Hi there.

Too far from the exchange

Hi Alf,

It sounds like a few different issues, some of which are conflicting with others.

Consider that there are two layers to providing your connection. Layer 1 is the connection from your home to the exchange, using Telstra's Copper Access Network (CAN). Everyone uses this, simply because duplicating such a massive network would be so difficult (there are 12 million individual premises in Australia).

Layer 2 begins at the exchange building. Here, service providers will connect your line to a mainframe that is wired back to a network with fibre optics cables. This mainframe is called a DSLAM. There are a handful of major DSLAM operators in Australia, these being Telstra, TPG, iiNet (including Internode), Optus and iPrimus. If you're trying to connect with one of these carriers on a cheap plan, it's usually because the carrier has their own equipment at the exchange.

But in regional areas, growing areas, new estates and remote locations, things get much trickier. If you've built a brand new home (which you've indicated you have), then Telstra probably came to the address, with the responsibility of providing you with a phone line. In the past, they may have run wire from your home to a local pillar, and found a spare point to connect you back to the exchange.

But if you're beyond a few km from the exchange, then they may just route your copper lines to a Pair Gain System. Like the name suggests, this is some configuration that seeks to 'gain' a 'pair' without actually putting in a new line (in this context, pair = twisted pair, the shorthand for a standard copper telephone line that consists of two copper wires, twisted around each other).

The most common pair gain systems are Remote Integrated Multiplexers (RIMs) and Customer Multiplexers (CMUX). These are basically street side cabinets that duplicate the services of an exchange, by installing integrated equipment that provide Phone and ADSL (but NOT ADSL2+) services in a compact space. The RIMs and CMUX' are then fed back to the exchange with fibre optics.

The problem with these is that they're only a few metres wide. There's no room for an alternative provider to install equipment leading back to their own, cheaper network. So you need to either take up a BigPond service, or go with another provider who is willing to lease a connection from Telstra Wholesale (at a significantly higher cost).

What can you do?

Not much. You CAN apply to Telstra for a fixed-line transposition, where they re-wire the lead from your house to a connection that leads all the way to the exchange, away from a RIM or CMUX. But if you're far from the exchange, that will just put you in a worse spot, because ADSL2+- only works up to 4.5km (and only works well up to about 3km).

You can have your phone service only connected through Telstra, and then apply to some service providers who will lease a Telstra Wholesale port, when it's the only option available. Dodo (1300 136 793) and Club Telco (1300 106 571) are known tosqueeze good value off Telstra Wholesale ports, even when the customer is behind a RIM.

You could check out NBNco's home page to see if your area is due for a rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN) in the next few years. The NBN will lead fibre up to each individual home, getting rid of the distance issue (fibre connections stay fast at distances of hundreds of kilometres) and also providing a system open to all retail service providers.

I hope this helps, and remember to call us if you need any further clarification or assistance in finding the best plan.

Thanks,

Adam at CompareBroadband

1300 106 571