Checking broadband coverage on a house that doesnt exist yet

The Dynamic Duo · Oct 24, 2007 12:31 pm

Does anyone know how you can check what broadband coverage might be available for a block of land? All the providers want you to enter a phone number to check but clearly if the house doesn't exist yet you won't have a phone number!

Anyone found a way to do this?

Thanks

TDD

DeKa · Oct 24, 2007 12:34 pm

Go to: http://www.greypag.es - find the phone number of a house (any house) in the street by searching for the street name and suburb, then go to http://bc.whirlpool.net.au and search to see if you can get ADSL on a number in the street.

It's not a guarantee, but it gives you a good idea.

The Dynamic Duo · Oct 24, 2007 12:40 pm

Thanks Deka, very helpful.

TDD

shanem · Oct 24, 2007 1:23 pm

We are told on our providers website that we have access to ADSL, but when we tried to connect we found it was not available. Its probably best to ring Telstra, and give them the address. They should be able to tell you from that.

Good Luck

Steveo · Oct 24, 2007 1:43 pm

If you can't get access, have a look at wireless products also, such as Telstra NextG.

parker · Oct 24, 2007 2:00 pm

shanem

Its probably best to ring Telstra, and give them the address. They should be able to tell you from that.

Although Telstra have access to more information on the guage etc of the line and can therefore more accurately determine whether you qualify or not, they will almost always tell you you can if your exchange supports it but the records are a bit doubtful... because they then get your order and will see what they can do.

This is part of the problem with the system at the moment. In those cases if you applied through another provider, you are likely to get rejected, but for some reason Bigpond is able to get their techs to go the extra mile in getting you online as long as they are fulfilling a BigPond order. So much for separation of Telstra Wholesale and Bigpond!

shanem · Oct 24, 2007 4:27 pm

Hi Parker

Despite various websites telling us the local exchange supports ADSL we cannot connect because we are on the old "pair gain" system. This system does not pass the high frequencies needed for ADSL.

The area we currently live in was only subdivided and built on about five years ago: it seems to me that Telstra were not even considering the future when cabling was installed and they have also advised me they have no plans to upgrade the wiring in the street. Maybe Sol could forgo a weeks pay to cover the cost :roll:

.

When I spoke to Telstra they suggested I go on to NextG. Putting the high cost aside, tests found that NextG speeds here were hardly better than dial up.

We hope to move by late February to our new house, so I will have to wait until the to get back on ADSL.

parker · Oct 24, 2007 4:59 pm

Pair gain actually divides one line into 2, gaining an extra pair of wires, hence the name, and splitting the available frequency in 2, eliminating the possibility of supporting ADSL. In some cases you can get them to move someone else onto the pair gain device and allow your number to be patched into their regular pair of wires.

Often a new estate is worse than an old one because Telstra, rather than running a bunch of copper pairs all the way from the exchange to each of the hosues in the estate, runs a single fibre connection and then puts a RIM in the estate to provide the last mile copper connections. This is the worst scenario because even though your exchange might be ADSL enabled, unless a multiplexer is installed in the RIM, you cant get access to it.

Jet79 · Oct 25, 2007 7:39 am

We use Virgin for home phone and internet. It is heaps faster than any other plan we've been with and you don't have to pay line rental and all calls except to mobile are included.
It works using mobile towers, so if you have mobile coverage it will work, the strnght just differs which area your in. We took our wireless box (? I think that is what it is) out to our block, and even though we're on acerage, we got quite a good signal. So at least we know when we move out there we will have internet.

The Dynamic Duo · Oct 25, 2007 8:47 am

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

TDD

rellie · Oct 25, 2007 8:54 am

Jet79

We use Virgin for home phone and internet. It is heaps faster than any other plan we've been with and you don't have to pay line rental and all calls except to mobile are included.

We use Virgin as well

It's been great !

aaurora · Oct 25, 2007 9:49 am

Your best bet is to apply for ADSL1 through any ISP and if they discover you are on a pair gain, they will transposition your line (if possible). This may take several weeks.

A better website for this discussion is http://forums.whirlpool.net.au and check out Rim Port Hell in New Estate in the Broadband General forum.

aaurora · Oct 25, 2007 10:39 am

DeKa

Go to: http://www.greypag.es - find the phone number of a house (any house) in the street by searching for the street name and suburb, then go to http://bc.whirlpool.net.au and search to see if you can get ADSL on a number in the street.

It's not a guarantee, but it gives you a good idea.

That greypag.es site is pretty interesting! I think it's illegal, though??

DeKa · Oct 25, 2007 11:30 am

Don't know - but it works!

double07 · Oct 26, 2007 6:21 pm

aaurora

DeKa

Go to: http://www.greypag.es - find the phone number of a house (any house) in the street by searching for the street name and suburb, then go to http://bc.whirlpool.net.au and search to see if you can get ADSL on a number in the street.

It's not a guarantee, but it gives you a good idea.

That greypag.es site is pretty interesting! I think it's illegal, though??

I don't think it's illegal but telstra/sensis believe it's copyright infringement. I find it pretty handy though.

Yak_Chat · Oct 26, 2007 6:39 pm

Quote:

I don't think it's illegal but telstra/sensis believe it's copyright infringement. I find it pretty handy though.

I reckon it might be owned by Telstra originally - given the histrorical stuff I found there.

Sort of gives it away that they are treading a fine line - hosting under a spanish domain registry.
Steve

mudtrilogy · Oct 26, 2007 7:22 pm

The only way for Telstra to upgrade the pair gain setup is for another provider to provide services and therefore be able to bypass Telstra.

Send Sol back to where he came from!

aaurora · Oct 27, 2007 9:10 pm

mudtrilogy

The only way for Telstra to upgrade the pair gain setup is for another provider to provide services and therefore be able to bypass Telstra.

OR to get the line transpositions OFF pain gains. Which can be done!

DeKa · Nov 25, 2007 10:04 pm

mudtrilogy

The only way for Telstra to upgrade the pair gain setup is for another provider to provide services and therefore be able to bypass Telstra.

You're wrong. Other providers (eg iiNet/Optus/TPG) only install hardware in phone exchanges. If there is pair gain, there is nothing any of those other carriers can do to get DSL out to houses in those areas.

mudtrilogy · Nov 25, 2007 10:26 pm

Going through iiNET or TPG does not bypass Telstra as the use the wholesale service provided by Telstra.

If Optus were to lay cable in our area like they did when pay tv first came out you would see Telstra upgrade their service so not to lose market share.

Hopefully Rudd's plan for world class high speed broadband will fix this.