/ By innoTel / Broadband • National Broadband Network/ 0 Comments

What nbn’s new FTTP NTD and 2000Mbps (2Gbps) plans mean for small businesses

What nbn’s new FTTP NTD and 2,000 Mbps (2Gbps) plans mean for small businesses

nbn has announced two big changes are coming to Australia’s fixed-line broadband:

The first is the introduction of a new “Hyperfast” NBN 2000 speed tier (2,000 Mbps), and the second is nbn’s next-generation Network Termination Devices (NTDs) for its Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) footprint to support this new “Hyperfast” speed tier (2,000 Mbps).

For small businesses — many of which are increasingly digital-first — these changes can deliver huge benefits, but they also bring a few practical considerations. Here’s a plain-English breakdown of what to expect and how to prepare.

New 1-port and 4-port nbn NTDs (nbn boxes)

 

What’s changing: the NTD and the 2Gbps tier

An NTD (also called the ‘nbn box’) is the piece of kit on the wall that terminates the fibre coming into your premise and hands off an Ethernet connection to your router — essentially the modem for FTTP premises. nbn is introducing a next-generation FTTP NTD designed to handle multi-gigabit speeds and simpler device setup. There are two new FTTP NTD or nbn box models with a smaller, higher-capacity single-port unit, which is expected to be the default option and a multi-port model, similar to the nbn boxes installed in premises as of August 2025; however, these new NTDs are capable of supporting 2.5 Gbps and higher Ethernet port speeds.

The accompanying wholesale product is the nbn “Hyperfast” / NBN 2000 tier — retail plans that can deliver up to 2,000 Mbps download (with upload variants dependent on technology). The announced commercial rollouts and wider speed upgrades are scheduled to take effect from mid-September 2025. Retail ISPs, like innoTel, will package and price these for business and consumer customers.

 

Why this matters to small businesses

  1. Capacity for growth and cloud services. 2 Gbps gives a small office the headroom to run multiple cloud backups, large file transfers, simultaneous video conferences, VoIP systems, and customer-facing services without contention. If your business uses cloud-first apps (file servers, backup, CRMs, hosted phones), the extra throughput reduces delays and improves reliability during peak times.
  2. Better upload performance (important for backups and server hosting). While download headlines grab attention, many businesses will see improvements to upload performance as the product variants include higher upload profiles on FTTP — vital for offsite backups, video uploads and running any outgoing services. nbnco.com.au
  3. Future-proofing and multi-site needs. If you run branches or heavy-use office spaces (POS systems, guest Wi-Fi, CCTV cloud upload), moving to a multi-gigabit capable kit today reduces the need for costly upgrades later.
  4. Improved device compatibility and management. The new NTDs are being positioned to simplify device setup and support modern router features — this can make IT management easier for small businesses without dedicated networking teams.

 

Practical considerations before you switch

  • Check your connection type. NBN 2000 and the new NTDs are available for FTTP (and some HFC) premises. If you’re on FTTN/FTTC/Fixed Wireless, you may not be eligible unless you move to FTTP. Confirm your technology with your ISP or nbn.
  • You’ll probably need new hardware. A standard Gigabit-Ethernet router or older single-gig ports will bottleneck a 2Gbps service. To make the most of the speed you’ll need:
    • a router and switch with multi-gigabit ports (2.5G/5G/10G where required), and
    • Wi-Fi 6 (or newer) access points if you want high wireless throughput for laptops and devices. Many businesses will also need a capable firewall appliance to manage security at higher throughput.
  • Cabling and internal network checks. Internal Cat5e cabling may limit gigabit performance; upgrading to Cat6 (or Cat6A for 10G), where possible may be necessary for multi-gig speeds.
  • Cost vs benefit. While the Hyperfast plans haven’t been released by providers yet, we expect them to be exceptionally good value for a 2Gbps service — good value for certain businesses, but it may be overkill for operations that don’t move large volumes of data. Many businesses will find that NBN 500–750 plans provide excellent value for everyday needs.

 

Security and backup — don’t neglect them

Higher bandwidth is not the same as higher resilience. Make sure you:

  • Implement firewall and endpoint protections (multi-layer security scales with your speed), and
  • Consider a secondary internet link for failover if uptime is critical (4G/5G or a second ISP).

 

How to decide if you should upgrade

  • Upgrade if your business regularly transfers large media files, hosts services, runs heavy cloud backups during business hours, or supports many simultaneous users on resource-heavy apps.
  • Hold off if your needs are mainly email, light web browsing, and cloud apps with modest sync periods — a cheaper mid-tier upgrade may be more cost-effective.

 

Next steps (quick checklist)

  1. Check your nbn technology (FTTP/HFC?) with nbn.
  2. Check to make sure your router can handle the new speed tier (hint: most basic routers only have 1G Ethernet ports!).
  3. Get quotes for any required hardware upgrades.
  4. Order an upgrade or new service with innoTel.

Don’t have the time? innoTel can run a short, no-obligation network audit to check whether your premises are eligible for NBN 2000, highlight hardware bottlenecks, and cost out a staged upgrade plan that balances speed and budget. Contact us to book a free consultation and make sure your business is ready for multi-gigabit internet.

 

Image credit: NBN Co Ltd

‘nbn’ is a registered trade marks of NBN Co Ltd

/ By innoTel / AI • ChatGPT/ 0 Comments

GPT-4 vs GPT-5: what’s changed and what it means for your business

So GPT-5 was released a few days ago – what does that mean for the way I use ChatGPT? Most people who use ChatGPT use the default model, but with different models, come differences in GPT’s ability. Hold on to your hats while we deep dive into the evolution from GPT-4 to GPT-5, what changed, what improved, where GPT-4 still has the upper hand, and what GPT-5 does better in practical use.

We’ll break it into sections so it’s easier to follow:

ChatGPT - GPT-4 vs GPT-5The Big Picture: GPT-4 vs GPT-5

The GPT-4 → GPT-5 jump isn’t just about “more parameters” or “bigger data” (though that’s part of it). It’s about capabilities, reliability, and adaptability. GPT-5 is designed to be:

  • More accurate in following complex instructions.
  • More contextual with longer memory and better at holding a consistent thread.
  • More versatile in handling multi-step reasoning, planning, and decision-making.
  • Better at “thinking ahead” — predicting what you’ll need next in a conversation.
  • More natural in tone, adapting writing style to your audience without losing clarity.

At its core, GPT-5 feels less like a “Q&A machine” and more like a proactive collaborator.

 

Key Differences

Here’s the high-level view of what’s changed:

AreaGPT-4GPT-5
Context LengthGood, but limited in long sessions — sometimes forgets earlier details.Much longer context window, remembers more and keeps it coherent across extended chats.
Instruction FollowingSolid, but sometimes misses nuance or over-simplifies.More precise, catches subtle requirements in complex, layered instructions.
ReasoningStrong, but struggles with highly multi-step logical chains.Better at step-by-step reasoning, planning, and working with dependencies.
CreativityStrong at short-form creative tasks.Better at long-form creative projects that need consistency over many pages.
Tone AdaptationCan adapt, but sometimes too generic or overly formal.Much finer tone control — from casual banter to academic writing without breaking flow.
Error HandlingTends to “confidently guess” when uncertain.More likely to acknowledge uncertainty and suggest verification steps.
Tool UseBasic API and plugin interaction.More seamless multi-tool reasoning — can plan, reason, and integrate multiple tools in one coherent output.

 

Where GPT-4 Still Wins

Surprisingly, GPT-4 still has some edges in certain situations:

  1. Simplicity in short tasks
    GPT-4 is sometimes quicker for small, one-shot questions — it doesn’t “overthink” when you just need a quick, basic answer.

Example:

    • GPT-4: “What’s 37 × 42?” → immediate, short answer.
    • GPT-5: Will still answer instantly but might also give context (“That’s 1,554; for reference, that’s roughly the number of minutes in 25 hours”). Helpful, but more verbose if you didn’t ask for it.
  2. Lower verbosity by default
    GPT-4 tends to be concise unless prompted otherwise. GPT-5 can be more elaborate by default, which is great for depth but sometimes overkill for quick queries.
  3. Predictability for old prompts
    If you have prompts optimised for GPT-4’s quirks, they might not behave identically in GPT-5 — GPT-5 interprets instructions more literally, which can subtly change outputs.

 

Where GPT-5 Shines

Here’s where GPT-5 is a clear upgrade, with examples.

a) Complex, Multi-Step Reasoning

GPT-5 handles long logical chains much better than GPT-4.

Example Task:
“Create a three-month content calendar for a small cybersecurity business in Australia, targeting small business owners, incorporating seasonal events, major news cycles, and SEO-optimised blog topics. Then write the first two blog posts in Australian English, making sure the tone is approachable but authoritative.”

  • GPT-4’s Result:
    Might produce a decent calendar but miss subtle seasonality (e.g., tax-time cyber scams in June for Australia). The blogs may be slightly generic without deep keyword alignment.
  • GPT-5’s Result:
    Will integrate Australian financial year timing, recent cyber trends, SEO research logic, and match tone exactly — producing not just a calendar, but content that reads like they came from a niche expert.

b) Long-Form Memory and Consistency

GPT-5 keeps track of more context across a conversation or document.

Example:
In a 10,000-word policy draft, GPT-4 might accidentally contradict an earlier section or change terminology halfway through. GPT-5 will keep definitions, tone, and terminology aligned throughout — especially important for legal, technical, or creative projects.

c) Nuanced Tone Control

GPT-5 is better at fine-grained adjustments to voice and style.

Example:
“Rewrite this technical security policy so it sounds like a friendly, plain-English guide for small business owners, but without removing legal accuracy.”

  • GPT-4: Might oversimplify and drop important compliance language.
  • GPT-5: Keeps the legal precision intact but frames it with analogies and approachable phrasing.

d) Proactive Assistance

GPT-5 often anticipates what you might need next.

Example:
If you ask GPT-5 to outline a cybersecurity awareness workshop, it might also suggest a slide deck structure, a handout template, and potential quiz questions — without you asking. GPT-4 would stick more strictly to the outline request.

e) Handling Ambiguity

GPT-5 is better at clarifying unclear requests before answering.

Example:
If you say:
“Write a security plan for an office.”

  • GPT-4: Will pick one interpretation and run with it — maybe physical security or maybe IT security — without asking.
  • GPT-5: Will ask: “Do you mean physical premises security, IT/cybersecurity, or a combined plan?” and proceed accordingly.

f) Better at Cross-Domain Integration

GPT-5 is much stronger when you ask it to combine knowledge from different fields.

Example:
“Design a marketing campaign for a cybersecurity company that uses behavioural psychology principles to encourage password hygiene.”

  • GPT-4: Knows both marketing and psychology basics, but the integration may feel surface-level.
  • GPT-5: Will integrate psychology frameworks (e.g., habit formation, loss aversion) into specific marketing tactics with measurable outcomes.

 

Technical Under-the-Hood Improvements

GPT-5 Improvements

While OpenAI hasn’t disclosed every technical detail, here’s what we can reasonably infer:

  1. Larger and more diverse training corpus — covering newer events, cultural references, and updated technical standards.
  2. Improved fine-tuning — GPT-5’s responses are more aligned with real-world business and professional workflows.
  3. Better multi-modal reasoning — GPT-5 integrates text, image, and other data types more seamlessly (where supported).
  4. More robust factual checking — it’s still not perfect, but GPT-5 reduces “hallucinations” in specialised domains.
  5. Extended context window — allowing it to keep track of more information at once, making it useful for book-length or project-length work.

 

Practical Use-Case Examples

Here are some real-world scenarios where GPT-5 would save more time and effort than GPT-4.

Scenario 1: Legal & Policy Drafting

You need an IT usage policy that complies with Australian law, aligns with ISO 27001, and is readable by staff.

  • GPT-4: Will create a good draft but might need manual fixes to compliance details and tone.
  • GPT-5: Produces a compliant draft in the correct jurisdiction, cross-references ISO standards, and formats it for distribution.

Scenario 2: Strategic Business Planning

You’re building a 12-month digital marketing plan for a new Software as a Service (SaaS )product.

  • GPT-4: Will give you ideas for each quarter but may not balance budget, seasonal demand, and resource constraints effectively.
  • GPT-5: Produces a month-by-month plan factoring in resource allocation, competitor activity, seasonal demand, and your internal milestones.

Scenario 3: Education & Training

You want a full training package for “Security Awareness” tailored for a remote Australian workforce.

  • GPT-4: Creates a good outline and some training slides.
  • GPT-5: Delivers a detailed program with slides, handouts, interactive quiz scripts, and even guidance on delivering it via Zoom — plus follow-up reinforcement activities.

Scenario 4: Customer Communication

You run a tech support service and want a chatbot that handles complex customer issues while maintaining brand voice.

  • GPT-4: Will handle FAQs well but sometimes slip into generic language.
  • GPT-5: Maintains your brand tone consistently, even in tricky situations, and can handle escalation protocols without breaking tone.

 

Summary Table: Use which GPT model for what?

If you need…GPT-4GPT-5
Quick, simple Q&A✅✅
Short, concise answers✅⚠ (Can be verbose)
Long, complex projects⚠✅
Multi-step reasoning⚠✅
Highly nuanced tone matching⚠✅
Anticipatory, proactive help⚠✅
Lower cost for simple tasks✅⚠

Final Takeaway

  • GPT-4 is like a reliable, experienced assistant — great for straightforward tasks and quick answers, with a predictable style.
  • GPT-5 is more like a senior strategist — it can manage bigger projects, juggle more complexity, adapt tone precisely, and think a few steps ahead.

 

In a nutshell:
If your work involves short, one-off queries or you’ve already optimised prompts for GPT-4, it’s still an excellent tool. When given a complex, multi-part request  GPT-4 delivered a solid, concise plan — but it was generic, and used basic measurement methods.

However, if you require in-depth reasoning, multi-stage planning, tone-perfect communication, or seamless project continuity, GPT-5 is a clear upgrade. It produces richer, more localised, and more engaging results, references (where required), gamified learning, and multi-layered progress tracking, all while maintaining a friendly yet professional tone.

We at innoTel look forward to getting to use GPT-5 as we help customers automate parts of their business. Want to find out how GPT models can help your business? Get in touch and have a chat with the team at innoTel.

 

 

 

 

 

/ By Jane Webb / Cyber Security/ 0 Comments

Common Cyber Threats Faced by Small Businesses

In today’s digital age, the importance of small business cybersecurity cannot be overstated. Small businesses often encounter a range of cyber threats and find the world of cybersecurity boring, but by recognising common threats and understanding their impact, business owners and their teams can better prepare and respond.

 

Phishing is one of the most common attacks, where attackers deceive employees into sharing sensitive information via fake emails.

Another common threat is ransomware, where malicious software encrypts business data, demanding payment for its release. Viruses and malware also pose a significant risk, potentially corrupting files and disrupting operations.

Additionally, denial-of-service (DoS) attacks can overwhelm a business’s online services, leading to costly downtime.

Understanding these threats enables small business owners to implement effective strategies to mitigate risk. For instance:

·         Educating employees about phishing tactics can reduce the likelihood of data breaches.

Programs such as innoTel’s Security Awareness Training is a great way to bring employees up to speed on what to look out for and how to be cyber security-aware, but also keeps this information top of mind with regular training on the different kinds of tactics used and how to prevent them from occurring within your business.

·         By keeping software updated, businesses can protect themselves against known vulnerabilities.

Our Managed Service Provider offering includes regular automated software patching to ensure devices within your business are kept up to date, reducing the possibility for out-of-date software to be exploited.

· Implementing strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and regularly backing up data are additional measures to improve security.

Often, business owners and employees use the same basic, easy-to-remember password across all services and websites. This puts their business at risk; if one website or password is compromised, they could potentially log in to many websites or services. Using unique passwords means the exposure is limited to one service, not all those who use the same password.

A password manager is a great way of using unique, complex passwords without needing to remember them all. Think of your password manager as a replacement for that little black password book you keep in your drawer, only more secure! You can create unique and difficult passwords for each service you access, and they can also pre-fill login forms on websites, making your logins super-quick!

Recognising and understanding these cyber threats is the first step towards robust protection. By understanding best practices and utilising available tools, small business owners can create a secure digital environment.

We would always recommend that these strategies should be part of an overall security program within your business.

If you would like to learn more or understand how innoTel can assist your small business with an affordable security solution, reach out to the Australian-based team on 1300 736 048.

World Backup Day 31st March
/ By innoTel / Business Continuity • Security/ 0 Comments

World Backup Day 2018 – Business Backup Reminder

World Backup Day 2018 is being held on the 31st of March and is designed to promote awareness around the importance of keeping backups of your business data in the event that something happens and you lose information. Business Backup is simple and affordable, yet so few businesses backup their data!

So we’re doing our bit to promote World Backup Day this year and encourage more businesses to backup!.

 

What is a backup?

A backup is simply a copy of your important files; backups are (usually) stored in a separate location to your computer (best practise!) so you have a copy in case something happens to your computer.

In short, to anyone who stores data, especially businesses, they ensure they’re backing up all their data.

 

What happens if we don’t backup?

A lot of people say why?  We’ve never lost it before.  Is it worth the risk?  What’s the cost to your business?  Financially? The heartache?  How long has it taken you to build your business?  How long would it take to rebuild your business if you lost EVERYTHING?!

Consider it like insurance…. Insurance with a car…. You don’t have an accident before taking insurance do you?  It isn’t always our fault and we don’t intend on having an accident.  We insure the car on the basis that we hope that we will never be in an accident, but should it happen, we are covered.

Think of business backup the same way.  Back it up on the basis that you may never lose your data, but if you do, lose any data, if you are hacked, if your hardware fails or a fire destroys your business premise, be confident that you won’t lose your entire business – it is worth the peace of mind.

 

What do you stand to lose if you don’t backup your data?

Tax information, business documents, financial records, customer orders, spreadsheets, forms, customer information that you have spent years compiling and creating. What happens if you lost all of those in seconds?

 

It will never happen to me!

Losing all your data, therefore losing all of your business information and starting again happens more commonly than you think!

Source: worldbackupday.com

 

What’s the benefit of a backup?

If you have a backup, should the unfortunate happen and all your data is lost, you will be able to simply, quickly and easily restore all your data.  Back to business as usual in very little time!

The benefits that data backup can have on your company!

Higher Reliability – One of the greatest benefits of regular remote data backup is the reliability it provides. Remote backup can be automated and updated daily basis, or you can set a time. Because the backup is done via the Internet, should you need to, you can recover files quickly.

Easy Set-Up – Set-up isn’t as difficult as you may think.  You can set it up and automate it; while resting assured that all your data is protected, backed up and up-to-date.

Increased Security – Having a remote backup means your data is stored in a secure location. You can often encrypt your data so only the person with the ‘key’ can unencrypt your backups giving you confidence knowing that your data cannot be compromised.

Peace of mind – Leave the office at night knowing your data is backed up and in safe hands.

 

So you’re convinced?

So you’ve made the decision that Business Backups are a great idea. Great! Not only has World Backup Day done its job, but you’ve taken the first step to protecting your business.

So now you need to get started – that’s where innoTel can help.

 

Business backup is simple

innoTel offers an affordable online business backup service which allows you to store your backups offsite allowing for quick recovery of data for when you need it.

For as little as $7.95 per month, you can start backing up your important data.

It’s a small price to pay for peace of mind – cheaper than an insurance policy (that won’t recover the data you lost if you weren’t already backing up your business data!).

Backup any type of Windows, Mac, Linux computer, laptop and server or a Synology NAS quickly and easily. Set-up only takes a few minutes.

If you currently store your business data in Dropbox, OneDrive or Google Drive, you can also ensure you have a backup of those documents with the innoTel backup service.

Need to backup Office 365 Mailboxes, Exchange databases, SQL databases? We’ve got that covered too (additional fees apply).

innoTel Online Business Backup is your flexible backup solution for your critical data.

 

/ By innoTel / National Broadband Network • NBN Rollout Updates/ 0 Comments

NBN HFC rollout is put on hold

NBN CEO, Bill Morrow, recently announced that it was putting the rollout of its Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial (HFC) connections on hold while it reviews and fixes issues around the per performance experienced by end users.
This move has come about after NBN’s admitted to making a mistake with the HFC mistake rollout; prioritising activations/connections over ensuring the network was up to the task.

Issues related to speeds, dropouts and migrating customers to the HFC network have been noted as the specific issues to fix.

NBN warned that there could be a delay of up to 9 months while it reviews and remediates the network.
A spokesperson from NBN said, “In order to meet a higher level of service quality, NBN Co will be performing advanced network testing and remediation where needed, including connector replacements, signal amplification calibration, and lead-in work as required”.

This rollout largely impacts the inner city suburbs of Melbourne and Sydney but also affects many premises in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, including small businesses that are in the HFC footprint.

NBN noted that connection requests placed before the middle of December 2017 would progress as per usual, however, will not take new orders after this date until NBN is satisfied the issues are resolved. NBN also noted that an update could be expected around February 2018 and during the process, existing connections will be reviewed and fixed where required.

On a technical note, one of the issues NBN experienced was with the connectors (sometimes called joints or taps) often found located up on the utility poles, which connect customer premises to the network. A majority of the HFC networks in Australia were rolled out in the 90’s and early 2000’s, so some of these connectors could be over 20 years old.

Another issue was with the spectrum band NBN was using to deliver its super-fast broadband service. Some experts and critics suggest that the spectrum being used (15-40MHz) for the NBN network is not designed for super-fast broadband and is more prone to interference versus other spectrum ranges used on the cable network (Telstra Cable and Foxtel Pay TV).

Other technical issues cited were focused around those in the customer premise, particularly the wall plates, which can be moved about and loosened as people connect and disconnect cables a the wall plate, making them unstable.

While it’s frustrating our customers have to wait to be connected to the NBN, we would much rather the network be in tip-top condition and customers receive the service they’re promised, rather than a sub-par service.
We wait for further updates from NBN on the progress of this remediation effort.

Update (March 2018):
In March 2018 nbnCo released details on the resumption of HFC rollout. Several changes were made to timelines, however, some areas existing HFC equipment was deemed inappropriate for use and is now slated to receive Fibre-to-he-Curb (FTTC) technology.

NBN HFC NTD
/ By innoTel / Uncategorised/ 0 Comments

NBN moving to Self Install for HFC connections

From the 1st of July 2017, nbnCotm have made changes to their installation policy for nbntm Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) cable connections, notably introducing Self Install for HFC connections.

These changes affect customers who have previously had a Telstra® or Foxtel® cable service installed at their premises, the cable from the utility pole to the wall plate is to known to be in good working condition and is connected to a wall-plate with the customer’s premises (otherwise known as Service Class 23).

Self Install for HFC connections

If this best describes your premise, then it’s likely this change affects you. But it’s not all bad!

Essentially, if you are one of these customers, nbntm’s policy is to now send the nbntm equipment, known as a Network Termination Unit (NTU) directly to the customer for Self-Installation, rather than sending out an nbntm installer to connect the NTU to the wall plate. These NTU’s are essentially cable modems (pictured right), which are relatively easy to install.

 

Why did nbncotm make the change?

There are plenty of reasons why nbntm might have made the change, but we don’t see it as a bad thing for customers; in fact quite the opposite.

While the downside is that you’ll have to install the NTU yourself, which isn’t that difficult, the change should result in customers getting connected to the nbntm in a quicker time frame as they don’t need to schedule a site visit from an nbntm installer, which can cause delays in areas where there is a limited installer work-force, or there is a back log of installations.

 

Can I request an nbntm installer to come out an install the NTU for me?

Yes, you can. However, there is a fee attached to this. As at July 2017, the fee was $300 which is billed to you through your broadband provider. Needless to say, the Self Install for HFC connections option is a far cheaper than a professional installation

Needless to say, the Self Install for HFC connections option is a far cheaper than a professional installation.

 

What alternatives do I have?

If you’re located in Melbourne, innoTel can perform the installation for you at no cost, which includes setting up your modem/router and connecting it to your network. If you’re not located in Melbourne, we can arrange for one of our contractors to visit you on-site and install the nbntm hardware, which does incur a charge.

If you have an I.T. person that looks after your network, they may be able to assist.

However, it’s really not that difficult to do and it’s as easy as plugging in a broadband modem, which you may have done a few times before. If you’re keen to give it a go, check out our nbntm HFC Self Install Guide which walks you through the Self Install for HFC connections process.

Looking for a small business NBN provider? Speak to us today!

 

nbntm, Telstra® or Foxtel® are registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Connecting to the NBN
/ By innoTel / National Broadband Network/ 0 Comments

The NBN installation Part 2: On installation day

Many of our customers ask us what they should expect with the nbntm installation process and while it differs for a lot of customers, we’ve come up with a series of posts to give you some insight on the process and what to expect. Check out part 1, or read on for part 2

In our previous post, The NBN installation Part 1: Prior to installation day, we gave you an overview of what will happen leading up to the day of installation. The installation day has arrived, and the following is what you can expect:

The technician will arrive during the timeframe you were provided after submitting your order. As we mentioned in part 1, technicians may not call prior to their arrival or to let you know roughly what time they’ll arrive so expect them to arrive within the time-frame window.

 

When the technician arrives

As with any contractor that arrives to perform work at your premise, you should request to see their identification. They should also walk you through what may be required for the installation.

At this point, you can discuss with the technician the preferred location of any equipment related to the nbntm installation. Keep in mind, if your chosen location results in what is called a ‘Complex Installation’, the technician will provide a quote to you for the additional costs incurred outside of a standard installation.

 

What will the technician will do on the day?

What the work the technician performs on the day depends on the technology type that nbntm have rolled out in your area and ‘Service Class’ of you premises (the current ‘nbntm’ status of your premises).

Depending on the ‘Service Class’ of your premises, they may;

  • install a ‘lead-in’ cable from the communications pit or utility pole outside your premise;
  • install a Fixed Wireless Antenna to the outside of your premise; or
  • install a Network Termination Unit (NTU) inside your premises.

During this process, the installer may need to make modifications to your premise, including fixing the required hardware to the interior and exterior.

Most nbntm technicians will install your modem/router for you; however some may leave this for you to do yourself. We provide instructions on how to install our modems with all nbntm technology types making it simple for you.

In addition, the technician should clean up after installation and they may show you the work that has been completed.

 

Can I specify the location of my NBN equipment?

When the nbntm technician arrives, you should discuss with them the most appropriate location for any nbntm equipment, which may include a Network Termination Unit (NTU), Wall Plate or both.

 

What happens if there is an issue on the day?

If the technician comes across an issue when attempting to connect the nbntm to your premise, they may need to request to reschedule a connection date & time. They won’t do this with you directly instead, they’ll notify nbncotm of the issue so they can reschedule with us. We will then communicate the new date and time to you.

Men pulling fibre through pits
/ By innoTel / National Broadband Network/ 0 Comments

The NBN installation Part 1: Prior to installation day

Many of our customers ask us what they should expect with the nbntm installation process and while it differs for a lot of customers, we’ve come up with a 2 post series to give you some insight on the process and what to expect. Here’s part 1.

So you’ve ordered your nbntm connection and it’s the day of installation – what should you expect to happen?

Well, let’s first look at whether someone is required to come out and install an nbntm connection for you.

Do I need a technician to come to my premises?

If your premises has had an nbntm connection in the past, you have previously had a Telstra Cable or Foxtel delivered by cable (in the case of HFC technology areas) or your area is using Fibre to the Node technology, then its highly likely an nbntm technician is not required to attend your premises. More about that in a later post.

If you’ve not had nbntm connected previously or never had a Telstra Cable or Foxtel delivered by cable before, then in most cases you’ll need to have a technician come to your premise.

There are some exceptions; however we’ve covered roughly 95% of cases above.

If you’re still reading on, then it means you most likely need a technician to come out and perform some level of work.

Pre-order

When you order an nbntm broadband service through innoTel, we can tell you whether an installer needs to attend your premises. Each premise is categorised into a set of ‘Service Classes’ denoting the status of your premises and from that, we can determine what’s required.

Post-order

Once you’ve submitted your order to innoTel, we’ll lodge your order with nbncotm and await their response of a next available installation date and time. Once we have this information, we will notify you of these details.

In addition to the installation date, the time provided will be a timeframe of when to expect the nbntm technician to arrive. This will generally be either 9am-12pm or 1pm-5pm.

Keep in mind that technician may no call prior to their arrival or to let you know roughly what time they’ll arrive, so we always recommend being available for the whole day in case they arrive early or late.

The timeframe is also not indicative of how long the installation will take. Each premise is different and some may require more or less work to be performed.

Leading up to the installation day

In the lead up to the installation day, it’s best to get yourself organised. The specific things you’ll need are:

Modem/Router;

When you submitted your innoTel nbntm order, if you purchased an nbn modem/router through us we will ensure this arrives to you as close to the nbntm install date as possible. If you have elected to provide your own modem/router, you’ll need to ensure this is purchased, configured and ready at your premises for installation day.

Access to your premises;

Sounds pretty straight forward; however if you’re in a building complex you may need to arrange access to areas like a communications cabinet or Multi-Distribution Frame (MDF), which are typically located on the ground floor or in the building’s basement.

A spare power source;

A spare 240v general purpose outlet (GPO / Standard power socket) will be required which will be used for the nbntm Network Termination Unit.

In addition to the above, someone over the age of 18 must be present at all times during the installation.

 

Stay tuned for Part 2: On installation day

/ By innoTel / Business Continuity • Security/ 0 Comments

National Privacy Week 2017

Did you know it was National Privacy Week 2017 this week?

In the wake of a few large businesses experiencing privacy breaches over the last few years, people are more concerned about privacy these days than they ever have been.

Check out the Australian Community Attitudes to Privacy Survey results in info-graphic form from the OAIC.

According to the OAIC survey results, 58% of people decided not to do deal with some businesses because of security concerns.

As a business, how are you making sure you customer’s private data is sensitive?

Do your customers expect that their private information is secure?

Do you or your customers place any emphasis on privacy when dealing with each other?

A great tool for your business could be the Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) eLearning program, which allows you to conduct your own privacy assessment and understand privacy risks and the strategies you could develop to help address the risks.

Take a look at the Privacy Awareness Week 2017 website hosted by the Office of the Australian Information Commission to see how your business can become more ‘Privacy Aware’.

/ By innoTel / innoTel News/ 0 Comments

nbn HFC for small business now available through InnoTel

Melbourne, Australia — May 12, 2017 – innoTel today announced that it is now offering nbntm HFC connections to Australian Small Businesses.

InnoTel announced today that HFC broadband connect for small business was now available to order for premises that are Ready for Service on the National Broadband Network. nbntm expects that nearly 1 Million premises will be Ready for Service by June 2017, giving the network a huge boost in premises-passed and customers the benefit of connecting to super-fast broadband. Over time the nbntm HFC network is expected to service 2 Million premises Australia-wide, making up 25% of the overall nbntm connections.

HFC, or otherwise known as ‘Hybrid Fibre Coaxial’ or simply ‘Cable’ is one of the technologies previously deployed by Pay TV operators in Australia to distribute TV signals and Broadband services, with most of the cable having been rolled-out in metropolitan areas across Australia.

innoTel Managing Director, Andrew Sims,  said “Small Businesses will benefit greatly with the ability to access speeds of up to 100Mbps down and 40Mpbs up; over four times faster than the current ADSL2+ connections most small businesses we see are using today.”

innoTel will offer the most popular nbntm broadband speeds of 25Mbps / 5Mbps and 100Mbps / 40Mpbs. All innoTel nbntm connections  come with a static IP address.

“Adding HFC as an nbntm  connection quickly expands our nbntm  footprint and allows a lot more small businesses to take advantage of our great business pricing and our 100% Australian based staff guarantee. Access to nbntm HFC also compliments our VoIP services, particularly our Hosted PBX product. With most ADSL2+ connections,  it is difficult to run more than a handful of concurrent calls over VoIP and this opens that right up for more customers.” Sims added.

The addition of nbntm HFC for small business compliments other NBN technologies that innoTel currently offers including FTTP, FTTN, FTTB and Fixed Wireless.

See if your premise is nbntm ready with our nbntm service availability checker.

View our nbntm small business plans and pricing.

 

What is HFC?

This short video from nbntm gives an overview of HFC:

About innoTel: innoTel Pty Ltd is a leading small business telecommunications provider offering a comprehensive range of broadband, voice, data and cloud products and services in Australia. innoTel offers nationwide coverage through its partners and operates its own VoIP network deployed in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.  Focused on providing solutions to Australian small businesses, each innoTel customer deployment is custom built for purpose and aims to lower operating costs, provide productivity gains and  achieve high reliability. innoTel news and information are available at the company’s web site at www.innotel.com.au.