NBN Sub-Contractors Asking Access to MDF or Telecommunication Room

tempura on 24/11/2019 - 19:14
Last edited 05/09/2021 - 20:32 by 1 other user

It's an apartment and I've asked strata manager and he got no clue. 🤷🏻‍♂️

He then asked the building care taker and he also has zero clue. 🤷🏻‍♂️

My original question to them was the question which was directed to me by the sub contractor "will we have access to building telecommunication room or MDF?". so obviously they don't have answer to this. 🤦🏻‍♂️

Then i asked whether MDF box was even installed when they roll out NBN in the area. They still got no answer to this. 🤦🏻‍♂️

From my perspective, NBN was rolled out in the building and area, as I have received email from NBN advising that NBN is now available.

I've also checked with the provider I'm going with and they confirmed NBN is available, hence the request to send technician on-site.

So my question is: what is this MDF box? When NBN engineers roll out NBN to the area, i assume they're the one who installed MDF box? In the apartment building, where do this MDF normally located at?

The strata manager advised me that "technician cannot run any conduits or make any alternations to the common property for the installation of my NBN.". However, i don't believe there will be any need to run cabling from the MDF to have NBN connected in my unit.

Any input would be much appreciated. TIA!

Internet Broadband nbn

Comments

  • John Kimble on 24/11/2019 - 19:36

    It's where the one phone cable from the street is split between all the units.

    If you had copper landlines, then it would have already existed.

    Depends on the age and size of your unit block.

    Eg I live in a very old, 4 unit block and it's a tiny 15cm by 10cm (if that) "MDF" with only 8 pairs in it, attached to a foundation pillar underneath the building.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_distribution_frame

    https://www.google.com/search?q=mdf+nbn

    What type of NBN does the NBN website say is available to you?

    • tempura on 24/11/2019 - 20:06
      -1

      What type of NBN does the NBN website say is available to you?

      Hybrid Fibre Coaxial

      If you had copper landlines, then it would have already existed.

      then why the {profanity} the NBN sub-contractors are asking me these questions? Shouldn't they be the expert of all this? WTF…

      • resubaehtgnolhcs on 24/11/2019 - 20:20
        +1

        They are asking for access to the MDF, that's all. Many apartments have the MDFs locked away in a utilities room and your NBN subcontractors are trying to avoid wasting your time and theirs by ensuring the have access to the MDF. These sub-contractors are not the same ones that would have installed the MDF. They are hoping you know where the MDF is, and can give them access (if it's behind locked doors).

        Walk around your complex, if you have an underground car park look in there, or if you have an external electrical box - look in there. You'll find it if you go looking.

      • whooah1979 on 24/11/2019 - 20:24
        +1

        then why the {profanity} the NBN sub-contractors are asking me these questions?

        The owners of the premises is responsible for their MDF. They ask you because they may think that you’re an owner.

        • tempura on 24/11/2019 - 20:27

          i am an owner but how do I know where and what MDF is? I bet you if you ask owners of strata building, majority wouldn't have any clue what MDF is.

          In my instance, the Strata manager and Caretaker obviously didn't know what and where and whether the building has any MDF.

          • theHMASfriendship on 24/11/2019 - 20:30
            -1

            @tempura: You can get MDF from Bunnings…

            theHMASfriendship on 24/11/2019 - 20:30 (Collapsed - Offtopic. Show)
          • whooah1979 on 24/11/2019 - 20:32
            +1

            @tempura:

            i am an owner but how do I know where and what MDF is?

            Have look at your building plans.

            Strata manager and caretaker obviously didn't know what and where and whether the building has any MDF.

            Someone is not doing their job properly. Do they know where the fire exits or the fire extinguishers are?

            Clearly some

            • tempura on 24/11/2019 - 20:33

              @whooah1979:

              Someone is not doing their job properly. Do they know where the fire exits or the fire extinguishers are?

              very concerning indeed°

          • Mike88 on 24/11/2019 - 21:13
            +1

            @tempura: Working in a trade that regularly does repairs in multi-storey buildings I can say that most strata/building managers/care takers have no (profanity) idea where anything is or how it works. At best they are glorified receptionists.
            It is not the trades people coming to your property who are required to know where your services are located, it is you. They may have some educated guesses but they don’t know the design of your building/apartment.

            • tempura on 24/11/2019 - 21:14
              -1

              @Mike88: so owner should know more than strata managers and building caretakers? I found this hard to understand. I ain't saying you're wrong, but the whole concept of it just wrong.

              • Mike88 on 24/11/2019 - 21:17
                +4

                @tempura: It is your home, you should know where your services are. Saying that, they should know it too.
                If you don’t educate yourself on these things then you only have yourself to blame when this happens.

          • Hybroid on 25/11/2019 - 01:26

            @tempura: I asked my building's reception and they knew straight away. It's a telecommunications room in the basement floor with various servers/units for phone and internet connections. Every apartment building has one. I'm renting and it was one of the first things I did.

      • Kib33 on 24/11/2019 - 20:56

        Do you have Foxtel outlets in your apartment? This is how HFC is delivered.
        If so, then there should be no need for NBN to need access to the MDF.

        • tempura on 24/11/2019 - 21:00

          in all honesty, i don't know any of these. I think i still get em to come and hope for the best. Granted that they may not know where the box is, but hope they can find it.

  • pjetson on 24/11/2019 - 21:20
    +1

    An MDF is a Main Distribution Frame. A multi-pair telephone comes in from the street to a central point, and is separated off to each apartment, to provide a telephone service. The exact same infrastructure is used for FTTN and FTTC.

    HFC is not provided over telephone wires, so the MDF itself is pretty much irrelevant. For HFC, a single coaxial cable comes in from the street, and is connected to (usually) several physical (passive) splitters. Coaxial cables are then run to each apartment. However, NBN will usually put the splitters in the same area as the MDF, so that's why they want to know if they will have access to it. They don't want to turn up and find that they can't get to the cables.

    Does anyone in your building have Foxtel cable? That's the infrastructure that NBN HFC uses, and if someone has that, then the incoming cable and possibly splitters will already be installed. However, unless your particular apartment already has Foxtel cable, NBN will need to run a cable from where the cable comes into the building (what they're calling the MDF) to your apartment. Your strata seems to be saying that they will not allow NBN to do that.

    If your building is relatively new, telephone and pay tv cabling may have been designed in from the start. Or, cable ducts may already exist. If so, the NBN install will likely be a piece of cake, with no alterations or conduits required.

    If your building does not have existing infrastructure, then NBN will want to do the cheapest and nastiest install possible, and that's what your strata wants to avoid.

    Best case - everything is already in place, and everything is fine. Worst case, strata will want a proper job done and will get it done professionally (and expensively) if the owners all agree.

    • tempura on 24/11/2019 - 21:33

      Best case - everything is already in place, and everything is fine. Worst case, strata will want a proper job done and will get it done professionally (and expensively) if the owners all agree

      I can already tell this will turn into a hell sh1t fight with strata and its complexity.

      • pjetson on 24/11/2019 - 21:40

        Book your NBN installation and hope for the best. When the installer turns up, ask them if they need to run any conduits or make any modifications. If not, go for it.

        Otherwise, explain to the installer that strata will not allow any modifications, and cancel the installation. The installer won't be happy (they won't get paid for your job, I believe), but at least then you know what the situation is, and you can call an owners meeting and discuss what needs to be done and you can find out what the cost will be.

        • tempura on 24/11/2019 - 22:03

          thanks mate, very informative. i'll explain my situation to the sub contractors tomorrow.

          • pjetson on 26/11/2019 - 08:11

            @tempura: So, what happened when the installers came yesterday?

            • tempura on 26/11/2019 - 08:48

              @pjetson: it is happening as we speak now; i wasn't aware that we have a "Telstra" socket, which I presume a "Foxtel" socket; he is currently running a wire from that socket to … not sure .. he is still working now.

            • tempura on 26/11/2019 - 09:43

              @pjetson: so NBN modem is now installed and I now have to move my router closer to the modem; he didn't supply the Ethernet cable, but no complaint here.
              What is the bare minimum Ethernet cable from the modem to the router, as in which CAT ? CAT5, CAT6 or CAT7 ?

      • whooah1979 on 24/11/2019 - 21:46

        Or you could get it installed and get strata to legally remove it if they don't like it.

        • tempura on 24/11/2019 - 22:02

          not my thing; it be more headache.

  • Seraphin7 on 24/11/2019 - 22:46

    The NBN is a sh!tfight from pillar to post. I've just been forced to switch over and am now paying more and getting less. The bastard should NEVER have been built.

    • BLAIL on 25/11/2019 - 00:54
      +1

      My work mate is on 5G and averagely gets 160-200 mbps download. I think 5G will reach me before NBN does.

    • whooah1979 on 25/11/2019 - 05:01

      There is about 25 million Australians that may not be as lucky as you.

      • Seraphin7 on 25/11/2019 - 09:37

        As per @ICISIDIR, 5G will end up killing the damned thing before it gets fully rolled out. This should have been left to the telcos.

        Whether or not some get an improved offering from the NBN, why should anyone have to accept a worse offering?

        • whooah1979 on 25/11/2019 - 12:12

          4g was supposed to replace wired networks and it didn't. 5g isn't going to kill anything.

  • pjetson on 29/11/2019 - 15:19

    Is it all working yet, Tempura?

    • tempura on 29/11/2019 - 15:23

      yes sir; it's working ok so far. Thanks for all your help. Much appreciated.

  • Franconian on 04/09/2021 - 13:13

    Sorry to dig out this old post, but I have the exact same issue. Recently moved in to a new place and trying to get nbn activated. It's a fairly new building (townhouse). OC Manaher/Caretaker has no clue where the coms room / mdf is, he insisted that its never been an issue and everybody got connected fine. 2 different Nbn subcontractors came out twice with no luck.

    What exactly do they need to do on the mdf? Replug some cables? For sure there has been an active nbn connection before in my place. Does it matter which provider is used, I. e. If I would change providers layer on it would be the same issue again?

    • Twix on 05/09/2021 - 13:01

      Plugin some cables. Nah you can use any ISP.

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