Whether you are a heavy internet user or a person who uses the internet just for some specific purposes, having a strong and high-speed internet connection always matters. Working in the office using the internet or staying at home and enjoying the internet from a wireless router is certainly not a big deal, but the process behind the internet running smoothly on your devices is much more complex. Well, there is the involvement of fixed line connections, cable connections, fibre optic lines, and many more.
Before jumping right to NBN vs Fibre, first, let’s understand what exactly makes the difference between copper wire connection and fibre connection. Let’s understand why fibre optic wins against copper cable.
- Fibre optic transmission is faster than Copper cable.
Copper-based transmissions are a maximum of 40 Gbps, whereas fibre optics can carry data as fast as the speed of light.
- Transmission from fibre optics can cover greater distances.
Fibre optic cables can transmit data over massively longer distances. Further, depending on signalling and type of cable, fibre optic cabling can transmit up to well over 24 miles, i.e. 38,624.3 meters. On the other hand, copper cables are limited to transmission lengths of 100 meters which is much lesser than fibre optic.
- Fibre optic cables are less likely to be affected by electromagnetic interference (EMI)
Copper network connection generates a field of interference around the cables, leads to crosstalk, forces expensive retransmission of the message, or even poses security risks. However, the light transmission in fibre optics does not generate any EMI and ultimately leads toward a stronger ROI.
- You can save space and enhance cable management with Fibre optics.
Fibre optic strands are extremely narrow; a fibre optic strand is as thin as human hair. On another side, a single standard category copper cable is roughly four times wider than fibre cable. This thus means that copper cables take up a large space. Fibre’s freed-up space greatly contributes to making the area more managed, and hence it enables much more aesthetically pleasing space.
- Fibre optics will continue to rule in future.
With every growing year, there is a rise in bandwidth needs and consumption. By investing in fibre optic cabling, your network can operate at future speeds without upgrading the cabling. It is precise to say that fibre optics are future-proof. In contrast, the typical lifespan of a copper category standard is just over five years.
Internet Connection in Australia: A general overview
At present, Australians are using the internet and are mostly online to watch their favourite shows, listen to music on demand, play games and make video chats with their loved ones. To learn it further, the type of connection used needs to be learned. Let’s learn more about NBN and fibre connection.
What is NBN Connection?
NBN stands for National Broadband Network in Australia. It is designed to transfer vast amounts of data. Also, NBN provides an open-access national wholesale data network for Australia. NBN uses optical fibre and other technologies replacing copper cables and cable broadband. This replacement brings more reliable and high-capacity internet to your home. Furthermore, NBN contains wired and wireless communication parts deployed and run by NBN Co-A government-owned company.
Furthermore, NBN is optional, so no one can force you to join the system, although this does imply that you can lose access to fixed-line internet at home.
Types of NBN Connection
Here are the connection types of NBN.
Wired NBN
- Fibre to the premises (FTTP) – It is also known as Fibre to the Home (FTTH). Here, the optical fibre line will be run directly into the customers’ premises. In fact, if you’re ready to pay the installation fees, you can choose to upgrade to FTTP.
- Fibre to the node (FTTN) – FTTN is the “default” nbn™ connection. Basically, it is a mix of copper and fibre optic technology. FTTN NBN involves NBN connecting fibre to purpose-built street cabinets.
- Fibre to the building (FTTB) – It is also known as fibre to the basement. It is used when connecting a Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU).
- Fibre to the curb (FTTC) – It is also known as fibre to the pit, where the optical fibre is extended close to the customers’ premises and connected to the property/house using the existing copper network. Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) is also popular as Fibre to the Driveway or Fibre to the Distribution Point (FTTDP).
- Hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) – HFC has a mix of fibre optic and CATV technology utilised. It uses the exact same technology used to deliver cable TV subscriptions. So, if you have cable TV, chances are you can get this HFC nbn™ connection type. The biggest advantage of this connection is that it uses insulated wires, which help to minimise interference. To add more, in most cases, HFC can even take it up to FTTP when it comes to speeds.
Wireless NBN:
Under NBN wireless category, we have:
- Fixed wireless: Fixed Wireless connections are another NBN connection type option provided by NBNCo for regional areas (where the use of fibre can become too costly. Here, the connection is made through wires to a transmission tower and then broadcasts the broadband connection via an outdoor antenna to the customers’ houses/premises. Fixed Wireless can be limited to a certain speed it can offer, so if any customer is in such a regional area, it’s best for them to have a look at what speeds they may be eligible for by doing an availability check.
- Satellite – Here, an NBN connection is transmitted to your home through a satellite or wireless connection. It is the best option for regional and remote areas of Australia where no internet infrastructure exists. With this, NBN broadcasts a signal to a satellite dish, relaying that to your home.
Data limits and speeds are the major points for satellite services. However, on a satellite connection, your options are limited regarding speed.
Which NBN connection type is available at your premises?
To determine which NBN technology connection type is available at your premises, you must take the following steps.
- Visit the NBN rollout map.
- In the search bar, enter your address.
- Find a drop-down menu.
- Check the Technology used and see which NBN technology type is available around your premises.
Benefits of NBN Connection
- NBN actively promotes the next-generation internet.
- Through NBN, national and international links are created and fostered.
- NBN guarantees lightning-fast speed and helps your online visibility.
- You can use the NBN’s tools to determine when you are connected.
- There are many Points of Interconnect on the NBN (POI).
- Using NBN, Retail service providers (RSPs) can interact with customers.
When using NBN internet, you must look for :
- Ways to optimise your experience at home
- Choose the right speed on the nbn™ network
- How can network congestion impact your experience
- Renters and landlords
- Moving homes
- Which equipment to get installed
- Understanding or switching the NBN technology[ Under NBN Technology Choice Program, one can enjoy the facility to change the NBN technology infrastructure at residential or business premises to NBN Fibre to the Premises (FTTP)]
- Don’t forget to check for device compatibility. These devices can be medical alarms, autodiallers or emergency call buttons, lift emergency phones, monitored fire alarms, home or business security monitoring systems, existing landline phone services, Fax and teletypewriter devices, etc.
What is Business Fibre Connection?
Fibre optic cable has glass fibre strands inside of an insulated housing. Fibre optic cables transmit data as light signals over greater distances for ultra-fast internet. To be more specific, fibre optic cables are made for long-distance, high-performance data networking and communications, and hence they are the world’s cable television, telephone, and internet networks supported by fibre optic cables. In addition, fibre is accessible at office locations and can be installed by modernising the NBN network. Business Fibre optic connections can be Single-mode cable, multi-mode cable, and Wireless broadband.
What is the Difference Between NBN and Fibre connection?
Here, we are going to look into the differences between Business NBN (It provides cost-effective, high-speed internet to businesses across Australia)and Business Fibre connections. Let’s look into those differences and see which one is appropriate for your home or business requirements.
Upload and Download Speeds
Upload speed is the rate at which data can be delivered from your devices to the internet by using your internet connection. The ideal upload speed is 25 Mbps. Talking about download speed is the speed at which your internet connection can download data from the internet. A standard download speed is at least 100 Mbps. Upload and download speeds on NBN are variable, but the upload and download speeds on the business fibre connection are fixed and symmetrical.
[Get more information about NBN internet speeds on NBN Speeds Guide.]
Bandwidth
Bandwidth is regarded as the maximum amount of data transmitted over an internet connection in a certain amount of time. It is always calculated in megabits per second (Mbps). We can see that a fibre link offers extremely high capacity with symmetrical speeds, mostly up to 1000/1000 Mbps; however, NBN does not share symmetrical speed. As per sources, the highest NBN plan can be 250/100MB.
Contention Ratio
A contention ratio examines how many people along you use internet connection and bandwidth concurrently. You are more inclined to slow down during busy hours the higher the contention. Business Fibre has a significantly lower contention ratio which shows that the service is not shared with other customers and the provided delivered speeds will not change. Contention ratios can exceed 50:1 on the shared service in NBN. This is because the infrastructure is being used by several customers, which might cause congestion and slow down the pace of your internet.
Service Delivery and Availability
Internet Availability is the capacity to transmit data packets successfully. Service delivery ensures users and devices within a business have access to the IT network and its data and applications. NBN can be brought to your location in a number of ways: fibre connection, hybrid of fibre and copper network, and fixed wireless connection. This ultimately results in making NBN a broadband alternative broadly accessible. However, business fibre can only be transmitted through an optic fibre connection, meaning only premises with fibre infrastructure available within their area can connect the service.
Costs
Budget is definitely something that affects the habit of purchasing anything. The budget of a user actually determines which type of internet the user will be able to enjoy.
A Business Fibre connection, especially for enterprise-grade, can come at $300 to $350 per month for 100/100 bandwidth, whereas NBN plans start around $60 to $70 per month for up to 25/10 Mbps bandwidth. The cost of a Business Fibre connection compared to NBN is quite high; however, paying this high will not leave any dissatisfaction since it has better features and benefits than an NBN connection.
NBN or Business Fibre Connection? Which one should you use for your home or business?
Starting with Business
Office requirements and how your business operates play a crucial role in choosing broadband service for your business. If your business is related to digital marketing, graphic design, or software development heavily relying on the internet, then a Business Fibre connection works best. The reason is a high level of reliability and speed. In contrast, if a business makes minimum use of the internet for operational activities, then the NBN connection is perfect. Some less-internet using businesses are retail, construction, or warehousing.
For home
If you have less time in the home and stay out working, then NBN can be a better option. NBN plan supports your tight budget as well. If budget is no issue and you want internet service smooth, then you can opt for an available business Fibre connection.
For those who work as freelancers or have a Work-from-Home way of work or remote work, then NBN Connection may not be best as NBN connection tends to slow down in the evening-the time when everyone is online scrolling social media, playing online games, or simply surfing the internet, download movies and more.
What to expect on the day of your nbn™ visit to the Premises for installation?
You can talk to your Internet provider about your NBN connection, and they will hence set up an appointment for the NBN team to come to your home. You can adjust the appointment dates with NBN. Before the NBN employee comes for installation, make sure you have decided on an appropriate place where the WiFi set-up will be placed. You must make sure to put in a space that doesn’t have congested surroundings, electronic devices or water. In fact, you will receive a call/message from NBN some days before to ensure you are ready for the setup process.
When NBN employees come to your place, at least one person above 18 years should be present to take decisions. They come up with equipment -fibre optic, cable, utility box, connection box, and power supply unit (with optional battery backup). The NBN employee will come to your home to test, drill, and do additional work. Before they leave, they check the working of the network connection. You will then be ready to connect internet over NBN Network. Next, you have to connect the NBN connection box to your WiFi modem with an ethernet cable. WiFi modem with an ethernet cable can be provided by an internet provider in most cases. Make sure to put the Modem on the ground or area that offers wide WiFi coverage. You can then Plug in your NBN-compatible phone, gaming, TV set-up box, and streaming devices. And there you have it, your internet connection. But if any issue arises, you can talk to your internet provider.
Let’s assume you are looking for an internet provider, but you are clueless on how to proceed, then, look for the following things and buy your new broadband plan.
- The type of broadband: Always start with what type of broadband you want. Your broadband will depend on where you live and what is available in your area. To make it easier, internet providers come up with different broadband plans, which include business broadband and mobile broadband plans.
Business Broadband: Business broadband includes high-speed internet connection for use in offices and other remote workplaces. They are commercial-grade internet solutions that have other added features, dedicated customer support, and a robust service-level agreement (SLA).
Mobile Broadband: Mobile broadband is related to a wireless wide area network (WWAN) which provides wireless high-speed Internet access to portable devices through radio towers. With this, you can maintain an Internet connection as you move from place to place without having to rely on WiFi hotspots.
NBN offers plenty of options for broadband and WiFi services. So, you can choose the service that suits you or your business.
- Know the Data limits so that you won’t get hit with extra charges for going over your limit. Always ask your potential provider about how additional data is charged before opting for a limited plan.
- The duration of your plan is also a crucial point. You can go for longer-term contracts or contracts with no lock-in- the choice is yours.
- Your personal phone and internet usage, mostly on downloading films and TV programs from the likes of Netflix, Apple TV, etc., should also be considered.
Why choose NSWIT Support as your Internet Service provider in Australia?
NSWIT Support is a dedicated IT firm in Australia that focuses on meeting the IT needs of Australian SME businesses. We offer a wide range of business communication services which are enterprise-grade services. Our ultimate goal is to focus on providing the best IT and digital marketing solutions to business customers.
As an Internet Provider in Australia, NSWIT Support offers flexible, transparent, and reliable internet services that adapt to your needs. Further, we also identify ourselves as one of the NBN providers in Australia. We have internet plans are Business NBN (Promotion), Business NBN Pro, NBN Bundle, and Business Fibre. They are the best plans for Small and Medium Businesses. We will arrange for a certified service installer to visit your premises and then arrange the installation of the right equipment. In addition, as soon as everything is up and running well, your new high-speed broadband connection gets ready.
Contact us for further information or to get our internet or any IT services.
