The newly-launched and government-backed MyBroadband site is designed to offer an indication of the broadband options available for a particular address. However, you can’t actually trust what it says.
The site is easy to use: type in an address and it will show you whether ADSL, cable or fibre services (NBN) or otherwise are available. Before you see this, you have to read through a warning which notes that “The ratings that are about to be shown are indicative only and may not reflect the actual speed of the specific broadband service for the address entered.”
This is something of an understatement. For my home address, the claimed typical ADSL speed was much higher than it ever actually is, and it claims I have 4G coverage when I don’t (on any network). For a friend’s house, it claimed HFC was available when it isn’t.
What makes this worrisome is that the same data that powers this map is being used by NBNCo to plan its revamped network, in which existing infrastructure is supposed to be used whenever possible. If the assumption is made that your address offers HFC and it actually doesn’t, it’s hard to see how you avoid being screwed.
Comments
13 responses to “MyBroadband Details Broadband Options In Your Area (But Often Gets It Wrong)”
It definitely overestimates availability of 4g. It says I have ‘very good’ 4G coverage, where I struggle to see two bars of reception, often sitting at empty.
ADSL2+ speed median is also double what I typically receive.
Yeah, a little bit optimistic for where I live… Average ADSL speed is 17mbps apparently, which is a tiny bit above my ~8mbps…
The results for me seem fairly close, the median ADSL speed is actually a bit under what I get at my house.
And its pretty right about ADSL quality for my area, its frickin atrocious.
HFC + MDU = “A” broadband availability rating in my area? Fail.
Yet another example of Malcolm’s Fraudband.
I checked this for everyone in my family – and every single one is wrong. 5 out of 5 addresses I checked were inaccurate.
Garbage in = garbage out and this is what we can expect from the new government’s NBN plan.
Yep E rating for my place. Still seems optimistic at 8mbps when I’m lucky to pull 150kbps.
I think it just puts an A for HFC anywhere there is foxtel cable. We have the ability to get foxtel cable (but have Sat as their is a blockage within our yard) but no one offers internet over it.
the Speed being in Mbps is also really misleading compared to what browsers and sync speed is reported as, not to mention the fact that it over estimates my speed by nearly 3x.
You all OK’d the warning that it is not accurate and based on assumptions – right?
I’m sorry for you wingers complaining DESPITE the disclaimer. Your rants in this case are irrelevant.
Read it first!
https://www.mybroadband.communications.gov.au/faqs.aspx#81
I think you are misreading the disclaimer. The disclaimer is saying that it may not be accurate due to “individual circumstances”, which is fairly standard jargon for saying that it is average for the area assuming you dont have bad wiring, live in a mico-blackspot, have major interference, etc.
Also, I dont see anyone ranting sorry, but rather relaying their experience and how it differs. Although some people may fall into adverse “individual circumstances” as above, I wouldn’t jump to that conclusion straight away. I know for a fact that myself and at least 3 other individuals in the same area where i live (but different streets and different ISP) all are getting around 1/2 of what this site claims, and that is when using speed testing sites, not actual “real-world” downloads.
So, it says I’ll get 5mbit DSL. I get 2.66mbit. I guess that’s reasonably close.
Can agree that it doubles the DSL speed that i’m actually getting too
Seems like a bunch people are getting a speed double of what they actually have, me included.
My parents are farmers, and their exchange isn’t enabled for ADSL, nor is there any CMUX/ISAM remote cabinets anywhere, so NO ONE in the exchange area can get ADSL.
MyBroadband says ADSL is available to them!
If it can’t even get that basic data accurate, whether an exchange is ADSL enabled or not, then I regard this website as pure propaganda of the LNP.
The website is an interesting waste of money from a goverment that claims it can no longer afford Medicare!
E rating overall, says that I shouldn’t be able to get ADSL connection (which I am unable to) but still says I can get 1.5 megabit/s on ADSL.