The National Broadband Network, also known as NBN, is an initiative by the Australian Government to improve broadband access in Australia. It will create a fast and reliable network for internet services on fixed-line connections. The intention of the project is to make high-speed broadband available to all Australians via fiber optic cable connection, with a minimum speed of 25 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 5 Mbps upload. As of October 2016, there are three types of plans: basic copper wire, fiber optic cable, or wireless connectivity.
In this article, we look at the pros and cons of NBN plans so you can decide which one is best for your needs!
NBN Pros
– NBN plans offer the fastest speeds. Speeds will be up to 100 Mbps for some users (and more in the future) and they can also reach 50/20Mbps with other providers, which is still very fast! Even lesser speed options are extremely good value – at $60 per month, you’ll get 12Mbps download speeds or even 25 Mbps on the cheapest plan. If this doesn’t sound like any more than your current ADSL connection offers now consider that it could soon be obsolete thanks to NBN’s fiber optic cables! Now that’s progress. The NBN network uses Cat-11 cable so there won’t need replacing anytime soon either.
The National Broadband Network has started rolling out all over Australia but not all of us will have access to it straight away. NBN is being rolled out in three phases:
– Phase one sees the construction of fiber optic cabling from telephone exchanges to local neighbourhood nodes – this means that most Australians, especially those who live in major cities and towns, should be able to connect very quickly once their area becomes NBN ready!
– In phase two a new fixed wireless network with a greater range than existing cell phone towers will be built. This might not reach as far as some people would like but can still provide great speeds for those living within Australia’s larger regional areas.
– The third phase involves the connection of fiber optic cables directly into homes that are located further away from old copper wires or where there is no existing cabling. This is when cheap NBN plans really become available to everybody in Australia!
The National Broadband Network has advantages for businesses too – the increased availability of high-speed internet means that more clients will be able to connect better and faster than ever before, making it easier to provide top customer service.
NBN Cons
Unfortunately not everything about the NBN network sounds great…
On slower speed plans you may find yourself limited by factors like your own home’s infrastructure or how far away from an exchange box fiber optic cables are routed; this could end up costing you extra money if there aren’t any cheap alternatives (like rewiring old copper wires) for you to upgrade your connections at home. It might also impact your connection speed – the NBN network is constantly monitored for issues like these and will send technicians to fix any problems they find.
NBN mobile plans: The NBN services have also expanded into mobile internet, which means that you can take your home broadband on the go! This could be great if you need reliable connections when working outside of the office or while traveling (for example if during business trips). Mobile phone towers are already being upgraded with equipment supporting better speeds so NBN mobile services should manage well wherever there’s current coverage available.
