typical residential house. I guess the University will just add fibre for redundancy as they would already have a mix of metro ethernet and aarnet. As for the colleges I doubt each each room would get an NTD as they would most likely already be hooked into the University LAN..

Hi all,

3CTN-01 (Carlton) and 3CTN-03 (Parkville) went live earlier this morning. Give your RSP a call or check on DeVoteD NBN's service qualification tool to see if you can connect.

I recently move into an NBN apartment that has just been built.
I have signed up to the 100/40 plan and am paying $99 per month.

I have speedtests at speedtest.net almost every day since moving in and have been unable to get results close to what I should be.

The highest speed test I have been able to get on my connection is 70/40
I have completed these tests both with a router and as straight PPPoE into my computer, the attached link of my last test results were from a straight PPPoE connection.

Can you please advise your next steps in rectifying my speed issues?
If I am paying for a 100/40 connection I should be able to reach connection speeds much closer to the theoretical 100/40.
Please advise.

kemshall writes...

Can you please advise your next steps in rectifying my speed issues?

Maybe try going with a better ISP? Exetel are kinda at the budget end of the spectrum. Maybe they haven't bought that much backhaul from the exchange, and you're maxing it out?

this post was edited

What is a Telstra Wholesale CAT A port?

I live in Brunswick in an area now NBN-only and have an ongoing ADSL+ service with iiNet. I've had an order for NBN pending with a new different RSP since April. Installation of NBN box within my premises was confirmed as completed and all OK, after some mis-reporting delays, on 11 June.

But there is a delay in porting my telephone number which I wish to retain. Latest message from iiNet is that they can't accept a porting request because I'm now in a "cease service" area. Apparently this means that the new RSP has to request a CAT A port from Telstra Wholesale.

Can anyone tell me what that means and how long the process is likely to take before a completion notice is issued?

ETA Latest news is that iiNet seem to be back-tracking on their rejection of the RSP's porting request. It seems my address may fall in the category of 'In-Train Order Premises'. It doesn't feel like a comfortable place to be.

When you are porting a number your new provider will submit the port request either as a Simple porting request (Cat A) or as Complex (Cat C). The difference lies with the number you are porting. If it's a single PSTN number then a simple CAT A port should be fine. If you are porting a block of numbers, Fax duet line, an ISDN number, etc. then it will need to be submitted as a Complex port request.

I don't think this distinction has anything to do with your delays as I imagine the initial type of port request you submitted was a Cat A request and remains a Cat A request.

llamaboy writes...

I don't think this distinction has anything to do with your delays as I imagine the initial type of port request you submitted was a Cat A request and remains a Cat A request.

Many thanks for the explanation, llamaboy. You are right: mine could not ever have been anything other than a simple CAT A request.

Latest news from my 'receiving' RSP (yes, Glenn at DeVoteD actually does respond to emails on a Sunday � there's service for you!) is that Telstra doesn't come into it; it was some misinformed person on the support desk who suggested that.

It seems that when the status of the phone number is 'pending disconnection' has (as mine is), the 'losing' provider has to approve the porting manually. I'm not sure what that entails, but Glenn is hopeful that he will get the 'port date' for my phone early this coming week.

Hi all,
A couple of cabinets have appeared on the street adjacent to ours and saw some green cable going in on the corner of Rathdowne and Davis this morning (which is only a block away from us). Seems like we're edging closer. Any ideas on roughly how long it might take from here?

Hit_Record writes...

Hi all,
A couple of cabinets have appeared on the street adjacent to ours and saw some green cable going in on the corner� Any ideas on roughly how long it might take from here?

About as long as it takes some brain-dead snotty kid from Princes Hill HS to cover it in graffiti.

Fair bit of Fibre and pit work being done yesterday in Brunswick West (On Brunswick Road near Melville Rd)

Hit_Record writes...

Any ideas on roughly how long it might take from here?

I'm in 3CTN-08 � like you lots of attractive beige cabinets being installed around me (Drummond/Curtain st area), with lots of green fibres being installed in pits. The other night they were marking up Drummond st (both sides), wondering if this will be for NBN or some other utility? Likewise Newry st has copped a lot of work and has some very beaten up road surfaces as a result.

In terms of timing, I suspect it's a bit of how long is a piece of string. I think we can hope less than 6 months (and probably more than 2 months), but it seems like previous rollouts weren't as complete as they otherwise might have been so they've been fixing up those areas rather than simply focussing on rolling out new areas.

Of course, reading the experiences here, I suspect my place will be 3+ months on top of any date we get FSAN availability, as they'll have to do civil works to get a fibre from the nearest pit into the house � the current pathway for the copper is a total mystery maze.

I just moved into a street which has NBN enabled for all houses, unfortunately my house has 2 units subdivided into the backyard which turns the block into an MDU (I just realised)

The fibre has been run to each of the 3 property's and has the fibre terminated, so it just seems they need to do the 'in house' installs. Prelim inquiries via an ISP seems that NBN co cannot give any update about when this would be available :(

Is it worth bugging NBN co directly?

I'm wondering the same � I'm in a block of townhouses in Brunswick (6 in total) and was advised that the NBN was available. I arranged to connect through Internode and change over from my ADSL.

They scheduled an appointment for 7 July � the installer came but couldn't do the installation because work needed to be done between the external box and the individual townhouses.

I let Internode know � they checked the NBN database and it showed the work had been done so a new appointment was scheduled for today. The technician came to do the installation but the work between the external box and individual townhouses hadn't been done.

Does anyone have a contact at NBN to shake my fist at?

I fired off a missive to complaints@nbnco.com.au � not really expecting a proper reply but less than an hour after my email I received a proper response.

"Thank you for your enquiry to NBN Co. The reference number for your enquiry is XXXXXXXXX.

I apologise that you have taken time off work for the installation which has not taken place yet. Our records show that your address currently has a network shortfall and additional works are required before the installation can take place. The planned remediation date for your address is 2/9/14 . This date reflects the estimated resolution time or the date by which a further update will be provided. Please be advised this date may change."

I was quite impressed with the quick response � the proof though will be in whether they can live up to the date provided. It would have been much better if I had been advised in the first place that work needed to be completed before the installation could take place.

Black Shadow writes...

"Thank you for your enquiry to NBN Co. The reference number for your enquiry is XXXXXXXXX.

Yes I have found their Complaints team to be quite responsive.
They've gained traction on this recently.
Get in before the masses and they get swamped.

Ahhh right... I sent a general inquiry to the generic email, been 3 days nothing yet.

Will give it till next week sometime then might try that email!

Hi all,
Im a bit new to looking into this NBN stuff, so apologies in advance for dumb questions....

I am currently in Brunswick West, and saw the NBN roll out falls short by a maybe 500m � 1km from my house :( I've pretty much submitted to the fact I wont get it here any time soon.

Anyway, I am looking to move houses shortly � possibly into Brunswick (as opposed to West). The place I am looking at buying doesn't have NBN yet, nor is it listed in the roll out map as commenced/prepared � however where the current NBN is rolled out is pretty much at the end of the street... no more than 50m I'd guess.

Do we know if they are looking to increase the areas on Brunswick where they will roll out NBN? Or is it pretty much an unknown? Or perhaps on hold all together?

Cheers :D

At this stage I very much doubt you will get FTTP. If you are just out of the 3bru zone then I'm assuming you are in the 3mln exchange area, which is just north of the current FTTP area.

This is all guess work of course, but I'm in Brunswick West myself and I just fall in the FTTP rollout area (yay!), the property behind me doesn't, so I got lucky. This is in bru-07, which won't be finished until April 2015 at the earliest.
This is what make me think that they won't be starting any new FTTP brownfields areas any time soon, and it will be switched over to the lame ass FTTN.

this post was edited

I'm in Brunswick West myself and I just fall in the FTTP rollout area (yay!), the property behind me doesn't, so I got lucky

Lucky you!

So my current place in BWest is between Albion and Moreland. The place I'm looking at is south of Albion on the east side of Sydney road... so close, yet so so far.

So FTTN means I would "NBN" over copper to the home right? Boooo.

I've been seeing a bit of work being done around Albert St in 3BRU07. It looks like they're digging out and installing new pits and redoing the asphalt sidewalks, and sitting around eating. Mostly just sitting around eating in groups really.

Expected date is still April 2015, while 3BRU08 is getting pushed back a month.

OMG we bought a place today in a "Build commenced" area of Brunswick :D
Not the one I mentioned a couple of posts above � decided that was going to go for too much and went with this other options :D Very happy right now!

So "build commenced" should mean FTTH I assume? Not node? The NBN co website said building commenced in Nov 2013, which seems like a long time, so I guess it might be ready soonish (fingers crossed).

Yeap FTTH. 3BRU07 and 3BRU08 have been pushed back for a few years now because most of the lead in conduits are old/blocked/too small to feed fibre down so they need to be relaid as well as the poor quality of most of the pits.

Depending on which area you're in, I think 3BRU07 is ahead in the timetable, you can expect it mid next year.

afx writes...

Cheers mate. Looks like I'm 08.

I called NBN co today, lady said she can no longer see for sure expected rollout, but suggested November this year with the potential for early next year.
I then called iiNet and the guy told me it will be available within a month...

Sounds like both are talking BS.

They are definitely talking BS. BRU08 isn't due to be ready until June 2015 at the earliest, but expect that to be pushed back a couple of months.

Source: http://www.mynbn.info/fsam/3BRU-08

They are definitely talking BS. BRU08 isn't due to be ready until June 2015 at the earliest, but expect that to be pushed back a couple of months.

Source: http://www.mynbn.info/fsam/3BRU-08

Thanks mate! Guess I'd better look at some interim ADSL :)

So my current place in BWest is between Albion and Moreland... so close, yet so so far.

You must be right near me. It killed me when I discovered that the Brunswick West roll-out, promised for so long, didn't actually include the MLN exchange people like us :(

Got 100mb Cable while i wait so, im not in a rush no more :)

Eric Planinsek can now enjoy fibre to the home broadband.

fibre

fibre to

fibre to the

fibre to the home

home

[That is a joke that will only be understood by people who watched TV in the early to mid 80's :)]

I just moved into my unit in Brunswick West in July... at the time I was told that no NBN available (Telstra, sigh) and found out today that it's been ready for service since January.

I'm waiting on a call back from my REA as to getting permission from landlords for installation (I made it clear I will be paying for it) � but can someone dumb down for me exactly what kind of hardware would be installed internally/externally? FWIW I'm ground floor unit on Brunswick Road.

magikalcrab writes...

I made it clear I will be paying for it

if it is FTTH there should be no charge for the NBNCo equipment only for any RSP routers that they want you to use

Any one else just have a 10 minute NBN outage ? both our NBN providers were down in Brunswick. All back up now.

Any one else just have a 10 minute NBN outage ?

No, but I (also in Brunswick) had one that lasted rather longer than that on Thursday 11th Sept. from about 8pm onwards. My RSP told me that there was an NBN outage 'in Victoria'. I suspect it was more local, as if it had been Victoria-wide, I'm sure someone would have posted about it here.

I don't know how long it lasted as I gave up and did other things. It was fine the next morning.

Brunswick Tuesday night.. No internet and phone for two hours. Phone still doesn't work but internet fine.

Brunswick Tuesday morning: switched on at 8.30 am, no internet but phone working (UNI-V). Internet came back on around 11 am.

They're rolling fibre outside on Dawson Street today for 3bru-08. It's so close yet so far with an RFP date of June '15. Maybe they'll be under promising and over delivering?

Fibre installing in Napperby St near Victoria St. Getting close for us. Noticed that the date of activation has blown out again

Le Grand Funk writes...

They're rolling fibre outside on Dawson Street today for 3bru-08. It's so close yet so far with an RFP date of June '15. Maybe they'll be under promising and over delivering?

Hope so!

Just got a letter in the mail today saying contractors will be installing the PCD between late November and late January in 3BRU-07, good news.

afx writes...

Just got a letter in the mail today saying contractors will be installing the PCD between late November and late January in 3BRU-07, good news.

Got the same although im in 3BRU-08

Dazed and Confused. writes...

Brunswick Tuesday morning: switched on at 8.30 am, no internet but phone working (UNI-V). Internet came back on around 11 am.

Identical issue this morning. So far with 3 outages lasting several hours over the last 2 months, NBN is proving far less reliable than ADSL+.

Hi fellow Whirlpoolians.

I've got a son who has moved into an MDU on Park Street, Brunswick. He is on an ADSL with plan Internode. He's getting about 22Mbps to the connection outside the MDU (as advised by Internode) but, presumably because of poor copper wiring through the building, he's only getting about 2Mbps at the modem. The connection is very unstable although he's changed his profile to ADSL1 to try an get a more stable connection.

Internode have advised that the NBN is a couple of months away. There are no NBN NTDs installed in the Building.

What's the best way to find out the progress of NBN installation to his MDU please? Who is the contractor for doing the MDUs in this area? Is it worth contacting them direct? How do I work out which FSAM he is on? Any suggestions for finding out progress of an NBN connection would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Jav

Javelyn writes...

How do I work out which FSAM he is on?

best way currently would be to see if www.mynbn.info has any data available

JXeeno has extracted and arranged NBNCo data into a usable form

What's the best way to find out the progress of NBN installation to his MDU please? Who is the contractor for doing the MDUs in this area? Is it worth contacting them direct?

As to this info no idea, but I guess that your ISP/RSP is the only gateway to any of that info unless you know someone on the ground doing the work in that area

best way currently would be to see if www.mynbn.info has any data available

Thanks D&C. I was able to determine the FSAM from JXeeno's site.

As to this info no idea, but I guess that your ISP/RSP is the only gateway to any of that info unless you know someone on the ground doing the work in that area

I have seen in other threads were people have said that they contacted the contractor looking after MDU deployments directly. Sometimes the contractor is the best source for the most accurate info.

Cheers

Jav

PS � congrats on getting named in the Australian � disgusting right wing rag that it is even

Javelyn writes...

PS � congrats on getting named in the Australian � disgusting right wing rag that it is even

just so long as it doesn't stop me leaving the country next weekend or getting into the US or the UK, I don't care

After more than 3 years with FTTP, got another letter from NBNco today saying I'll be connected to NBN soon :)

duckman writes...

After more than 3 years with FTTP, got another letter from NBNco today saying I'll be connected to NBN soon :)

careful you might be getting upgrade to the newer technology FTTN that NBNCo are now rolling out

Has anyone got any thing to report on progress of NBN installations in MDUs in the Brunswick area, particularly FSAM 3BRU-03. I'm just wondering if any MDUs are being connected to NBN or is nothing being done.

Cheers

Jav

Fingers crossed, my mixed resi/commercial MDU in 3BRU-03 gets connected tomorrow, after 13 months of chasing NBN and Downer over hither and yon to get it done.

I'm hopeful, but not convinced that it will actually work � using the devotednbn.com/sq service quali tool, my commercial address shows active and available, but the resi units aren't reporting as ready, NBN don't think it is connected (but their data may be out of date they admit), and a couple of weeks ago, the NBN/Downer guys were working the pits swearing about the lack of space available to run the main fibre line.

I've had the PCDs installed for about 14 months, and active service has remained "in the next 4-6 weeks" since January this year. We've had delayed QA checks, multiple rounds of "augmentation", a complete lack of information throughout the process (although the NBN staff have always been helpful, but I get the impression their systems simply don't actually have any information to give out)

I guess we'll see � just getting this far has taken a lot of persistence, and phone calls every two weeks to NBN, Downer (and Telstra via a contact, who seem to actually have decent data available).

mattrg writes...

I guess we'll see � just getting this far has taken a lot of persistence, and phone calls every two weeks to NBN, Downer

Thanks for that mattrg, although it doesn't make me hopeful that my son will see anything at his address any time soon.

multiple rounds of "augmentation",

By the way what does augmentation mean with the NBN?

Cheers

Jav

Augmentation seems to be a catch all phrase meaning "we forgot to do a bit" � the fibre wasn't run from the street cabinet, someone forgot to connect the PCD lead in to the main cable, we forgot to tag the lead ins correctly, we only did half the PCD installs the first time around, etc.

It's NBNs way of dodging a completion date....

Well, I've got an NTD installed now. But no pretty red light.

Turns out that none of hte PCD lead-ins are connected in the pit to the MSS and onwards, despite the seven visits to get it done that have happened so far...

mattrg writes...

Turns out that none of hte PCD lead-ins are connected in the pit to the MSS and onwards, despite the seven visits to get it done that have happened so far...

Thanks again for the explanation of "augmentation". Maybe you should pass it onto the person(s) that did the seven visits.

Yay they are installing in my street as we speak... across the road, with the even numbers.

I went over and chatted to the installer guy yesterday, he said he didnt have the odd numbers on his list to do, and it might be another company later on. Doh!

Yay they are doing my side of the street today!

Wooooooo!

Yay they are doing my side of the street today!

Hi Magician

Which street is that?

Jav

I might whim you that rather than post it here ;)

I might whim you that rather than post it here ;)

Thanks Magician

Cheers

Woooo the box is on the side of my house!

Just spoke with the guys installing the NBN on Victoria St and was told it would be ready in 2 weeks. Of course I would take that date with a grain of salt

Same thing I was told, despite the box now being on my house.

Time to start plan shopping :D

Same thing I was told, despite the box now being on my house.

Time to start plan shopping :D

Would love too but sadly I'm still contracted to Telstra till 2016

Dazzy15 writes...

Would love too but sadly I'm still contracted to Telstra till 2016

Maybe you can ask them to switch you over?

They where doing percy street last night.

Seen any further work been done near the corner of Melville and Victoria street? I believe fibre has been rolled out few months ago on our street. Also any one seen MDU installed at 3BRU-07?

I saw them at the corner of Frederick and Hope street today.

Maybe you can ask them to switch you over?

Yeah it's going to take some sort of negotiation because I'm currently on a grandfathered plan

Spinner writes...

Seen any further work been done near the corner of Melville and Victoria street? I believe fibre has been rolled out few months ago on our street. Also any one seen MDU installed at 3BRU-07?

Our MDU has not been connected yet but my understanding is that it will be real soon.

Thanks Dazzy15, just wondering do you mean you have MDU installed already at 3BRU-07? If the answer is yes, how do I go about getting the process started? When I esquire about MDU for our apartment with iinet. The response was "wait till the build has finished than give us a call." I guess from there iinet will initiate the entire connection process?

MDU is Multi Dwelling Unit � probably a new definition of apartment block. We had some survey people come in yesterday to assess where they are going to place the boxes. Guess now we just wait now on NBN Co to write to us before we ring Tel$tra to get it connected.

Just received a letter from TPG. I would say the ISP war has begun

Hey all,

We're about to move into a newly built apartment building in Brunswick (there are already tenants in the other units). It has the NBN box inside the apt already but www.nbnco.com.au and tpg are both saying NBN is not available.

Anyone have any idea how long it usually takes to become available etc?

Here is my experience getting my NBN MDU connection in Brunswick: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pusczmng_0Lt_2VREEdlNuDaynhqZjgr9x4bbp8Q7Cs/edit?usp=sharing

I've had a PCD outside my unit since March. Finally got connected 3 weeks ago. Never got the mythical letter from NBNco telling me my place was ready to go.

Just got lucky checking the various online service checkers and the Devoted NBN site said it was available so rang up Internode and boom, I got hooked up with an installation appointment.

Also the NBNco site still says that there is an issue at my address. Ringing NBNco didn't really seem to achieve anything for me. Just keep checking online every few weeks.

Just called NBN Co and they said that work isn't completed and they couldn't give me an eta.

I'm guessing that new apartment buildings don't have phone lines so I can't even go for ADSL.

Called Telstra and was told the ETA for 3-BRU-07 is March 31. Don't think this will be a definite date though.

Does anyone know what's happening in the Brunswick West area?

They pulled the fibre from the street to my house today and installed the outside box.

Anyone else had NBN contractors do a shoddy job with the installation in Brunswick?

This is off Hope St between Austral and railway.

Got a call from the supervisor asking to dig on property etc and promised to remediate it afterwards. All fine. Two nice young blokes turn up a week later to run the cable from the pit and install the box on the house.

Left the concrete smashed up down the side of the house. The footpath out front was pathetically re-tarred, a lot of it up on my fence somehow, and the tar is already washing away.

NBN aren't falling over themselves to come and clean up. If it was Telstra I'd expect all this. I had to call them repeatedly to remove asbestos from up and down the street after they broke open the pits a year ago to start this whole sad process.

The whole block of flats I'm in was just wired up with each flat having an NBN box outside the living room windows.

So surprised, was expecting to have to nag the landlord to get to this stage!

(Brunswick West north of Dawson St)

About a month or so ago I had someone install PCD outside of my house. I was worried he wouldn't be able to run the fibre through the small non standard lead-in from the pit but he was able to feed it through thankfully.

Anyways, the PCD was installed and he had looped some cable around the box which I assume would be fed into the house to the NTD at a later date. About a week or two later however I came home from work and noticed the cable looped around the box was gone from the front of the house.

Did he come back and remove it? Did some passer by take it to use as a belt? I haven't had any contact from NBN since and haven't seen any work going on in surrounding streets.

No it is all ok, the second part of their job is to put the fibre inside the box. Then later the 'inside' tech does the install.

Which Brunswick areas are being installed at the moment?

Last action I saw on Victoria St was just before Christmas. Been quiet ever since. I believe some places have received a box. My MDU has not.

Pre Chrismas we got a letter from NBN contractor � Downer EDI Engineering asking for visual inspection of the property (an apartment block consist of six units close to Seven Eleven). I (body corp secretary) rang them saying access will not be an issue. Till today, we (all tenants) have not seen a thing.

Spinner writes...

We received out outside boxes yesterday in our Victoria St MDU near Melville Rd. Hopefully it will not be too much longer for you

Anymore updates?

vpr writes...

Anymore updates?

Just had a look on mynbn.info and they are reporting an expected date of March 20. I was supposed to get a call from Telstra yesterday but never happened (surprise surprise)

I'm on Pearson St which is shown on the maps as the border between BRU-07 and BRU-08. So the other side of the street is supposed to get connected on march 20 while my side waits till June. I'm hoping as my PCD was installed in december that the whole street gets included in the March 20 release

What does this March 20 actually mean though? Is it when all the street work is done, or when all the internal stuff is installed and ready to go?

I called NBN Co and was told it will be activated on March 20th

I'm guessing its when the street work is done, because there's no way they can do NTD installs in close to 2000 houses in the 4 weeks they have left. As far as I've seen they've installed PCDs but not much else, in fact I haven't seen any work done since December.

I'm hoping I can be connected by mid year, and that I don't get messed around too much by the contractors that install the NTD. I've been mentally preparing for it for 2 years now.

Finally got my service active and ready to sign up. I've got the fibre connection already to the apartment and signed up with TPG. Far as I can tell I just need the connection box and the power supply � anyone have a rough idea how long it takes for the techs to come out if it's a simple (maybe?) job like that?

Brunswick apartment resident here. Took me 4 months for that "simple" install.

Ughhhhh

Appointments set for a month away.. lets see if they turn up or not.

My NTD was installed on 17/02, Optus modem delivered on 19/02 but still no NBN. Apparently the install is recorded as "incomplete" at NBN Co and hasn't been activated.

Next appointment is now 10/03.

It's all sitting there installed and connected, they just need to activate it. So frustrating.

Probably been asked 1000 times but why does the Ntd installation need a tech in the first place? Couldn't they make one box that functions as the modem with backup power etc and send it directly to customers?

The PCD install is only fibre to the PCD (grey external box). The tech has to run additional fibre from the PCD to the internal location, then join the fibre to the ntd ingress point. So sadly not as straight forward as it could be

My ntd went in in October last year. It's sitting there with a red light just waiting.... One day my office will get NBN but after 17 months, two weeks is a mere blip in the install timeframe...

Received a phone call this week from the "NBN Command Centre" notifying us of the pending disconnection of the copper phone lines, and to make sure we have changed phones / fax lines over. No sales, just purely a info call.

Was impressed that NBN (or their contractor) are actually calling people.

The deadline for our chunk of Brunswick is in about 4 weeks, but as we've discovered in other parts of Brunswick it's not a hard switch off on that day. More of a arbitrary disconnection date.

3BRU-07 has gone RFS! Get your green lights on!

It's ready for service! TPG took my order this morning.

So the houses across the street are now showing as RFS using internodes coverage checker. My side of the street is showing as under construction, looks like a 3 month wait :(

Just place my order with iinet to have NTD (network termination device) install. Been advised the next available date for the install (by NBN) not till end of April. No firm date can be set.

We've got a red optical light fault on out NTD this morning.

Any one else have a NBN outage in Brunswick?

We've got a red optical light fault

Hi mavrick9,

A red optical fault is almost certainly a problem with your NTD, a break in the fibre cable into your building, or a fibre fault somewhere upstream. It's not an outage, it's a fibre fault. Sucks!

Any one else have a NBN outage in Brunswick?

All (or most) of our customers in Brunswick are online and working, so it's not a network-wide fibre fault. If you haven't done so already, you should call Support and lodge a fault. They can lodge the fault with NBN Co and also book the next available appointment for you.

With red optical lights, they don't need to wait until NBN Co confirms there's a fault, they can book the next available appointment without waiting for them to reply.

Thanks, Paul

I've had a red optical light since November... still no-one owning up the fault, despite a heap of visits by every man and his dog.

Apparently NBN think it's the NTD install, so iiNet are promising a tech next week. My money is on the pit connection � one of the other apartments at the site has a green optical light but is unable to connect either for some reason.

Is this somewhat 'business as usual'? (refer to last paragraph)

Background, March 20th, my area of Brunswick West got the all clear for signups. I went through the process (iiNet) on the phone a few days afterward and got an install appointment for March 30th/Monday this week between 8am and midday.

No-one turned up and upon calling iiNet just after midday they discovered on the NBN's systems that my appointment was reserved but had not been acknowledged (or words to that effect). Was promised a call back within 24-48 hours and didn't get one.

So just called back today and the iiNet rep said that NBN still had some work to do on my property (it's a block of flats, all the exterior equipment has been in place for a few months) and that NBN don't really provide many details (like hold ups/issues with regards to infrastructure) to iiNet re: installation appointment.

I'm not having a crack at iiNet, but I find it really odd that there's a distinct lack of communication between NBN and the ISP in this regard, and similarly, if there's still work to do (infrastructure?) why on earth was I able to sign up for it in the first place?

I think they are having big issues with MDU's.

Our area 3BRU-05 went RFS 27 Sep 2013 and have watched houses in the area get connected since then.

Early January this year our townhouse complex was notified we could now order services.
So we put in an order early Jan and was given an ETA of February.
Soon after placing the order a guy came around who said he was going to install the PCD but he never did.
Another guy (I guess NTD installer?) turned up on the February appointment date and said the PCD has not been installed so he cannot do his work.

Some other guys came around a few days later and said they would schedule the PCD's to be installed. We were given a Primary Resolution Date of 16/3/2015.
One of the townhouses in the complex had their PCD installed but the guys then realised there was no fibre pulled through the pits in the complex.

We now have no Primary Resolution Date (actually it says 01/01/2020 hehe) and the copper is supposed to be cut off in the area 17th April � which sounds unlikely to happen if other premises are also still waiting for installation.

You would think, since they are obviously understaffed due to the long appointment date,s that they would want to fix their internal communication and tracking so installers don't have to waste their time turning up to an appointment only to find the premise is not serviceable!

http://www.mynbn.info/fsam/3BRU-07#stats

I probably live in the same area, mine went live on the 20th of March. It wasn't allowing me to sign up online to the internode or iinet NBN plans saying my area wasn't yet connected, so I waited a few days and called.

The earliest possible NTD install quoted by the internode support was May 15th, that's a little over 7 weeks.

I'd guess some issue happened between you phoning and me phoning that forced installs to be further pushed back.

Says the majority are serviceable (say 90%) yet no one is connected yet.

So is anyone in 3BRU08 here connected yet?

I also live in Brunswick West and when i moved into the area i got Bigpond Cable.
I was also told, more than once that when NBN was available that we would be changed over automatically.

I guess thats not happening then.

Our copper was disconnected this week, (had previously ported to Voip), so now we are Telstra free! Great feeling. (Albeit Telstra did the construnction in Brunswick and still own pits and pipes � funny that � you can't escape.)

Fast fibre 100/40 access and full voip phones, with call routing etc. Thanks NBN.

Fast fibre 100/40 access and full voip phones, with call routing etc. Thanks NBN.

Congrats. Which area of Brunswick? May I ask which company/plan you went with?

afx writes...

The earliest possible NTD install quoted by the internode support was May 15th, that's a little over 7 weeks.

I've just had a phone call this morning from iiNet saying NBN-side issues are sorted and was given a very similar install date.

I got an install date of April 17. Unfortunately I'm under contract with Telstra until next year so cannot change

So is anyone in 3BRU08 here connected yet?

scheduled to go RFS on 12 June

Maddogm writes...

scheduled to go RFS on 12 June

Thank you very much. Gives a few months to see how the TPG and iiNet thing plays out :)
Also keeping an eye the Foxtel broadband plans if they move into NBN.

Dazzy15 writes...

under contract with Telstra until next year so cannot change

Remember that you can run adsl and NBN at the same time.

Might be worth activating the NBN service with one of the no contract providers, on the lowest plan � I think it's $29pm with SM or iiNet have a slightly higher plan.

It won't affect your Telstra service.

Then it's installed and you have a active NTD. Then cancel in a month. Wait till your Telstra contract is nearly up (allow a little overlap).

Then call your preferred RSP (Not Telstra) and ask them to activate a service on the NTd, (takes less than a hour).

So has anyone been given an installation date with TPG in bru-7 yet? I signed up 3 weeks ago and still haven't heard anything yet.

Remember that you can run adsl and NBN at the same time.

That's an option...thanks for that

So has anyone been given an installation date with TPG in bru-7 yet? I signed up 3 weeks ago and still haven't heard anything yet.

Got a call from NBNCo yesterday who confirmed installation date of 20/4. Signed up with TPG on 18/03.

Yeah I got my date as the 22/04.

flamingsamurai writes...

Got a call from NBNCo yesterday who confirmed installation date of 20/4. Signed up with TPG on 18/03.

How did the install go? All up and running now I hope.

feihc writes...

the copper is supposed to be cut off in the area 17th April � which sounds unlikely to happen if other premises are also still waiting for installation

I wouldn't worry about this too much. I asked a local Telstra tech today and he estimates about 30% of the copper lines in areas of Brunswick where the copper has been "turned off" are still active. The copper turn off dates are all marketing spin.

Got mine installed today on BRU-07. With TPG on 100/40 plan. Getting 10 Mb download and about 3.6Mb upload.

Got mine installed today on BRU-07. With TPG on 100/40 plan. Getting 10 Mb download and about 3.6Mb upload.

How long was the process? Was it the stated 4 hours or nowhere near it?

nah, nowhere near. Was all done in 1.5 � 2hrs. It was a simple install though, the 2 internal boxes were installed on the exact opposite side of the PCD. I can imagine though if you had to run cable in the walls that it would take longer.

"Got a call from NBNCo yesterday who confirmed installation date of 20/4. Signed up with TPG on 18/03."

Considered yourself lucky, signed up with iinet (am an existing customer for 8 years on adsl 2), the scheduled date was 30th of April. iinet called again a weeks later, re-booked it on 19th of May, they stated it is not their end, is NBN tech availability.

iinet called me again, saying there is an appointment available on the 15th of April. Which I locked it in on my diary. The iinet representative said "you will get a text msg" for your booking confirmation. That never came. So two days later, I rang iinet. They said I did not confirm with them by phone. So, the date is still 19th of May for the NTD install.

NBN called on the 21st of April, saying there is an appointment available on the 11th of May which I "locked" it in my diary. But, I am not confident the install will be on time or yet again gets shuffle along.

Well I'm pleased to report that my son had his NBN installation in a MDU in the Brunswick area (FSAM 3BRU-03) completed on the 23rd. With the arrival of a modem today from PC Case Gear he is now connected at 25/5. He tells me that he can watch YouTube without it buffering!

Living in an area in the ACT that was slated for FTTP build to commence last year and is now not even on the FTTN map (which isn't necessarily a bad thing mind you as we might still get fibre to the home if there is a change of government) I continue to put up with my 2.71Mbps down and 0.71Mbps up (just tested then) on ADSL1 and I am deeply jealous.

Malcolm I'm sending out all my love to ...... can you feel it?

? We've got a thing that's called radar love
We've got a wave in the air, radar love
The radio is playing some forgotten song
Brenda Lee's comin' on strong ?

...................

? No more speed, I'm almost there
Gotta keep cool now, gotta take care
Last car to pass, here I go ?

? And the line of cars drove down real slow
And the radio played that forgotten song
Brenda Lee's comin' on strong
And the newsman sang his same song
Oh one more radar lover gone ?

With a nod to: Golden Earring � Radar Love

Jav

've just had a phone call this morning from iiNet saying NBN-side issues are sorted and was given a very similar install date.

Wrote this last month, got a call last week saying I could have my appointment moved to an earlier date (today) between 1 and 5pm.

Had two SMS in the past few days confirming and also got a call yesterday confirming time.

Techie has 30 min to arrive within the three-times-confirmed timeframe.

Techie has 30 min to arrive within the three-times-confirmed timeframe.

So much for confirmations eh.

iiNet cant even get a hold of NBNCo.