New analysis shows FTTN NBN areas significantly delayed

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news Analysis conducted on the NBN company’s latest set of rollout plans has shown that around 105 areas currently slated to receive the Coalition’s Multi-Technology Mix approach to the project are significantly delayed, in a move that will affect almost 300,000 premises.

Over the past several weeks the NBN company completed its regular update of its public rollout plan. The documents are available publicly through the website of Telstra’s wholesale division.

The plan covers the rollout of all of the NBN technologies — Fibre to the Premises, Fibre to the Node, HFC cable, Fixed Wireless and Satellite — and serves as a guide to customers and retail ISPs such as Telstra, Optus and TPG as to when they can expect the NBN to come to their area.

However, according to independent blogger Kenneth Tsang, the plan shows that a large amount of areas to be predominantly covered by FTTN technology have been delayed. Delimiter recommends readers click here to read Tsang’s full article on the topic, as well as subscribing to his popular blog for future updates.

Tsang conducted extensive research on the rollout and found 105 areas which have been delayed, for a total of 290,000 premises. Many areas were only delayed by a month, but Tsang also found areas which had been delayed by up to eight months.

Most of the areas affected were scheduled to receive the FTTN technology which the Coalition has brought to the NBN technology. In its new NBN policy for the Federal Election, Labor has pledged to ditch FTTN and replace it with its preferred (and technically superior) Fibre to the Premises model.

A series of internal NBN documents leaked over the past year have appeared to show that there were significant problems with the FTTN rollout, leading to delays.

For example, in February this year, an internal document wanted that the FTTN rollout was suffering a “plethora of faults” and had gone badly off track.

The report pins much of the delays on issues with electricity companies, which appear to be having problems getting power to the neighbourhood ‘nodes’ used in a FTTN rollout. Other issues relate to cost.

And analysis of a second document leaked in April this year also purported to show that the FTTN rollout was behind.

Despite the series of leaks, the Coalition and the NBN company itself have refused to acknowledge any delays with the FTTN rollout.

Speaking in the Senate in March, for example, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of evidence contained in leaked internal documentation, in which the NBN company’s chief network engineer explicitly stated that its Fibre to the Node rollout was categorically behind target.

opinion/analysis
Will the NBN company meet its rollout targets for MTM technologies this year? I have no doubt that it will. The company has said so loud enough and often enough that I suspect it will smash those targets fairly easily, as an aggregate of its rollout.

However, are there problems with FTTN which have led to the technology’s rollout being delayed in many areas? Yes, definitely.

It’s pretty hard for the NBN company to deny that, when its own documentation has highlighted that issue repeatedly over the past six months.

Residents in many of the areas affected — especially those who have been delayed by six months or more — will not feel comforted by the fact that the NBN company has met its rollout targets in general. They will just want to know whey it is taking many months longer than previously projected to get better broadband to their premises.

88 COMMENTS

  1. For example, in February this year, an internal document wanted that the FTTN rollout was suffering a “plethora of faults” and had gone badly off track.

    No kidding because it is ADSL ! Can never expect faulty copper wires patched to just get voice working to ever work. The Alcatel noise reduction technology is snake oil.

  2. Oh dear, looks like getting those very urgent slower speeds sooner is taking much longer than the coalition clowns and GimpCo told us :-(

    Not to worry, I see a few areas listed in safe coalition seats they wont mind taking it in the rear for yet another term.

  3. “Residents in many of the areas affected — especially those who have been delayed by six months or more — will not feel comforted by the fact that the NBN company has met its rollout targets in general.”

    The ones I’ve spoken to are quite happy to sit on delays, under the hope that the FTTN deployment will be cancelled and FTTP reinstated in their area.

    • This is me, while im not scheduled to get it till Q1 2017, im hoping we will have had the government change by then so i can bypass Mal Turnbulls Mess (MTM) and go straight to FTTP. Thats what im hoping anyway.

    • JCL,

      The ones I’ve spoken to are quite happy to sit on delays, under the hope that the FTTN deployment will be cancelled and FTTP reinstated in their area.

      So why do they think FTTP will rollout faster to their area than FTTN, assuming they are targeted for FTTP in the first place?

      Don’t they know what happened when Labor had a go at FTTP the first time?

      Credibility blown: NBN Co wildly revises targets again

      https://delimiter.com.au/2013/09/25/credibility-blown-nbn-co-wildly-revises-targets/

      Or do they believe fairies do live at the bottom of the garden.

      • Becuase troll FTTN hasn’t been rolling out faster 193 days compared to 166 days for FTTP

      • @ alain

        Thanks for supplying today’s (well yesterdays, today is but young) contradictory hypocrisy…

        You post a link suggesting revisions blow one’s credibility, when it relates to your “arch enemy political foes and their NBN plan” …but when asked about the current MTM (yes the FRAUDBAND debacle) $29.5B now to as much as $70B (according to former Treasurer Hockey) and for all by 2016, now 2020… your reply is…

        “Those Coalition targets were changed after the SR13, and published in the media soon after, you must have had your head in the sand again that week.”

        Wow funny how revision are the work of the devil when that suits your subservient narrative (crusade/mission) but the to the contrary… all in a days work and just dandy, when that suits.

        Apology accepted/you’re welcome, hypocrite.

      • So why do they think FTTP will rollout faster to their area than FTTN

        He didn’t say what you think he said. He stated they are happy to wait for FttP.

        Credibility blown: NBN Co wildly revises targets again

        I think you’ll find both sides fit that description/headline…

      • “Don’t they know what happened when Labor had a go at FTTP the first time?”
        Yeah. A huge majority of them was scheduled for FTTP 2014-16 and now they have nothing except a ‘hope’ to get the shittiest alternative somewhere between 2016-18.

        • A huge majority of them was scheduled for FTTP 2014-16 and now they have nothing except a ‘hope’ to get the shittiest alternative somewhere between 2016-18.

          Kinda funny how that “Sooner” part of the slogan worked out, isn’t it…actually the whole slogan seems to have turned into a joke come to think of it…

          • The entire slogan was debunked 6 months in, 2 years later it was simply set in stone. There is no room for debate any more. They fucked up EVERY. ASPECT.

            Well, MDUs now get FTTB so there’s that small concession.

  4. For 2 Months now, the NBN Website has shown that my house is ready for NBN “The NBN network is available in your area” it says – “Service Ready” it says. Yet NO providers can offer it to me. I’ve spoken to NBN, iiNEt, TPG, Dodo, Internode, Telstra, Optus and none can provide it to me. No-one can give me a time frame or reason. The NBN themselves told me that yes, not available to my house, but it is available to 20 homes in your area. When I asked why the availability website says I can get it – they couldn’t give me a satisfactory answer. I moved from Sydney where I had Bigpond Cable Extreme (100 megabits per sec) to Adelaide where I have ADSL 2+ and lucky to 8 megabits/sec. If you say you can do it NBN – then provide it to me – otherwise , adjust your website and give me some time-frames – It’s such a joke.

      • That shouldn’t affect nbn™ daily operations though (and as we saw with Ziggy, they don’t give a toss anyway).

    • You should complain, around 130 or so residents of Mt Crafers, a mere 7 Km from the Adelaide GPO live beyond the last mile of an FTTN node. At cut over, they lose the crappy ADSL, and probably the copper home phone line. The only way they can connect to the Internet is via the high latency no VoIP allowed Sky Muster satellite.

      Mean while over in Mt Cotton Qld where the bulk of the residents are placed on crappy FTTN connected by rotten dilapidated Telstra cooper. Four lucky residents beyond the last mile ,will be connected to FTTP.

      In December 2015, Telstra was awarded an $80,000,000-00 sweetheart contract to install NBN assets, repair, maintain and/or replace failed last mile NBN dilapidated copper assets from the node to users house.

      Back in real world Telstra, hasn’t bothered to fix it’s dilapidated rotten copper assets since 1990’s.

      Mean while in another newly connected FTTN suburb, there is severed 30 pair copper line that is connected to an FTTN node. It was broken some five weeks ago. The only action the locals have seen is assorted fly by technicians from Telstra and NBN, flee the scene of the crime at high speed.

      Since Ziggy took control in 2013, all forms of logic at NBN departed the very same day.

  5. Telstra technician was in the pit outside our house yesterday fixing the the busted (corroded) copper circuit for the house a few doors down. It’s the same tech that fixed mine and another house (same problem) 6 months ago.

    This is the same copper that will be used by the NBN / FTTN.

    #winning (NOT)

  6. Lets review the data (wayback using):
    https://www.telstrawholesale.com.au/content/dam/tw/nbn/Documents/rollout-list.xlsx

    Picking Tsang’s first row (publication date in brackets):
    7CYE-01 / RFS 07-Oct-2016 ( APR ) / RFS 30-Apr-2017 ( MAY ) / RFS 02-Jun-2017 ( JUN )

    JUN – MAY revisions is 33 days, not Tsang’s reported 8mths. We need to use JUN – APR for ~8 mths. Not off to a good start.

    Therefore reviewing all data from APR and JUN xlxs with SAMs in both spreadsheets:
    (Renai can titlte)”Newer analysis shows FTTN NBN areas significantly delayed, or same or advanced”
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/dd1f2luzmda6qpa/rollout-list-diff.pdf?dl=0

    You’d think from the article and blog the data shows only delays. However the data shows ~135 SAMs where RFS dates have increased, however ~198 stayed the same or decreased.

    e.g. RFS for 4RDC-73 (HFC) -247 days, 2TAH-01 (MTM) -224d, 5FLN-60 (HFC) -210d, 2MDG-01 (FTTN) -193d.

    Data shows a different picture to the disaster claimed. Probably just an oversight;-)

    • Well Richard your first link doesn’t have 7CYE-01
      But then your second link shows 7.9 months
      So which is it 33 day or 8 months?

      • And yet JK it does. Spreadsheets too complicated?

        It’s both, data provided. File updated monthly: 7CYE-01 RFS JUN – MAY = 33d, JUN – APR = 238d.

        Not a clue amongst them, basic data analysis beyond the total squealer collective.

        • No Richard a simple keyword search doesn’t show 7cye but then comprehension isn’t your good suit

          • Jk claims “Well Richard your first link doesn’t have 7CYE-01”.

            He’s wrong, as are the 6 squealers that gullibly joined him (look Brisy Line boy straight in (again))!

            Didn’t take long for the random links to appear;-)

            A simple spreadsheet beyond them. Tsang and Quigley’s distortions lapped up by these minions. Any analysis beyond them.

          • Ouch ouch and OUCH -again.

            Didn’t take long for the random links to appear;-)

            It’s called frantic FTTP fanboy diversions, at least you were spared the poetry.

            lol

          • Richard and Alternate looking through those cool distorted lenses again? Guys, taking acid so early in the day went out in the 60s…

          • Link to the post jk. Evidence is typically unkind to the squealer’s imagined position.

            Anyway have you found that row yet? (rofl)

          • @ JK

            JK to Richard …”but then comprehension isn’t your good suit…

            Indeed it’s not Jason, but is anything?

            Ask him if he knows the difference between 60 million and 16 million… yet?

        • Not a clue amongst them, basic data analysis beyond the total squealer collective.

          Thank you for your…er…accurate…er…”analysis”…Rickyyoda…*yawn*

          Do, or do not, there is no try, right Ricky?

        • Lol Richard tot you own horn but we can talk about your squealing about FTTP being $74-$84 and y26-y28.

          Oh that right you claim you where using the best numbers at the time didn’t you. But they weren’t the best numbers at the time where they.

          • S1.5 explained. I get it, you don’t understand.

            Data published, 6 spreadsheet-illiterate squealers go abuse. How easily their ignorance is exposed.

          • Stop being a whiny bitch Richard and address the current MTM blow outs from $29.5B to as much as $70B (according to the previous Treasurer) and time frame blow out from 2016 to 2020…

            GO

            And give your trusty lap dog a pat on the head while your at it…

            You’re welcome.

          • That’s old outdated news Rizz, just like using the outdated FTTP costing and finish predictions from old NBN Co CP’s 2011-2013.

            Those Coalition targets were changed after the SR13, and published in the media soon after, you must have had your head in the sand again that week.

            It’s just like Labor will do if they win on Saturday, “I know we said it will be 2M more FTTP for $57B by 2022 but our post election SR tells us we should keep on with FTTN if we are to meet our pre election time and costing estimates.”

            That’s because Labor pre election estimates were based on taking the Coalition CP 16 costing and timeline and adding a bit to it make it look feasible, to make it look even more palatable Labor added a couple of years to the Coalition 2020 finish date, based on nothing more than ‘gut feel’ that’s when it will finish anyway.

          • But alain, don’t worry about what the others did, didn’t do or might do… I’ll make it clear even for you, ready…?

            Why were there changes needed to a clearly promised:

            “Ready to roll out fully costed, $29.5B for all by 2016…”

            Try again and see if you can explain it this time, but sans the pitiful obsequiousness and minus the desperado tap dancing blame game….

            GO

            Apology accepted.

          • estimates were based on taking the Coalition CP 16 costing and timeline and adding a bit to it make it look feasible

            Yeah, good point Alain.

            Labor are a pack of amateurs, they should have doubled everything like the LPA did ;o)

          • Glad you agree, Labor costing strategy for the NBN.

            Read the upper limit of the Coalition NBN MtM peak funding estimate from CP 16, add 1 billion to it.

            Time taken on Labor NBN Policy funding analysis? – about 10 mins.

          • Still unable to answer a simple question I see alain…ROFL

            Yes I thought explaining the disgraceful debacle of MTM costs and time frame blowouts, would be beyond you.

            Well 1 + 1 = ? has “literally” proven insurmountable for you in the past so…

            As such enter alain’s typical reply to those annoying facts and questions = *crickets*

            Your welcome.

          • Glad you agree, Labor costing strategy for the NBN.

            Glad you admit that’s what the LPA did :o)

    • Richard struck out with the first lie.

      Reading is a luxury. LMAO!

    • As predicted, everything obviously A-OK, time to move on folks.

      Good job Ricky Classic ;-)

      • Data analysed is a-ok is it? Have you actually read it?

        Works at a “Uni”. Those that can’t do, teach;-)

        • Never said I teach, assume boy Classic ;-)

          Guess I shouldn’t be surprised, you usually get things wrong Ricky ;-)

          • TM neither did I, obviously you’ve no tech knowledge (light to bits layer-2).

            Guess I shouldn’t be surprised, you usually get things wrong ;-)

          • I think Richard is getting people confused, or resorting to Reality’s tactics of just accusing people of sockpuppetry.

          • “TM neither did I, obviously you’ve no tech knowledge (light to bits layer-2). ”

            solipsistic introjection

          • Richard said: “Those that can’t do, teach

            I said: Never said I teach

            Richard then said: TM neither did I

            Dishonest, as usual Classic ;-)
            -=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-
            You’re 110% correct Rizz
            -=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

            solipsistic introjection

            He really has his knickers in a twist over the fact that he didn’t know the Data Link Layer is actually layer 2, doesn’t he SC :o)

          • “He really has his knickers in a twist over the fact that he didn’t know the Data Link Layer is actually layer 2, doesn’t he SC :o)”

            LMAO

            Doesn’t have a clue how GPON fits into the OSI Layer Model. Additionally has no idea about municipal broadband networks delivered over layer 2 and its well documented benefits

          • Light to bits isn’t layer-2. Basic stuff, you’re both wrong. Reflect, apologise and move on. Your posts are still there, data link claim pure fabrication.

            Works at a “Uni”. Those that can’t do, teach;-) a comment encapsulating the little knowledge on campuses. The low standard of teachers is a too high for TM.

          • You’re simply wrong Richard.

            Snow Crash was referring to encoded bits (the data layer – layer 2), you’re referring to raw bits (layer 1 – PHY).

            The physical layer defines the means of transmitting raw bits rather than logical data packets over a physical link connecting network nodes. The bit stream may be grouped into code words or symbols and converted to a physical signal that is transmitted over a hardware transmission medium. The physical layer provides an electrical, mechanical, and procedural interface to the transmission medium. The shapes and properties of the electrical connectors, the frequencies to broadcast on, the modulation scheme to use and similar low-level parameters, are specified here.

            The data link layer or layer 2 is the second layer of the seven-layer OSI model of computer networking. This layer is the protocol layer that transfers data between adjacent network nodes in a wide area network (WAN) or between nodes on the same local area network (LAN) segment.[1] The data link layer provides the functional and procedural means to transfer data between network entities and might provide the means to detect and possibly correct errors that may occur in the physical layer.

            Examples of data link protocols are Ethernet for local area networks (multi-node), the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), HDLC and ADCCP for point-to-point (dual-node) connections. In the Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP), the data link layer functionality is contained within the link layer, the lowest layer of the descriptive model.

            The fact that SC specifically mentioned “encoding/decoding” in that post shows he was referring to layer 2…

            Works at a “Uni”. Those that can’t do, teach;-)

            Many people work at unis Richard, you obviously have trouble getting your head around the fact that they aren’t all teachers. I guess you never went to one. Classic;-)

          • @ Tm

            You’re simply wrong Richard.

            I think that succinct line pretty well sums up all of his posts…

            But hey, to be fair we need different characters and colours.

            Q. After all, where would the world be if it wasn’t for ultra-conservative, flat earther, bean counter, cultists?

            Oh yeah…

            A. Well ahead and progressing nicely.

        • @ Richard,

          But but but, it’s good, I, I, I could have written it…

          $29.5B to all by 2016… but alas…

          So yes nice work (not) you probably could have written this shambolic messy bad joke… (gee just as we told you)…

          But +1 for the sheer arrogance and chutzpah of trying to feed that massive ego, all clearly flying in the face of reality.

          Perhaps another pointless, jealous rage aimed at someone who actually had a good plan, MQ, might be worth another shot?

          PRICELESS.

          You’re welcome

          • Perhaps another pointless, jealous rage aimed at someone who actually had a good plan, MQ, might be worth another shot?

            I think we are about due for another one any day now ;-)

        • 29.5 billion for 25mbs for all by 2016 – this is what they promised and have failed dismally.

          HFC isn’t up and running, fttn can’t guarantee any speed and MTM only provides an roi of 2-3%.

          Keep defending the indefensible.

          • …. and Labor are keeping all of that, they at least recognize that the Coalition NBN MtM model virtually left unchanged is the only way forward.

            The FTTP fans sitting in a fantasy bubble since 2013 actually think the election next Saturday is a 2013 re run with Quigley back in charge and it’s all go ahead for FTTP to 93% by 2021, using completely out of date 2011-2013 costing data.

          • Yes reality because they have learnt from the coalition mistakes to changing the rollout and have a delay of 2 years before there only tech even starts to get going lol

          • @ alain,

            That’s GOLD, people who support (due to political obedience) obsolete copper, having the audacity of accusing others of using anything “out of date”.

            Classic stupidity.

            Going by your logic however, if (although unlikely) Labor win next weekend, then their figures will become the latest and the current figures will become out of date…

            So we will then undoubtedly see a contradiction on a contradiction on a contradiction… from you, a first even for the king of contradictions.

            You’re welcome

          • HFC is about to start trials, James…

            If only it was 90’s again eh?

            Oh apparently it is according to the flat earthers. But at least these former 1950’s chaps have progressed to only being 20 years behind now.

            Bravo lads.

            *sigh*

          • Snow Crash,

            I know what is going to happen to that plan if Labor wins on Saturday

            They will keep them going because the Coalition HFC model is Labor NBN policy also, or don’t you know that?

          • “They will keep them going because the Coalition HFC model is Labor NBN policy also, or don’t you know that?”

            and FTTN is winding down

            TROLL! YOU ARE ILLITERATE!

          • Latest polls are back to 51/49 labor’s way, I just hope it’s enough.

            Prolly not, think they needed just over 52% to even it up?

            Still, it’ll be fun watching the LPA implode if we have a hung parliament! The indies are rating very high, so it’ll probably come down to preferences.

      • Someone commented on that thread that Telstra is live, while iiNet is starting trials.
        At least that would mean when ours goes live in 6 months, iiNet should be ready to go.

        Given Telstra’s April $1.6 billion payment to run the HFC upgrade, I assume it’s very unlikely they’d be working to the Oct 2015 (6 months older) schedule.

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