Bought a House with Fibre Connection - Is It Worth It?

My new house has fibre ready to go. I've never needed it or used it before, being a non-gamer, occasional WFH person.

I had a sparky around the other day who couldn't believe I wasn't using it. What am I missing?

I'm currently on TPG home wireless broadband which is pretty cheap at $54 a month, and is doing just fine. Would you use the fibre connection instead despite the higher cost?

Comments

  • +4

    FTTP is the most reliable, not affected by bad weather and has lower latency. You can send files faster and the faster upload can improve the quality of video calls. You can crank the speeds to 1000/400 if you ever needed it.

    I know people that moved home to get nbn FTTP and some that paid $5000 to $20,000 to get nbn FTTP at their current home.

    nbn FTTP 25/10 $54/m @ It's Fubar or 500/50 $80/m @ Exetel. TPG home wireless broadband is 20/2 download/upload.

    1. Is it nbn FTTP or OptiComm FTTP?
    2. How many users are there in your household?
  • Your TPG connection gives you a slow speed and unlimited data.

    Other wireless connections give you a faster speed but limited data for a similar price.

    NBN will give you a much faster connection, with unlimited data, if you are happy to pay a considerable amount more.

    Up to you.

  • +9

    Bought a House with Fibre Connection - Is It Worth It?

    Cheaper ways to get internet than buying a house, but each to their own..

  • +1

    "I'm currently on TPG home wireless broadband which is pretty cheap at $54 a month, "

    My Brother in Christ, You will smell colours after moving from your wireless connection to this: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/916035

    (I'm an FTTP user)

  • To help you understand what needs to be done:
    https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbn/documents/residenti…
    Where to put the inside box has me head-scratching!

  • I would definitely upgrade, but I can understand some wouldn't if they aren't a big user of internet.
    One thing to consider is that one day the NBN will be pressured to make money, and they will introduce upgrade charges to install fibre and some future resident at your place will be annoyed you didn't get it installed when it was cheap.

  • Bought a House with Fibre Connection - Is It Worth It?

    Sign up a month and see….

  • +1

    @A-H …
    it really depends on your use case (which by the sounds of it not much).
    i'm on 25/10 FTTN - for $60/month … which suits me, even watching netflix.

    I still struggle to comprehend some friends (+ ppl on forums) … saying they're on plans 100-250 Mbps down - paying $100+/month.
    But then ask them their general use patterns == hardly even utilising it to 50% capacity.

    but then - the old marketing spiel - "faster is always better" ???

    Since new house - and you intend to sell "someday" …
    IMO … would probably get everything done now … but that also includes acouple of cable runs/etc - internal network structure (prob too late for that now?).

    • I agree. By the way 1000/50 is $99/m ongoing. Whoever pays $100 or more a month for 100-250 is getting ripped off.

      • are you referring to the tangerine promo linked by buckshot in a prior comment above???
        if so - you should have said so … it's hard to follow your reply.

        With Tangerine … dislike some of their international routes that they use.

        • Buddy Telco who is apart of Aussie BB. Leaptel also does 1000/50 $99/m however only for 1 year.

          Yeah Tangerine's international routing isn't the best.

          • @Twix: ok.

            In your mind - does OP sound like they REALLY NEED 1000 Mbps ???

            We don't even know yet - whether they have structured internal cable runs + network cabinet (internal network topography).
            Then … are their current router/switches 1000 Mbps capable … LASTLY … their network NIC card in each computer?

            If they truly desire to take full advantage of 1000 Mbps == a huge outlay of $$$ … and not just talking about the NBN connection either.

            • @simplystu: No, I never said they need 1000Mbps. It depends on how many users there are.

              Yeah you can splurge on networking hardware if you want. There isn't always a huge outlay to get 1000Mbps.

              • @Twix: considering that they aren't even saturating - a wireless broadband connection.
                + OP said low use.

                to even suggest 1000 Mbps is just insane.

                By sounds of it … I am doubtful that OP has cable runs throughout walls - so yes, there is actually an additional outlay … than "just the cost of NBN connection".

                • @simplystu: It's possible to saturate 20/2 with low use.

                  I'm not suggesting they get 1000/50. You said "100-250 Mbps down - paying $100+/month." and I said 1000/50 is $99/m ongoing. If you had of said 100/20 for $70/m I wouldn't have replied.

  • I moved from a 100/20 plan to a 500/25 plan because of a special deal (saved $$ by moving) and I barely notice the difference. If your use case works for what you have, no need to change. Yes fibre will be ‘better’ but do you need better?

    • Thanks, this kind of feedback is what I needed, and makes me feel like I'm not missing anything. Happy on my cheap and cheerful

      • You can't compare the difference between 100/20 to 500/50 vs your 20/2 speed. 2Mbps upload is hardly enough.

        • +1

          it ALL depends.
          i would certainly say … 2 Mbps Upstream is in realm of just OK - for WFH (10 Mbps is the ideal area).

          but OP - has yet to even say, they have had prior issues … when WFH - with that speed.

          • @simplystu: 2Mbps upload is just enough for a 720p video call. Yeah 10Mbps or more upload is better.

            • +1

              @Twix: NOT all ppl that WFH are on video calls 24/7.
              there are also different type of WFH (again - without OP specifying their use it makes it hard).

              eg. just VPN to work network - email/word/excel/group-chat (== easy on a 2 Mbps upstream) … right through to multi video calls with clients (needing 8+ Mbps)

              and does OP get stuttering / OOS issues while WFH ?

              • @simplystu: Video call was just a common example.

                I don't know. Ask A-H that question.

          • @simplystu: It's actually been fine. Maybe once in 3 months it's taken longer to upload something than it should've. To me fibre feels like buying a flashy car and letting it sit in the driveway 364 days a year

            • +1

              @A-H: Hey - thanks for checking in with us.

              Also would be handy if you said - if house currently has proper network structured cabling + network cabinet / switches already in play … throughout house … as that may change afew things.

              I am going to leave this thread now with the following …
              Think what you've already decided seems like best for you - at this current point in time.

              Wireless broadband does have it's downsides - (even though some ISPS's are actively pushing that more than their current NBN plans).
              perhaps, re-assess in 6 months time … your personal needs/uses.

              but don't go higher than ever need to - otherwise will fall for the marketing tricks of ISP's.

  • +1

    I was on Optus 4G for years because NBN wasn't available yet and other options were expensive cable or slow ADSL (too far from the exchange). Higher speeds but data quota. I found it quite reliable, compared to periodic reports from locals of their internet outages. When a big storm took out power for 5 days, 4G came back up before power did. My reason for moving to NBN was outgrowing the data quota, which is not relevant to you.
    There's lots of good introductory deals for faster speeds around $10/month more than what you're paying, if you're willing to transfer after 6/12 months to the next deal. Up to you if you can be bothered.

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