The truth about Aust broadband technologies

Cable modems use the Hybrid Fibre Coaxial networks laid by cable TV providers to transfer data at broadband rates. Although a cable modem modulates and demodulates between the analog cable medium and your PC's digital signals, it is a far more complex technology than a telephone modem.

A cable modem has two connections, one to the cable wall outlet and the other to your PC. The cable modem can be either an external or internal device with the former connecting to your PC with either the USB port or 10BaseT Ethernet. And, like ADSL, the cable modem is permanently connected to the network.

It's common knowledge that the speed of your cable modem depends largely on how many subscribers on your street (or in your node of the network) are currently online, as you all share a chunk of bandwidth. So, the more users online, the smaller your chunklet will be.

However, it is a misconception that the cable TV subscribers on your street also steal your cable modem's bandwidth: the different services within the physical cable are frequency divided. Your cable modem's upstream and downstream channels each have a dedicated frequency band that is completely different from the frequency bands allocated to cable TV.

Vendor-quoted cable speeds range from 256Kbps to 2Mbps downstream and 64Kbps to 128Kbps upstream--obviously the reality depends on the time of day you use the service and the load or number of subscribers connected at the time.

Some vendors, such as Optus, are hesitant to give firm download speeds but from other sources we are under the impression that it is in the region of 2Mbps. It is interesting to note that the DOCSIS standard--currently used on Optus' and Telstra's networks--allows for maximum cable speeds up to 10Mbps.

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I was sure you couldn't get T1 ...Anonymous -- 25/11/01

I was sure you couldn't get T1 and T3 services in Australia, that it's a US standard, instead we have 2Mb links instead of their 1.54 ?

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yeah daniel, the author obviou ...Anonymous -- 26/11/01

yeah daniel, the author obviously transcribed some part of an US based article about broadband.
We use EUROPEAN standards here on Oz. eg: ISDN is ETSI based (ISDN3) as opposed to the dozens of US IDSN standards.

Also, in Oz, we have E1 (2Mbps) and E3 (45/34Mbps) leased lines.

Also, the only ATM offerings here are:
VBR-RT (Variable Bit Rate - Real Time) and
VBR-NRT (VBR- Non Real Time) and
CBR (Constant Bit Rate).

I'm also surprised that they didn't mention Frame Relay (an EXTREMELY POPULAR service here, and in some cases WAY CHEAPER than leased lines).

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There's a simpler way to calcu ...Anonymous -- 26/11/01

There's a simpler way to calculate if you're ready for broadband or not.
Work out how much money it's costing you per month for your Internet connection. For a lot of people these days, that's a second phone line rental charge plus the cost of the phone calls to the ISP plus the ISP costs. Don't forget, you pay for 1 phone call every time you connect to your ISP and that doesn't take into account those sometimes frequent drop-outs that happen during an Internet session causing a subsequent phone call.
I switched to broadband when the costs per month were about equal. The benefits far outweighed the initial setup cost.
For people with only 1 phone line and relatively frequent Internet use, the cost will be harder to work out but you also have to take into account the hassle of tying up the phone when using the Internet.
Of course, you need to factor in the cost of the cable modem and/or installation charges but I haven't looked back.
Broadband has been a real hit at home.
I've had 4 computers using the net simultaneously using nothing more sophisticated than an Ethernet connection via coax cable and Windows 98SE Internet Connection Sharing...all without any negligible notice in speed degradation.
Oh, and I do heartily agree that you need Firewall software and Anti-Virus software in the broadband world. It's sad but true that this is required judging by the number of hits that Zone Alarm reports on my PC.

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I agree with Al, but the unfor ...Jason Hall -- 27/11/01

I agree with Al, but the unfortunate truth in Australia is that unless your in a capital city (and one of the lucky suberbs at that) cable is but an idle wish. ADSL is useful, but until the price becomes reasonable (and service stable and in more areas) its a joke. ISDN is more expensive than most small / home businesses can afford also.

We can mostly thank Telstra for out great broadband coverage. Thank god I live in the smart country (oops, the government is about to sell that too..).

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JASON UR WRONG. IT MUST BE WHE ...Anonymous -- 02/12/01

JASON UR WRONG.
IT MUST BE WHERE YOU LIVE THAT DELAYS ELECTION NEWS, THE ALP LOST THE ELECTION SO YOU CAN SLEEP EASY TONIGHT, AUSTRALIA WILL NOT BE SOLD AFTER ALL AND WE CAN CONSIDER OURSELVES THE LUCKY COUNTRY AGAIN.

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Malcolm, everything that the g ...Anonymous -- 03/12/01

Malcolm, everything that the government (now in) can lay their greazy hands on will be sold. You have no idea what service in the country is like, otherwise you would also be against the further sale of telstra. Without government ownership, there is two options.

i) High government interference in private enterprise, ensuring telstra keeps up it's commitment to rural australia at high costs, whilst it's competitors take "the cherries" in easy to maintain areas;

ii) all providors must provide to all australians. This will however place the burden of cost onto the user, as has been seen in the electricty market, where it costs upwards of $30,000 to install a basic grid extension of a kilometer for a single user.

So sit down, shut up, hold onto your manager's salary, & get ready for a bumpy ride as the country goes down the toilet, from potentially smart nation, to "you got maney, you can do anything. If your poor, it's your own fault & we wont do **** for you"

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satellite internet Anonymous -- 05/07/08

Just for your info we have just got satellite in rural vic. free hookup because of inability to get cable broadband.we currently get 100mbps speed. however our download content seems to be totally out of control without any music or video downloading. not sure why.either way the speed and quality are ecceptional. Paul

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