Are you or someone you know connected by nbn® Fixed Wireless technology? With so many different types of connections available, it’s hard to keep track and know what your connection type is and how it actually works – especially if you want to understand how you can improve your connectivity. Good news! Here at Leaptel, we love to get technical and enjoy talking all things internet – let’s dive in and better understand what nbn® Fixed Wireless is and how it works!
What is nbn® Fixed Wireless internet?
Unlike fixed-line internet services you might be more familiar with, such as ADSL and Fibre broadband, which use physical cables to connect you to the internet, nbn® Fixed Wireless works by sending data over radio signals between a fixed location such as your home and a nearby tower. Hence the name ‘Fixed’ Wireless.
Antennas (formally referred to as WNTDs) are located on the roof of your home and face towards a nearby tower. These antennas pick up the radio signals coming from the tower and then send that data to the nbn® connection box located inside the house that connects to your router (see image below).
Announced by nbn® in August 2011, the Fixed Wireless product was released in five states and territories. It was set to become the first in the country to receive the National Broadband Network via nbn’s high-speed Fixed Wireless service, offering access speeds of up to 12Mbps. The initial rollout used 4G technology (the recent upgrades are now using 5G!) and offered greater reliability when compared to mobile wireless networks as it is designed to service a precisely designated number of homes and businesses, each with its own antenna affixed to the premises.
When trying to better understand the Fixed Wireless product, it’s also important to understand factors that also influence the quality of service received.
Influencing factors:
Equipment: There are different types of antennas that will support various speed plans, so it’s important to have the right antenna installed to support your selected plan. Rest assured, however, with Leaptel, we can help get your antenna upgraded for homes eligible for high-speed tiers if you want to connect to a higher-speed plan.
Visit our website and check your address to see what nbn® Fixed Wireless plans are available to you.
Clear line of sight: nbn® Fixed Wireless systems require a clear line of sight between the antenna and the tower for a stable connection. Trees, buildings and hills can interfere with the signal and lessen the quality of your internet.
Distance from the tower: Your distance to the tower shouldn’t impact performance. This is because the maximum distance from the tower to your premises is limited by nbn® to 29 kilometres. This ensures that you are within range to receive your full speeds.
Peak hour network congestion: Much like 5G technology, you can expect to see lower speeds during the evening hours, typically from 7pm to 11pm.
Weather conditions: Aside from severe weather, such as heavy winds damaging your antenna, certain weather events, such as extreme heat or rain, could potentially impact your internet performance. The advantage of being connected to NBN’s network is that nbn® monitors these events and uses mitigation techniques to reduce the impact of the interference.
Speed: Thanks to the upgrades made to the nbn® Fixed Wireless network, Leaptel can offer plans that are more than fast enough for all of your internet needs. Our ‘Fixed Wireless Superfast‘ plan achieves speeds of up to 400/40Mbps.
Choosing Leaptel for your nbn® Fixed Wireless internet
We pride ourselves in being the first provider to have offered the new high nbn® Fixed Wireless speeds, and if you are looking to get connected to faster, better value nbn® Fixed Wireless internet, we make the switch simple!
All you need to do is:
- Check your address: Visit the Leaptel website to see if nbn® Fixed Wireless is available at your home.
- Build your perfect plan: Select a plan that best suits your internet needs.
If you are upgrading your antenna, we’ll take care of everything, including booking your technician appointment – all you have to do is make sure someone over the age of 18 years old is present for the install.
Also note that you’ll need to have an active nbn® Fixed Wireless service at your home before you can request this upgrade. If you don’t have an active service, we will connect one first and then proceed with the upgrade.