The National Broadband Network (NBN) is a high speed network provided by the Australian government. The service is delivered using a range of technologies referred to as a multi-technology mix (MTM). These technologies are listed in the services section below. The goal is to deliver an overhaul of phone and internet access nationally with download speeds beginning at 12Mbps through to Gigabit speeds for 98% of Australia.
Who is building the NBN?
The organisation created by the government to deliver the network is NBNCo. They design the network then contract suppliers to build the required devices and provide the resources to deploy them Australia wide. The same goes for geostationary satellites which they purchased and launched so they now sit above Australia in low earth orbit. You will rarely interact with them as they are equivalent to a wholesaler.
Who provides my connection?
The retail service provider or RSP supplies your connection. They purchase wholesale access from NBNCo. Most of Australia's internet service providers (ISP) are now retail service providers on the NBN. Some examples are Telstra, Optus, TPG, Aussie Broadband & Superloop.
What is an NBN router?
For the purposes of this wiki an NBN router is any device that passes traffic from your network to the internet via the NBN. In the past this used to be a single device. However now there is often more than one device. A router might also be known as a modem router.
Services
The following services are available as part of the NBN rollout.
Fibre to the Premises
Fibre to the premises or FTTP is where fibre runs from the street onto your premises and is terminated on box mounted on an interior wall of your dwelling.
Fibre to the Node
Fibre to the node or FTTN is where fibre runs to a distribution point in your neighborhood. Then the phone line to your home is used to provide high speed internet.
Fibre to the Basement
Fibre to the basement or FTTB is used in multi-unit dwellings This is where fibre runs to a distribution point in the basement of your building. Then the phone line to your unit is used to provide high speed internet.
Hybrid Fibre Cable
Hybrid fibre cable or HFC is where an existing cable television service available in the suburb is used to provide high speed internet.
Fixed Wireless
Fixed wireless is used when NBNCo has constructed wireless towers in your area. You will have an antenna on your roof that points towards the tower to provide you with high speed internet.
Satellite
Satellite is used for remote areas or where fixed wireless is not suitable. You will have a dish that communicates with the Skymuster satellites in geo stationary orbit over Australia to provide you with high speed internet.
Terms
FTTP – Fibre to the Premises
FTTN – Fibre to the Node
FTTB – Fibre to the Basement
HFC – Hybrid Fibre Cable
A total of 7 variants of services under the NBN
Providers
Retail Service Providers
Retail service providers are the companies that sell you the NBN. The following is a list of registered service providers in Australia.
"Search by Address here
Wholesale Service Providers
NBNCo is the primary wholesale service provider. It is a pure OSI Layer 2 provider. There are additional wholesale providers listed "here
OSI Layers explanation attempt:
Layer 2 uses MAC addresses and is responsible for frame delivery from hop to hop.
Layer 3 uses IP addresses and is responsible for packet delivery from end to end.
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Layer 4 accomplishes this by using an addressing scheme known as Port Numbers.
Specifically, two methods of distinguishing network streams exist. They are known as the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), or the User Datagram Protocol (UDP).
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