Moving to House with No NBN, What Are My Options?

LBargainJunkie on 20/06/2022 - 11:09
Last edited 20/06/2022 - 11:34 by 1 other user

Hi OzB,

I am moving house and the new place currently has no NBN connection. I've yet to move in but want to get the process started on connecting an internet service.

It looks like the surrounding neighbourhood is connected but there is no timeline or road map for when my place will get connected.

I searched the NBNco website and I got the following message:

"An existing provider delivers a fibre network to this area.
For specific information on how to connect your premises contact the existing provider."

I don't know who the existing provider is at this stage.

I tried calling the iiNET and they only offer NBN so have put me on a 'waiting list' for when it is connected.

Telstra's 5G and NBN options aren't available to me either.

As far as I can tell my only options are Optus 4G (Optus 5G not available) or Starlink.

Does anyone have any advice on what other options I could try, or are these two my only options at this stage?

Internet Broadband nbn Opticomm

Comments

  • mskeggs on 20/06/2022 - 11:16
    +7

    Is it a newish estate that might be wired up with Opticomm? I would try and find who offers the fibre link as step one.

    • BargainJunkie on 20/06/2022 - 11:19

      It is a newish home so I'm guessing the adjacent streets were connected while this house was being built.

      Is there any way I could find out who provides the fibre link prior to moving in? I WFH mostly at the moment so require an internet connection to work, hence trying to preemptively set it up before I move.

      TIA

      • BargainJunkie on 20/06/2022 - 11:21
        +3

        Scratch that, I just found out it is connected to Opticomm. I'd never heard of them before so thank you mskeggs :)

        • Twix on 20/06/2022 - 11:33
          +4

          nbn will not be installed where there is a OptiComm service. What is OptiComm Internet?

          iinet OptiComm plans go up to 100Mbps.

          Launtel, Aussie Broadband and Exetel OptiComm plans go up to Gigabit.

        • markathome on 20/06/2022 - 16:45

          It's a tiny bit more pricey. But it's better than it was a few years ago. OzBargain has referral code for Exetel to "support the community" https://www.ozbargain.com.au/deals/exetel.com.au

          Their pricing between NBN and Opticomm is pretty tight, good speeds and featuring IPv6 and CGNAT opt-out (all online; no need to speak to pesky humans).

          You will need to know which modem port they connect you on (which means you either try them all or you call them up information).

          My apartment ties me to an electricity provider, a hot water provider and Opticomm. Opticomm is the one I complain about the least.

  • MS Paint on 20/06/2022 - 11:19
    +1

    Is the house brand new or have an existing tenant?

    • BargainJunkie on 20/06/2022 - 11:28

      Was previously lived in but not sure what connection they currently have. Will have to shop around now as I have never heard of a lot of the providers of Opticomm. None of the major providers serve Victoria it seems

  • Costanza on 20/06/2022 - 11:19
    +2

    Maybe it has Opticomm/LBNco, try ISP/RSP's that do connections with them (ABB/Launtel/etc?).

    https://www.lbnco.com.au/connect-to-our-network/

    • BargainJunkie on 20/06/2022 - 11:30

      Thanks mate, it is Opticomm. I didn't know there was an alternative to NBN and the NBNCo website and internet providers aren't very helpful in determining what is wired to the house.

      Appreciate everyone for pointing me in the right direction.

  • slowcoach on 20/06/2022 - 11:24
    +1

    I'm in a Telstra Velocity area. Refuse to pay big rates for rubbish service. They've sold it but it's another year til my area changes.

    I've been with optus 4g home internet for 2 years now and it's been fine for our family of 4. Including streaming all TV as Velocity is free to air TV as well as internet. No 5g in our area yet.

  • Ryanek on 20/06/2022 - 12:00
    +1

    Since you're on Opticomm, can I suggest Leaptel. Been with them for years and they've been great.

  • c64 on 20/06/2022 - 12:07

    i use optus mobile 4g and find it ok. depends on your proximity to a tower though. test using your phone. i think the current optus 4g home internet offering is crap though, limited to 25/2Mbps.

  • alex123711 on 20/06/2022 - 12:39

    Is there any way to know which provider will have the best/ most consistent data without actually buying them? Some I have found to be quite patchy

  • iDroid on 20/06/2022 - 13:34

    Starlink? We pay $135 per month for unlimited (uncapped) and get anywhere from 200 - 400mbps always.

    • hashtagbargain on 20/06/2022 - 14:02
      +2

      The startup cost is a bitch though.

      • iDroid on 20/06/2022 - 14:54

        There is that..

        • hashtagbargain on 21/06/2022 - 23:29

          Some questions - Do they throttle p2p? Block any other traffic? How’s the routing, do you have any tracert samples? Are there any variances in connection quality by time of day or weather? Speedtest result? Pings to NA servers? How about local Aussie content? Have you tried moving it, is it actually geo locked like they say? Your thoughts and overall experience?

          • iDroid on 22/06/2022 - 21:14
            +1

            @hashtagbargain: I've seen no throttling, not traffic blocking etc.

            Where'd you want a tracert to?

            Yes connection quality varies, though the quality is nearly always acceptable.

            Here's some of my speed tests

            I've not tried moving it. But you can have full roaming with https://www.starlink.com/rv

            Overall experience?

            I came from a residence with 100mbps NBN (Aussie Broadband over HFC) had a solid 96mbps until peak times.

            I was forced into Starlink here as my next best option is LTE which was lack-lustre to say the least.

            Over all experience? WAY better than expected. I do have some moments of outage but no more (likely less) than I experienced on my NBN HFC connection. Network updates and pushed out firmware updates can cause brief outages, but that's just maintenance that lasts seconds/mins.

            Pings are likely too high for a serious gamers, but my kids play fortnite Et al. without issue - well they have their issues but they're not network related.

            Local Aussie content? I'm in SA and my groundlink network exit seems to be NSW. AU content loads the same as when I was on the NBN.

            • hashtagbargain on 22/06/2022 - 22:12

              @iDroid: Thank you for the detailed reply.

              The monthly price seems to have increased - now asking for $174 a month.

              A tracert to google.com and abc.net.au would be a start.

              From your experience, looks like apart from the cost there is no down side. Cheers.

  • MeesusEff on 20/06/2022 - 14:36
    +1

    Knock and ask your neighbours what they are on lol

    • iDroid on 20/06/2022 - 15:09
      +3

      I'd ask my neighbours but I can pretty much tell by the smell.

  • Caped Baldy on 20/06/2022 - 16:44

    Wireless NBN?

  • vince088 on 20/06/2022 - 21:58

    im in a Telstra velocity neighborhood also on 100Mpbs connection

    transitioning to Opticomm in August, cant wait to try 1000Mpbs connection :)

    "How does it compare to the NBN?
    The main difference between OptiComm and the NBN is the provider. The NBN is a network built and maintained by the Australian government, meanwhile, OptiComm is an independently owned company.

    OptiComm also specialises only in FTTP connections whereas the NBN offers a mixed bag of FTTC, FTTB, HFC, FTTN etc. depending on the premises.

    These different types of NBN connections can determine the types of internet speeds you have access to, whereas OptiComm only offers FTTP which is typically the fastest connection available."

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