nbn FAQs
nbn FAQs
General
nbn co decide which technology type will be provided to each area. You can check your address on the roll out map on Telstra.com which will show the nbn technology type you will receive.
Not every property can be connected at the same time. There can be factors that delay the roll out for certain premises such as cabling access and external infrastructure work required.
If your property is deemed not ready for service at the scheduled disconnection date, further time will be allocated and your service will remain connected.
The existing copper network is being retired. If your internet plan is on that network, you’ll need to switch over to an nbn plan. If you choose not to move over to the nbn, your phone and internet services will be disconnected as mandated by the Australian Government and nbn.
The good news is that we aim to move our customers across to similar bundles and phone plans on the nbn that are of comparable price.
Most services provided over the Telstra Cable do have to move over to the nbn as the Telstra Cable network is replaced.
Yes. Services provided over the nbn network will be replacing both phone as well as internet services. There are exceptions if you are located within a nbn Fixed wireless or nbn Satellite area.
The National Broadband Network (nbn) is a government initiative to upgrade Australia’s telecommunications network. nbn provide the network infrastructure but Telstra would be your point of contact to organise the move over to nbn.
If you don't place an nbn order before the disconnection date, Managed Disconnection activities will commence and your phone and internet services will be disconnected as mandated by the Australian Government and nbn.
Most home phone handsets will not work in the event of a power outage. Depending on the nbn technology you have available, we do have solutions available to offer which can enable you to continue using your home phone for a limited time in the event of a power outage.
Most Medical alarms will be required to work independently of any phone line prior to transitioning your home phone to nbn. You can call your medical alarm/emergency call button provider for advice to confirm how this service will work for you. It is also important to make sure you register your medical alarm with nbn.
The wi-fi coverage within the home will vary from customer to customer on the nbn.
Wi-Fi relies on radio waves which can be impacted by factors such as interference, signal range limits and hardware problems.
The Wi-Fi modem should be placed in a centralised area of your home.
The more devices that are connected to your home Wi-Fi, the more it can affect the quality of your Wi-Fi and speed of your service, especially if they are all being used at once.
The nbn will not change your access to free-to-air TV. You will still need to have a TV antenna, just as you have before the nbn.
Foxtel and Foxtel IQ do not come as standard with an nbn connection. While Foxtel Now is available to stream on your devices over your nbn connection through Telstra (at an extra cost), a satellite service is required if you want the full Foxtel channel experience. This will need to be wired into your home and you should talk to your builder about this, too.
Assuming there are no issues, absolutely. Peak speeds vary from 12MB to 100MB (plan dependent) and they are being experienced if the equipment in your house is able to facilitate these speeds. Again, you can talk to Telstra staff and technicians to ensure you have the right equipment to get the most out of your plan.
If you receive the nbn through a Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) connection, your home will be connected using fibre optic cable.
If you have a Hybrid Fibre Coaxial connection, the nbn first travels through a fibre cable to a node (i.e. a small exchange box) close to your home. The nbn then travels from the node to your household through existing cables that are also used for Pay TV.
If you have a Fibre to the Node (FTTN) connection, two types of cable are used to send the nbn to your address. First the nbn travels through a fibre optic caballing to a node (i.e. a small exchange box) close to your home. The nbn then travels from the node to your household through copper cables.
If the nbn arrives at your premises through a Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) connection – also now as Fibre to the Cabinet – it travels through a fibre cable to a small distribution point usually located near your driveway or kerb. The nbn then travels through existing copper phone lines to your building.
If you have a Fixed Wireless connection the nbn is delivered to you from a tower through radio signals to an antenna on your roof.
Upfront plans explained
We’ve simplified our internet plans to better suit our customer needs. Our new Upfront Internet plans are flexible and transparent, with no unexpected call charges or late payment fees. Here are the key upgrades:
- No lock-in, month to month plans. Our new plans are month to month. This means you can change plan once a month or cancel it at any time – if you leave within 24 months simply return your modem or pay a $200 non -return fee.
- Simpler, upfront charging. Previously you’d receive a bill and your account would be debited for the last month. On our new plans, your monthly charge for your service is paid automatically at the start of each billing period with an direct debit payment we refer to as AutoPay.
- We’ve added more to our plans, including 30 minutes of calls each month from Australia to standard international numbers as well as unlimited calls to standard local, national, 13 numbers and Australian mobiles.
No, there are no Early Termination Charges if you cancel your plan. If you leave within 24 months, simply return your modem or pay a $200 non-return fee.
You can change to another plan within your plan range once a month via My Telstra.
Yes, our new plans include a home phone service.
Yes, the data on our unlimited data plans is what it says – unlimited. However, you do need to comply with our Fair Use Policy and not use your services in an unreasonable or fraudulent manner, for commercial use, or in a way that detrimentally interferes with the integrity of the network. We may take action if you breach the Fair Use Policy, including suspending or cancelling your service.
Once you've used your included calls, you can then add an International Calling Pack to get additional call minutes to selected countries. Alternatively you will need to wait until the next payment date for a new allocation of international call minutes.
In most cases, nbn co installs the nbn network at your home at no cost.
For a short time only, there is no connection free for standard installs on an Upfront Internet plans when you self-install your Telstra Smart Modem. However, additional fees may apply for non-standard installations, including if the service is being installed as an additional service at an address were there is already an nbn service connected, or if the service is being installed at a newly built property or a property that has not previously had a connection to the nbn network.
If you cancel your Upfront Internet plan, you will not receive a pro rata refund for the remainder of your month. If you have any device, accessory or service add-ons attached to your plan, you will have to pay any remaining amount owing as a one-off payment.
AutoPay is an automatic upfront monthly payment that you set up with your nominated credit card, debit card or bank account. It’s like direct debit only in advance, and there are no bills: you get a receipt via email or SMS after payment. AutoPay is the only payment method for our Upfront Internet plans.
When you sign to an Upfront Internet plan, we’ll ask you for your bank account or credit or debit card details during the order and save them as your default AutoPay payment method. Then, on the same day each month, the monthly cost of your upfront plan will be paid using that card or account. If your payment is due on a date that isn’t in every month (e.g. 31st), it will be paid the following day. Learn more about AutoPay
The Ultimate Plan offers Superfast speed. Ultrafast is not compatible with Upfront Internet plans, but are coming soon.
Plan Details
If you need to change your plan when you transition to nbn, all our in-market plans are now offered month to month, with no lock in contracts.
If you require a new modem as part of your transition, we provide these at no charge, provided you remain connected for 24 months. If you decide to disconnect before the 24 months has ended, there are no charges to cancel your plan, however, you will be required to pay out the remaining charges for your modem.
In most cases there will be no cost incurred to transfer your existing home phone / internet service to the nbn.
The speed provided on current plans if often adequate for customers to utilise their services to full capacity.
Depending on the plan will depend on the speed tier provided.
It will also be dependent on the maximum achievable speed that is able to be reached, which will vary from each property/customer.
nbn25, nbn 50 and nbn100 all relate to nbn speed tiers that nbn can provide. Speed of a service will vary depending on the layout of the home, how many devices are linked to the modem over Wi-Fi. Speed will also vary depending on the time of day the service is utilised especially during peak periods (7pm-11pm).
nbn 25 (standard Evening Speed) available across all nbn technology types. Suitable for 1-3 people online at the same time on multiple devices.
nbn 50 (Standard Plus Evening Speed) or fixed wireless plus (FW only) available across all nbn technology types. Suitable for 3-6 people online at the same time on multiple devices.
nbn 100 (Premium Evening) only available to FTTP and HFC customers. Suitable for 6-9 people online at the same time on multiple devices.
Currently, we only offer our Premium Evening Speed Boost for FTTP and HFC customers. Through proactive checks conducted on other nbn technology types (FTTN/FTTB/FTTC), we've discovered that they may be unable to get the full benefit of our Premium Evening Speed Boost.
nbn Fixed Wireless delivers our Basic Evening Speeds and Fixed Wireless Plus.
If you exceed your allocated data for the month, you will still be able to use your service but it will be slowed down. There are no additional charges for going over your data.
This is dependent on the amount of data you have allocated from your plan each month. It also depends on how much streaming you are doing, and the quality of the content being viewed (SD, HD, 4K).
No, you won’t be charged. However, speeds may be capped if it’s determined the Telstra Acceptable Use Policy is not being followed.
Order and Installation
To get connected to the nbn can take from one day to up to six weeks depending whether you can just plug in your modem, or if any cabling work is required and availability of technicians.
When you transition your existing service to the nbn, the disconnection from the old network and the connection to the new nbn network happens simultaneously. In most cases you will not be without a service, but our Telstra Smart Modems have a backup mobile service in case of any downtime.
Yes, you can keep your existing telephone number. If you are moving homes, standard conditions apply about moving from one exchange to another.
It will depend on the type of installation you require. This will be discussed with you when you place your nbn order.
If you have a compatible nbn modem, you will not need a new modem. Our ordering system will determine whether a new modem is required or not.
Yes, if you meet the eligibility criteria for our self-installation option.
Telstra have 24-hour technical support as well as online resources available, should there be issues completing the self-installation and getting services connected.
For $240 a professional technician will come to your house to connect your devices and services to the nbn.
For those in new developments
Just like electrical cabling, broadband and phone cabling should be factored in at the blueprint phase, and we encourage you to talk to your builder about nbn cabling before any walls go up. In new developments, builders are tasked with installing internal customer wiring for telephone, data and other services like power circuits. For new residents, it’s important to decide where internet-connected services will be used in the home in order to locate Wi-Fi hotspots and wired access points.
Yes you can. You can visit a Telstra store for expert advice on best practice cabling, or even just to understand your options. Telstra staff and technicians have been gearing up for the launch for several months, receiving special training to help residents transition to the nbn.
It’s easy. To check if your estate is nbn Ready, head to telstra.com.au/nbn and type your address into our interactive nbn rollout map. Alternatively, you can call 1300 878 673 (1300 TSTORE).
You can place an order with Telstra at our store well before you move into your new home, allowing you to receive the benefits of the nbn from the first day you move into your home. Alternatively, you can view and purchase our NBN plans online or call 1800 993 728.
Don’t be too reliant on Wi-Fi. While having a wireless network is great, you’ll get a faster and more consistent connection through a data point in your house. This is particularly important when it comes to TV and entertainment systems, as well as computers. With the explosion of HD content and Smart TVs, having a data point free will ensure your house is future-proofed.
Many homeowners now have multiple devices running in their home at any one time, so it’s important to understand that there are a number of products on the market that will eliminate Wi-Fi blackspots and ensure you have the flexibility to use your devices wherever you want. For more information, head to your local Telstra store, compare and purchase our NBN plans online or call 1800 993 728.
Top ten nbn myths BUSTED!
Fact: Telstra’s prices for nbn services are no more expensive than our prices for other, comparable internet services.
Fact: In areas where the nbn fibre network is being deployed the copper network will be shut down after an 18 month transition period which starts when the area is declared ‘ready for service’ by nbn Co. If you don’t elect to move to the nbn during the 18 month period, you will lose access to fixed line services at that time.
Fact: With Telstra, there is no charge when you go over your data limit, however you’ll know when you’ve exhausted your data allowance as your internet speed will slow to a crawl, and like most service providers, we’ll let you know.
Fact: Mobile broadband is getting faster, but with the currently available technology, there are no mobile broadband speeds that compare to the fastest speeds you can get on fibre. Mobile broadband does have other advantages though – such as being able to take it with you so many people have both.
Fact: The existing copper network that your fixed broadband plan exists on is being retired, which means you’ll need to switch over to an nbn plan. The good news is that we aim to move our customers across to similar bundles and phone plans on the nbn that are of comparable price, but a better service.
Fact: You don’t have to change your phone number. It remains the same, although standard provisos about moving from one exchange to another apply if you’re moving homes.
Fact: Remember the old dial-up days, when you could wait hours for something to download? Our customers tell us once you’ve tried the superfast connection, you’ll wonder how you survived without it.
Fact: nbn Co is responsible for the roll out of the nbn and is an entirely separate, independent government organisation providing wholesale services to retail providers like Telstra.
Fact: An nbn connection involves two installation appointments – one with nbn Co, and one with your service provider. With Telstra as your service provider, a skilled technician will help from start to finish, co-coordinating both of the connection appointments and making the transition to the new network as easy as possible.
Every home is different, and we advise people to allow 4 hours for the second appointment, so our technician can connect up devices such as a T-Box and T-Hub, configure your email, show you how to connect other internet enabled devices, such as personal notebooks and tablets and demonstrate how Telstra services like BigPond Security and BigPond Movies perform.
Fact: Your email addresses and other information are housed with your service provider. The nbn changes the way your service is delivered but won’t change what you do online.