Australian Broadband Guarantee
Date: 22-Mar-11
Author: Brian Woodward
I understand the Australian Broadband Guarantee, which pays for installation costs for Satellite Broadband internet connection for residences which cannot get broadband internet any other way, is to end in May. There is usually no installation costs to the user. Anyone eligible and not connected should apply straight away. Apparently you can have the equipment provided and installed for use in the future even if you don't intend using it now. Contact any of the certified installation companies which include Skymesh and Harboursat.
Comments (2)
Posted: 29-Mar-11 08:56 by Craig Dewick Permalink
I am living right at the end of Milsons Arm Road and have been able to get ADSL on my phone line even though it is not working at the standard that Telstra or the broadband wholesaler (Internode, retailing through Vintek in Gawler, SA) have set. I get 800 kbps download and 384 kbps upload though usually it's only 256 kbps.
Compare this against the speeds that the three NBN rollout areas in Tasmania are being offered (speeds of up to 100 mbps download and 40 mpbs upload!) at costs which make ADSL seem like a 3rd-world option by comparison.
The house does have an Ipstar satellite broadband installation and until Telstra provisioned ADSL in late December I was almost prepared to apply to have the equipment enabled and use the ABG subsidy provisions through Skymesh. I wasn't aware that the ABG program was being stopped but if it is, will it be replaced with anything else?
I don't see Wollombi and the surrounding towns being swamped with fibre-to-the-home NBN rollout activity anytime in the forseeable future. 8-) And you might have noticed that in the Federal Government's big spiels about the NBN, they say that wireless is going to be the alternative where FTTH isn't feasible (apparently '3 percent' of homes!). Apart from satellite, I cannot get any mobile phone service from any carrier, or any 3g wireless broadband service from any carrier, here at the house. If I walk about 500 metres up the hill towards the nearby trig station there is one point at which I get Optus 2G signal from a tower identifying itself as 'Hunter Valley', but nothing at all from the tower at Wollombi exchange. Telstra techs who have been here to work on my phone line when the ADSL initially would not work couldn't get any Telstra signal on their cellphones.
One other thing which put me off the satellite option is the cost. It's very expensive even with the ABG subsidised plan costs. Given the really bad latency with satellite based communications, in some ways it's almost more feasible to use dialup over a regular phone line which at least is far more workable over long-distance copper pair runs.
Craig.
Posted: 29-Mar-11 09:26 by Peter Firminger Permalink
I called the ABG hotline and was told that the ABG program will cease at the end of June but it will be replaced by the NBN. Blackspots will still be handled separately (with satellite etc.).
You can contact the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy on free call 1800 883 488 weekdays between 8.30 am and 5.00 pm (Australian Eastern Time) and a consumer support officer will be happy to assist you.
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