Fixed line NBN or fixed wireless NBN? Telco's deliver transparency

Telstra and TPG have begun publishing performance data which allows consumers to compare fixed line NBN speeds with fixed wireless NBN speeds.

Telstra and TPG make wireless NBN performance visible

Telstra and TPG have begun publishing “typical” evening peak speeds experienced by users of their NBN fixed wireless network.

This provides consumers with more information when choosing between fixed line or fixed wireless NBN. 

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC’s) marketing guidelines for NBN services only requires publishing typical speeds for fixed line services, meaning it has been difficult for consumers to gauge the possible performance on the alternative fixed wireless network.

Fixed Line NBN or Fixed Wireless NBN - what is the difference?

A fixed line NBN connection runs a physical line directly to your property...except for in most cases the technology changes along the way.  The line could be fibre all the way to the premise (FTTP) - about 17% of us will get this technology - but could also be fibre to the curb, fibre to the node, or a hybrid-fibre coaxial.

Fixed wireless NBN connections use a similar technology to the 4G phone networks you would be familiar with. They run from a transmission tower for up to 14 kilometres in distance to an nbn™ antenna fitted to your house.

Below is a video that explains exactly how this technology works:

Telstra wireless NBN speeds

On the NBN12 tier, Telstra's fixed wireless customers can expect download speeds ranging from 2-11Mbps, with “around 50 percent of customers achieving speeds greater than 5Mbps (download)” between 7pm and 11pm.

Similarly on the NBN25 tier, the range is 2-22Mbps with “around 50 percent of customers [able to] achieve speeds greater than 10Mbps (download)” in the evening peak.

TPG wireless NBN speeds