Categories: Technology

Gigabit Internet & Speeding Up Your Connection

Depending on where in Australia you live, what type of physical connection you have to the NBN at your residence, and the level of congestion your NBN provider is experiencing, you might be underwhelmed by the internet speeds and wondering if it’s just you – an emperor’s new clothes syndrome in which we’ve been told the NBN is meant to be an optimal experience using the internet.

It’s true that pre-NBN Netflix did not even see Australia as a viable market for their streaming service, but even today, Australia’s overall internet speed has still been ranked the fourth slowest OECD country in the world, let alone if you find yourself on the wrong side of luck with the inconsistencies of NBN speeds.

You might be wondering if there’s anything you can do about this. The fastest option that is widely available at the moment would be gigabit Internet, which is a speed often hit by a variety of NBN alternatives.

There is quite a good chance you might be able to access gigabit internet if you already have a strong fibre-optic connection. However, your type of NBN connection might make this difficult.

For example, Fibre to the Building (FTTB) and Fibre to the Node (FTTN) connections may be too slow for the faster NBN connections, though it is often possible to pay to switch to Fibre to Premises (FTTP) for those that are interested in working with a faster NBN alternative provider.

When we refer to NBN alternatives, this is because much of the actual NBN network in Australia was developed cheaply using outdated technology.

NBN infrastructure is comprised of a combination of high-speed fibre optic cables and older copper wires which can place physical limitations on how fast your internet can go, even on the highest possible plan.

IMAGE: UNSPLASH

What Household Issues Can Cause Slow Internet?

Before you sign yourself up for a new plan, it is good to eliminate other sources of slow internet as the culprit.

For example, an old router or faulty router, a poor wifi signal, or issues specific to your devices can all contribute to slow internet speeds, and fixing them will ensure that your new plan provides as fast a service as possible.

There are many issues that can lead to poor internet which may not be directly relevant to your connection itself, which include

The other thing is to consider your use case and decide what kind of speeds you need.

On the one hand, it’s true that many users will be fine with slower speeds for certain purposes, but on the other hand, global companies that provide services on the internet might not care to cater to the lowest common denominator, especially if you’re into gaming or a scenario that requires high upload speeds, or the use of other high bandwidth applications you rely on for business purposes or anything else.

In most scenarios, the fastest possible speeds available might be worth the investment to you as an individual or to your business.

Finally, keep in mind that for many of us our internet plan isn’t something we really want to skimp on if it means having to risk a slow or unreliable connection, because internet for many people is the way we make our income.

Now that remote or hybrid work is normal, it’s mission-critical for many people to have reliable internet so they can perform at work.

Once this basis is achieved, you can be frugal in other areas of life, and you can use your good internet connection to help hunt for bargains.

It is likely that you’ll also be able to deduct some of your work-based internet usage on your tax return, so if unreliable internet is contributing to stress at work or a lack of productivity, it is worth keeping an open mind about the faster speeds available in Australia.