TYPES OF CONNECTIONS:
Fibre to the Basement/Building (FTTB):
Similar to FTTN below. A FTTB connection is generally used when connecting an apartment block or similar types of buildings to the nbn™ network. In this scenario, a fibre optic line is run to the building communications room - Then the existing technology in the building to is used to connect to each apartment.
The fibre node in the building communications room is likely to take the form of a secure cabinet. Each cabinet will allow the nbn™ network signal to travel over the optic fibre, to the existing network technology present in the building. This is mostly copper but some newer buildings do have fibre installed
Speeds currently available to a consumer are 12/1 Mbps, 25/5 Mbps, 50/20 Mbps and 100/40 Mbps. These are maximum speeds in each tier and the speed you pay for may not be reached. Actual performance will vary based on a range of factors including the distance from the node, the quality of the copper, equipment used in the premises and the service providers’ own network. The 25/5, 50/20 and the 100/40 are considered Fast Internet connections with the 100/40 one called Super Fast. 50/20 has become more used since the ACCC made RSPs be more accurate about what speeds could be achieved.
Fibre to the Node (FTTN):
FTTN connection is utilised in circumstances where the existing copper network will be used to make the final part of the nbn™ network connection, from a nearby FTTN cabinet or micro-node to your premises.
The fibre node is likely to take the form of a street cabinet. Each street cabinet will allow the nbn™ network signal to travel over optic fibre from the exchange to the cabinet, and connect with the existing copper network to reach your premises.
Speeds currently available to a consumer are 12/1 Mbps, 25/5 Mbps, 50/20 Mbps and 100/40 Mbps. These are maximum speeds in each tier and the speed you pay for may not be reached. Actual performance will vary based on a range of factors including the distance from the node, the quality of the copper, equipment used in the premises and the service providers’ own network. The 25/5, 50/20 and the 100/40 are considered Fast Internet connections with the 100/40 one called Super Fast. 50/20 has become more used since the ACCC made RSPs be more accurate about what speeds could be achieved.
Fibre to the Premises or Fibre to the Home (FTTP or FTTH):
Both are the same just the word premises is used more as it can also refer to a business address. FTTP is used in circumstances where an optic fibre line will be run from the nearest available fibre node, to your premises. FTTP also requires an nbn™ network device to be installed inside your home. This device requires power to operate and can only be installed by an approved nbn™ Installer or service provider.
Speeds currently available to a consumer are 12/1 Mbps, 25/5 Mbps, 50/20 Mbps and 100/40 Mbps. These are maximum speeds in each tier and the speed you pay for may not be reached. The 25/5, 50/20 and the 100/40 are considered Fast Internet connections with the 100/40 one called Super Fast. 50/20 has become more used since the ACCC made RSPs be more accurate about what speeds could be achieved.
NBN Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC):
HFC connection is used in circumstances where the existing ‘pay TV’ or cable network can be used to make the final part of the nbn™ network connection. In this circumstance, a HFC line will be run from the nearest available fibre node, to your premises.
HFC connections require an nbn™ network device to be installed at the point where the HFC line enters your home. This device requires power to operate, and can be installed by an approved nbn™ installer or service provider.
Speeds currently available to a consumer are 12/1, 25/5 Mbps, 50/20 Mbps and 100/40 Mbps. These are maximum speeds in each tier and the speed you pay for may not be reached. The 25/5, 50/20 and the 100/40 are considered Fast Internet connections with the 100/40 one called Super Fast. 50/20 has become more used since the ACCC made RSPs be more accurate about what speeds could be achieved.
nbn™ Fixed Wireless:
While the specific technology used to provide wireless broadband services varies, each service provider uses radio frequencies to transmit and receive data between their customers and a local transmission point. Normally, this requires a number of base stations, similar to mobile phone towers, which transmit to customers who have a small transmitter/receiver connected to their computers or other digital devices.
In the case of the nbn™ Fixed Wireless it uses 4G LTE connectivity, similar to the 4G LTE provided by mobile broadband providers. Because of the fixed number of premises each tower will supply, the throughput of a fixed wireless nbn™ connection should be more consistent than that of a mobile broadband connection.
An nbn™ fixed wireless connection is typically used in circumstances where the distance between premises can be many kilometres. In this circumstance data travels from a transmission tower located as much as 14kms from a premises to a rooftop antenna that has been fitted by an approved nbn™ Installer. This distance can easily be covered by optic fibre but was seen to be a cheaper answer than FTTP in rural and lightly populated areas.
Fixed wireless connections also require an nbn™ network device to be installed at the point where the cable from the roof antenna enters your home. This device requires power to operate, and can only be installed by an approved nbn™ Installer or service provider.
Speeds currently available to a consumer are 12/1 Mbps, 25/5 Mbps, and 50/20 Mbps. These are maximum speeds in each tier and the speed you pay for may not be reached. NBNCo has announced that in early 2018 the 100/40 Mbps tier will be made available.
nbn™ Sky Muster Satellite:
Common in rural and remote areas, broadband satellite uses a home radio link and radio dish to bounce a signal off a satellite and down to an earth station. It’s used for fast Internet access and sometimes phone calls.
One-way satellite connections utilise a satellite link to download data to the broadband user and a standard telephone connection for uploading data back to the Internet.
Two-way satellite connections use the satellite link to both upload and download information.
A Sky Muster™ connection (which is a 2-Way link) is available in some circumstances where a home or business is located in a remote or rural location. In this scenario, a satellite dish is installed on the premises and receives the nbn™ network signal from the Sky Muster™ satellite.
Sky Muster™ satellite connections also require an NBN Co approved modem to be installed near the point where the cable from the roof satellite dish enters your home or business. This device requires power to operate, and can only be installed by an approved nbn™ Installer or service provider.
Speeds currently available are 12/1 Mbps and 25/5 Mbps. These are maximum speeds in each tier and the speed you pay for may not be reached. There is also a limit per month of what bandwidth you can use, @gordon has clarified this.
Thank you gordon for the more precise information
1)
NBN Co is increasing data allowances for people connected via sky muster satellite.
As at 11/2017 @gordon has confirmed the increased allowance is now in place and is a 50% peak increase and a 100% off peak increase in their plan eg if 30 GB peak & 50 GB off peak your allowance is now 45 GB peak & 100 GB off peak.
Fibre to the Curb (FTTC):
Fibre to the Curb will see NBN Co deliver fibre all the way to the telecom pit outside a premises where the fibre then connects with a small Distribution Point Unit (DPU) that then uses the existing copper line to deliver fast broadband to the premises over a (usually) relatively short distance. Also because of the (usually) short run of copper much higher speeds of transmission are possible than with the longer runs of FTTN.
This has two main advantages according to NBN Co:
Firstly, because they use the existing copper line where possible, they won’t usually have to dig a new lead-in conduit to run a line into the premises – they say this will be saving significant time and money.
Secondly, because the DPUs are reverse-powered from the end-user premises, they are also saved the expense of designing and implementing new physical connections to the power grid, as they have to do for a regular FTTN Cabinet – again they say saving significant time and money.
There is not a substantial cost to the end-user in reverse powering the DPU. The cost of reverse powering the DPU is likely to be less than the equivalent cost of the end-user providing power to a Network Termination Device (NTD) on a GPON-based Fibre-to-the-Premise (FTTP) network. Translation: it’s likely a lower power requirement per household than is used by the box you would have installed on your home if you had FTTP.
