How to Check if nbn New Development Fee Is Needed?

tomlikesbeetroot on 02/12/2020 - 18:30
Last edited 02/12/2020 - 18:51 by 1 other user

My house is built on a block that was subdivided a couple years ago, the old house was knocked down and 2 new houses built. We are the first owners of the new place.

When I moved in I was too lazy to get nbn hooked up so have been using Optus 4g home broadband, but now looking for a higher data allowance but unsure if the nbn new development charge will be applied.

When I check my address it is not listed so they refer me to an ISP.

I got in contact with Launtel, they came back to me saying:

"Unfortunately as I expected nbn are insisting on a New Dev Application:-This is not an easy process unfortunately and not something we can really help you with, your neighbours got away with it because there was probably one address already there and they took it."

Randomly trying the 'check your address' on a few other ISP's I am getting mixed responses

Nodeone - You can get nbn at your address with Fibre To The Node!
TPG - Available in 1-3 days connection time
Tangeringe - Available in 1-3 days connection time
Pentanet - Fibre To The Node nbn™ is available.

Telstra - These plans may not be available in your area.
iinet - We don't have any Broadband plans currently available at your address.
Optus - Unfortunately, Optus nbn is not available at your address.

Does anyone know why some ISP's think I'm able to connect and other don't?

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  [Deactivated] on 02/12/2020 - 18:38

  Some are probably thinking you're the other house on the block. If it's never been connected and it's a new build with a new address you'll be up for the development charge.

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    tomlikesbeetroot on 02/12/2020 - 18:51

    That's what I thought but on the ISP's that work both my address and my neighbor's address show up as available, so I'm not sure if they are assuming its the same?

    If it's never been connected and it's a new build with a new address you'll be up for the development charge.

    Is it the home buyer or property developer that normally does this?

    Forgot to mention there is an RJ45 socket in the garage with "telstra" written on it, which made me think the developer has already done their bit with the nbn.

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      [Deactivated] on 02/12/2020 - 19:45

      +1

      The home buyer usually pays the NBN development fee. Renters used to be on the hook for it if they were the first person wanting to get connected in the new property, but I believe that's now changed so the owner needs to pay.

      It's a ~$300 fee or something, just pick an ISP and sign up. The ISPs actually need to contact the NBN some of the time to see if it needs to be paid it turns out, so the only one that has probably asked the NBN is Launtel, where as the automated tools for the others just say that it's available.

      The charge doesn't necessarily mean they need to do any extra work, just that no one has had a connection at that address yet, you could pay it and be connected tomorrow if the work has already been done at the other end. For FTTN no work needs to be done inside your place, so the developer has 'done the work' but the NBN fee still needs to be paid for the first connection at a new address.

      Note places built before a certain date (much more than a couple of years ago) don't have to pay the fee since there was no fee to shift from ADSL2+ etc to NBN.

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      Twix on 02/12/2020 - 20:27

      Check here

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        tomlikesbeetroot on 02/12/2020 - 20:41

        Thanks, when I check that with my address it comes back with the result for my neighbor.
        I'm number 15 and it shows the results for 15A, so probably that's what is happening with all the other ISP's that show it as available.

        I'm thinking it might just be easier to switch over to Tangerine 4G to increase my data allowance to 1000gb.

        • 

          Twix on 02/12/2020 - 20:45

          @tomlikesbeetroot: The new development application form will set you back $600 + $330 for the new development fee when you connect.

          • 

            Twix on 02/12/2020 - 21:52

            @Twix: $300*

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  pharkurnell on 02/12/2020 - 19:20

  +1

  The ones that tell you can do it today - when they come out and see the job every chance that they will change their tune.

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  Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 02/12/2020 - 19:38

  Does anyone know why some ISP's think I'm able to connect and other don't?

  Because it's a webpage. It's not a person actually checking.

  You'll get the new development charge if you don't have a physical cable to your house. Sounds like you don't.

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    [Deactivated] on 02/12/2020 - 19:49

    +1

    It doesn't have anything to do with if there's a cable or not, if the place has been built in the last few years, even if the cable is already there, the first NBN service to the property comes with a $300 development fee.

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      Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 02/12/2020 - 20:52

      They don't cable from the street to the house unless the fee is paid.

      If there's a cable…someone paid for it.

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  Randxyz123 on 02/12/2020 - 21:04

  +1

  It’ll take a bit of sorting out. Really it is the developer who did the sub divide who should have submitted this paperwork.

  Whether they add it into your home cost is up to them but it is the builder/developer responsibility to make sure it is connected. The ISPs can submit a address correction form to the NBN but you might want to kick start that process now if you want NBN soon.