How to prepare your company for nbn® installation

nbn® business-grade internet is here and the benefits are substantial. Not only will Australian companies have an increased online presence and be able to provide a better online experience for their customers, they will also be able to sell their products to a much wider audience and gain access to new overseas markets.

So if you like the idea of super-fast internet and plan to make the switch as soon as you’re able, here are the steps to follow to ensure a smooth transition for your business.

1. Check to see if you can be connected

The first thing to do is to check to see if the nbn® rollout has reached your area yet. Type in your business address on nbn co’s website to see if the nbn® is available yet or click on the link to the nbn® rollout map.

If the service is available your area will be shaded on the map, or if the rollout is still in progress you should see an expected completion date.

If the nbn® is not yet available in your area, you can register to receive an email notifying you when the network goes live.

2. Determine which kind of connection you need

Assuming the nbn® is available in your area, before you choose a provider and plan, you will need to know what kind of nbn® connection you have, which will be displayed on the nbn® map. The seven different technologies being deployed by nbn co are;

• Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) – fibre optic cable from the exchange to your business premises.

• Fibre to the Node (FTTN) – fibre optic cable from the exchange to a node in your local area, with existing copper phone line being used to connect to your premises.

• Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) – a variation on FTTN, where fibre optic cable runs from the exchange to a distribution point on the footpath, where it is then connected to existing copper wires.

• Fibre to the Building (FTTB) – installed in apartments and office blocks, where fibre optic cable is connected to a building’s existing wiring.

• Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial (HFC) – uses existing pay TV network cabling to connect to a premises.

• Fixed Wireless – transmits data from a tower in the area to an antenna on the roof of a premises.

• Sky Muster (Satellite) – transmits data to remote areas via one of two nbn® satellites.

3. Contact a service provider

nbn co is a wholesaler that sells its products to a range of service providers, so you will need to determine which of these providers is in your area and compare them to see which offers the package that best suits the needs of your business.

As well as the type of connection, you will need to talk to your provider about the best connection speeds for your business, something that will need to be calculated based on your number of users and the type on internet activities you are involved in. Other factors to discuss will include;

• Compatibility of your existing equipment with the nbn®, including emergency alarms and switches (which will need to be registered with the nbn® to determine compatibility).

• Location of your connection – where the nbn® will enter your premises (requires a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, close to a power supply).

• Additional equipment (i.e. whether any additional wiring will need to be installed or additional equipment purchased for phone and internet services).

Aussie Broadband is a nbn co nbn® internet provider. Contact us here for a free consultation.

4. Have your network installed

Once you’ve settled on an nbn® plan with your service provider, they will arrange for your connection to be installed by an nbn co approved technician.

You should keep your current internet connection active until your new nbn® service is up and running in case there are any problems or delays.

While your service provider will try and arrange the earliest available appointment date, wait times can be up to three weeks, depending on the availability of the nbn co approved technicians in your area.

5. Have a redundancy plan in place

Once your nbn® connection is up and running, you will be able to enjoy fast connectivity and access to a range of technologies that can take your business to a whole new level. But it’s important to remember that outages are an inevitable part of operating online.

They can be caused by a variety of natural and man-made circumstances, but if your business can’t afford to be offline for any length of time, you should consider building a contingency plan into your nbn® upgrade in one of the following ways;

• Have two delivery methods (i.e. two physically separate lines where the nbn® enters your premises)

• Have two service providers (sign up with two separate ISPs, so if one network goes down, the other will still be operational)

• Have two connection types (i.e. have a primary connection such as ethernet and a secondary connection such as wireless with the same provider).

Aussie Broadband offers several failsafe redundancy solutions to guard against business outages including;

• Aussie Broadband nbn® (primary) and Aussie Broadband microwave (secondary)

• Aussie Broadband fibre (primary) and Aussie Broadband nbn® (secondary)

• Aussie Broadband nbn® (primary) and Aussie Broadband ethernet (secondary)

We can also combine other carrier services if required, such as a failover to a 4G router or a different carrier altogether.

Are you ready to organise your nbn® installation by a nbn co approved installer? Contact the Aussie Broadband team today for a free consultation.