Electrical Connection Summer 2016

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download speed of 100Mbps.
One advantage of HFC networks is that
the cable, joints and supporting equipment
have been designed to work at high
frequencies. Thus although internet access
can still be impaired by network and
equipment congestion, the other factors
that impair ADSL services are not present.
NBN
The NBN is Australia’s national open-
access communications network that aims
is to bring high-speed broadband and
telephone services within reach of almost
all Australian premises.
It is being rolled out by nbn (formerly
NBN Co) and operates under federal
legislation, the National Broadband
Network Companies Act 2011.
The NBN is intended to replace the
copper cable network and the services
currently provided on it, such as voice,
data, and medical and security alarms. It
uses a variety of technologies to achieve
this goal (mainly fibre, but also HFC, fixed
wireless and satellite, where warranted).
Under the legislation, once NBN
facilities become available to premises,
carriers must use it to provide new fixed-
line services. Furthermore, they must
progressively migrate copper-line services
to it (other than a few exempt services).
It’s not a matter of consumers electing
to use NBN – there will be no choice.
Whether the NBN is provided via
an HFC network or fibre, it is offered
wholesale to your internet service
provider in five ‘speed tiers’. The
download/upload speeds in Mbps are
12/1, 25/5, 25/10, 50/20 and 100/40.
Regardless of technological capability,
100/40Mbps is the fastest anyone can get
from the NBN at present.
The NBN currently uses DOCSIS 3.0, but
it will adopt DOCSIS 3.1 as the standard for
all of its HFC networks some time in 2017.
This technology is capable of much higher
speeds: up to 10Gbps downstream and
1Gbps upstream.
If you are fortunate enough to have
the NBN’s fibre to the home version,
the potential bandwidth is very high:
10Gbps, and much higher in future.
The catch is that, regardless of the
technology, really high-speed access
may not be offered to you. If it is, you
will certainly have to pay for it.
BY
GEORGE
GEORGEVITS
GLOBAL NETWORK, LOCAL FOCUS.
General Cable will continue to supply key projects and customers throughout Australia.
As advised in July, our offices in Australia will be closing soon. While our local presence is changing
shape, we will continue to supply key projects and customers throughout the country, drawing on our
global manufacturing network.
Please note our new contact details: P 1800 124 244 E