Fixing a Month-Long NBN FTTC Issue: The Shocking Discovery at the Customer's Home

[@lohnro]

Privatization has destroyed this country. Thanks again, Jason

[@SECUREACOM]

No worries mate

[@Big-Show1]

It actually hasn't. Most of the shit work is done by Telecom old boys 🤣

[@mcdazz2011]

@@Big-Show1 - yeah, nah. Not sure what you're smoking, but I wouldn't be touching it.

[@woopimagpie]

Yeah I dunno. With all the problems we had getting out NBN to work reliably the only tech worth a damn was a private contractor.

[@Flash_AU]

@@Big-Show1 na mate. no clue what your talking about. my partner works in the fiber industry and is always telling me how crap some of the contractors work is.

[@James_Bowie]

Moons ago, in a distant place and time, technicians were actually trained and well knew how to cable and label Krone blocks neatly and correctly.

[@MegaDraadloos]

That was many moons ago....

[@braveworld2707]

I had a mate working for Telstra and in *seven years* he never had a job he attended ever need to have someone else go and do remedial work on his repair.

[@ehsnils]

And knowing which way to turn the Krone tool.

[@SECUREACOM]

Its sad hey. We are so far behind now. No one know how bad things really are.

[@Subgunman]

I doesn’t mater if it’s a Krone or 66 block, I see this mess everywhere.

[@JustVideos194]

You know it's a mess when even the ant's don't want any part of it :)

[@SECUREACOM]

Ha ha ha true

[@260bossute]

looked like fire ants.

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@TheChipmunk2008]

@@260bossute if they let these guys loose on 240 it would be fire ants

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@malcolmlewis3239]

As a retired Telstra engineer, all I can say is how unprofessional all that wiring including what is in the pits is. Hats off to the guy doing the diagnosis trying to sort out that mess. If it was neat, tidy and correctly labelled it would be so much easier.

[@SECUREACOM]

@malcolmlewis3239 Thanks so much for your comment, especially coming from someone with your background as a retired Telstra engineer. It’s definitely frustrating to deal with such unprofessional wiring, both in the pits and beyond. A neat, tidy, and properly labelled setup would make a world of difference and save so much time and effort in diagnosing and fixing issues. I appreciate the recognition-it’s a challenge, but it’s worth it to get things sorted for the customer. Thanks again for your support and for watching!

[@Crazy--Clown]

Hold on...... Didn't the Aus Gov pay alot of $$$$ for this Ex Tel$tra mess? I've seen Tel$tra techs back in the days wrap plastic shopping bags around terminations and wiring looms in pits.

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@blordo]

​@@Crazy--Clown One politician described the amount as treasonous.

[@MeusliCat]

It's such a relief when you finally get someone who knows what he's doing

[@GavinDavies-tc6yn]

Years ago the phone line and internet would stop working evry time it rained. The engineer would come out a week later and would say it works fine! In the end, I got the hose pipe out and watered the manhole cover before the engineer came out so he would realise the problem. Anyway, it worked as the engineer said the drain was blocked and the pit would fill up with water, and short the phone lines. He just removed the debris and worked fine for as long as we lived there.

[@SECUREACOM]

@GavinDavies-tc6yn That’s quite the story! Sometimes you’ve got to get creative to make sure the problem is understood. It’s frustrating when issues only show up under specific conditions, and it sounds like your hose pipe trick did the job perfectly. Glad to hear the engineer was able to sort it out once they saw the problem firsthand. Thanks for sharing your experience and for watching!

[@TerryJonesPrinterRepairs]

Had to laugh when this video came up in my suggested videos. Every part of that installation is just wrong. Who the hell mounts a termination board open to the elements directly into brick work which sucks moisture out of the ground. Absolutely shoddy. Should have checked the address to see if they can access the free fibre install that's available now we have a Labor Government.

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@philgray3443]

We had the same problem. Whenever it rained in Mount Isa, (twice in 5 years) our phone went whacko. Telstra could find no problems. I went under our house and found the phone cable was joined by stapling the bare wires to a floor joist which was damp when it rained. The wires weren't twisted together just held by staples. The office kind.

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@muzzaresarf5038]

Finally, someone who understands and knows how to diagnose NBN faults. Great work Jason, you need a pay rise🧐🇦🇺

[@SECUREACOM]

Thanks Muzza

[@downundarob]

Thanks Malcolm Turnbull for that mess.

[@georgesutter2256]

Turd bull………..turd =shit and the bull you know

[@SECUREACOM]

So bad hey

[@SenatorBanana]

don't forget Tone and Rupert

[@NewtonDurham]

Malcolm Turnbull wanted (and he's on record saying this before and after he became PM) FTTP to every house. He wanted what Labor were proposing. He got outvoted by his own party room when they came to power.

[@stephengentle2815]

What a waste of money FTTN and FTTC were. All the infrastructure was well past its use-by date ten years ago, let alone today. Absolute false economy. To think they pulled a new lead-in when it would have cost the same to pull a new fibre cable 🤦‍♂️

[@braveworld2707]

When Ziggy was head of Hellstra he said the copper was on it's last legs. When he was appointed to NBN Co the copper miraculously suddely became *robust.* He was just a lying shill for the LIEberal COALition government and would obediently lie repeating what they told him to say. Did the same about nuclear power too. He should have been ejected from the country when the _Three Amigos_ were sent packing.

[@SECUREACOM]

@stephengentle2815 Couldn't agree more. It’s frustrating to see so much money poured into outdated infrastructure when fibre would have been the better long-term solution. The decisions made really do feel like a false economy, especially when you consider the minimal cost difference for a much better outcome. Thanks for your comment and for watching-hopefully, we’ll see more sensible choices in the future!

[@adamarzo559]

The fact that we are supposed to be a leading country but we're always picking up the scrabs is hilarious. Every other developed, and some undeveloped, have access to 10gb connections. We're hard limited to 2.4gbps until they upgrade the system that feels like they just put in... Most of my 20s I was stuck on horrific internet just on the edges of Sydney. Finally have 1gbps speeds in my 30s. Someone will look back at this and think just how fossilized we were compared to the rest of the developed word.

[@philgray3443]

Thank you Malcolm Turnbull! So how did the British Virgin Islands business and corporate tax cuts go?

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

The point most people miss, is that FTTN was supposed to get all the backbone infrastructure up and running, before connecting high speed customers. Doing the backbone at the same time as the customer connections just meant customers were paying for premium connections to slower networks, then copping outages as the network got work done on it. It was like they were putting the plaster and tiles on, before the frame was finished, and now people whine that the walls aren't straight. Most people, never use the full bandwidth of the FTTP anyway. It's really only large families, businesses, professional gamers, and content producers, that can take advantage of the top teir of speeds and still get value for money from them. FTTN is capable of servicing the other 90%, with ease, IFF it's installed properly.

[@banksiasong]

This is very sad. Government Telecom technicians used to be highly qualified and took pride in their work. Then with the sale off of Telstra, we got private johnnies straight off the boat who neither could or cared about telecommunications work. Thanks for helping these people who’ve been strung along by both NBN and iinet.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @banksiasong, It is indeed sad to see the decline in quality since the privatisation of Telstra. The government telecom technicians really did take pride in their work, and that level of expertise is sorely missed. The shift to private contractors has unfortunately brought in a lot of unqualified individuals who don’t have the same commitment to the job. I’m just glad I could help these people after they were let down by both NBN and iiNet. Thanks for your comment and for recognizing the importance of quality workmanship. Cheers, Jason

[@HughCStevenson1]

I have a FTTN HFC nbn connection. I had 3 contractors come and try to connect it when we moved in. It was supposedly nbn ready so we could not use the aerial cable from Optus that the previous owner used. The previous contractors had cheated and the cable was not connected. It was coiled up in the pit across the road! The installation was eventually completed when i stayed home and physically assisted the contractor to pull through new cable to get to our connection box! What a cock up!

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @HughCStevenson1, I’m really sorry to hear about the trouble you had with your FTTN HFC NBN connection. It’s incredibly frustrating when things don’t go as they should, especially when multiple contractors are involved and the job still isn’t done right. Kudos to you for sticking with it and even lending a hand to get it sorted! Unfortunately, these types of issues aren’t as uncommon as they should be, but it’s good to know you finally got it connected. Thanks for sharing your experience and for watching!

[@7divad37]

You are "The Site Inspections" of the telecom world!!👍

[@CarstenBauer]

One of the number of reasons why I left iiNet 1.5 years ago. Been with them for 20+ years, and since TPG took over it's gone downhill. And the email service loss was the final straw. Launtel now and very happy!

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @CarstenBauer, It’s disappointing to hear how far iiNet has fallen, especially after you were with them for over 20 years. The TPG takeover seems to have affected a lot of long-time customers, and losing essential services like email is definitely a deal-breaker. Glad to hear you’ve found a better experience with Launtel-that’s what it’s all about, finding a provider that truly works for you. Thanks for sharing your story, and I’m happy you’re in a better place now. Appreciate you watching the video! Cheers, Jason

[@allymolly5501]

That Is the same reason I left them 26 years with Netspace taken over by IINET then TPG sold off my e mails, and deleted my website with no reduction in monthly payments .

[@samwilliamson_74]

Yep; same here. Was with internode for over 10-15 years and then iinet took over. Phone /Tech support became a joke. No one local. (And please don’t insult me by trying to pretend that you’re local and saying ‘yes; I’m in (your city) and work in the big building’ (actual quote from ‘support’) Switched to Aussie broadband and don’t regret it one bit.

[@OneIdeaTooMany]

Same here. I left iiNet earlier this year after 22 years with them and internode for my business stuff. I agree that things went downhill when TPG took over. Their support was crap. They tried to tell me that my FTTP issues were due to me using an unsupported router (Mikrotik) and I should get a router from a trusted brand by D-Link or Netgear. I told them it was a busted route and gave them the traceroute info but they insisted that a problem outside my network was due to a problem with my own network. I left and went to Aussie broadband.

[@FrederickStark]

That's exactly why I'm happy to pay a little price premium for AussieBB, when you call them you can usually talk to someone with technical knowledge and figure out whats going on. Unfortunately they can't help get a decent NBN tech

[@alf699]

Yes, this is the standard disgusting unprofessional work by contractors that I have been seeing in the last 15+years. The Australian Government should never have privatized Telstra. I am sorry. You might be one of the very very few contractors that do a professional job, but you are in the 1% ~ 2% range. When I did my Open License and later on most of the endorsements, this only qualified us for work within the Customer Premises, so I dealt with a lot of Telstra Technicians in our large area in NSW as at the time I specialized mainly looking after our small/medium and large PABX's that included all hard-wiring from the MDF to the desk outlet.including Structured cabling and then a few years later backbone single mode fibres. So we were on 1st name bases with a lot of Telstra Techs. Without exception !!!! their work was always of the highest standard and they knew their stuff!!! To see a simple Krone Block in such a mess that is soo easy to clean up is just beyond words.....😞

[@SECUREACOM]

@alf699 Thanks for sharing your experience and perspective-it really resonates. The decline in quality since the privatisation of Telstra is something a lot of us have noticed, and it’s disappointing to see how standards have slipped over the years. It’s frustrating to witness the mess left behind by some contractors, especially when you’ve seen the difference in quality firsthand. I appreciate your kind words about the work I do; I strive to maintain the standards that used to be the norm. It’s sad to think that professionalism and attention to detail have become so rare in this industry. Thanks for your comment and for watching-your insights really hit home.

[@zzoinks]

​​@@SECUREACOM This Telstra situation sounds reminiscent of Puerto Rico's power company, which was privatized with the promise of more efficiency and quicker repairs. But the privatized company fired most of their repair employees, losing the former employees' system knowledge, making the power grid less reliable and slower to recover. The new technicians or remaining technicians to figure out the systems from scratch

[@zzoinks]

Basically, we only had rain and some gusts of wind, and you don't see any damage, and you have to wait three days, four days without power. That's the type of thing that upsets people, and rightly so. FLORIDO: Most of people's anger is directed at LUMA, a U.S. and Canadian company that, three years ago, took over what, for decades, had been a publicly run grid. Officials promised privatization would strengthen the dilapidated system after years of government neglect, but recent data show outages are worsening. LUMA has said improving the rickety grid it inherited will take time. But Irizarry says the company set itself up for failure. It only employs a third as many line workers as the government did. Irizarry said when it let all those workers go, they took with them critical knowledge about how to restore a complex system. They don't have enough trained personnel to implement the processes that were used before. So it just confirms to everyone that LUMA is unprepared to face a serious hurricane hit in Puerto Rico. Across Puerto Rico, anger and tension have been rising. In the mountain town of Orocovis, the mayor hired his own crews of former government line workers to repair power lines rather than wait for LUMA to show up. Yesterday, LUMA sent the mayor a cease and desist letter.

[@ParsoJr]

We are so at the mercy of the technicians that turn up it’s so frustrating. I had 2 gentleman who were over from India and I felt bad as They stayed until 8pm to complete remediation work (I helped dig trenches and kept them fed and hydrated), these guys were awesome. The first tech came and as soon as he felt resistance in the conduit he packed up and drove off and put the order on hold. I’m thankful for those 2 gentleman and I made sure NBN knew about their work ethic.

[@SECUREACOM]

@zzoinks That’s an interesting comparison, and it sounds like a very similar situation. When companies prioritize cost-cutting and efficiency over retaining experienced staff, they often lose invaluable knowledge that’s crucial for maintaining and repairing complex systems. Unfortunately, this can lead to the exact opposite of what was promised-less reliability and longer recovery times. It’s frustrating to see this happen, whether it’s in telecommunications or power grids. Thanks for sharing that perspective and for watching!

[@LS1Cobra]

The issue is likely water ingress into DPU. The recommended install practice is to wrap those cable joints in self amalgamating tape to seal them water tight but NBN installers never follow that practice. It was also recommended that the stripped ends of the cables be sealed with double wall heat shrink (glue filled) before being placed in the joint but they haven't followed that either. The DPU housings themselves are the heatsink for the electronics. After a rain storm a sudden drop in temp of the housing due to the cold water will create a mild vacuum inside the housing and potentially pull water through the cables if not properly sealed. The Units are IP68 rated provided they are installed correctly as a system. They at least have the joints secured on the cable bar at the top of the pit so the are out of the water but a flooded pit can still submerge the joints.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @LS1Cobra, Thank you for the detailed and insightful explanation! You’ve highlighted some critical points about the importance of proper sealing and installation practices to prevent water ingress into the DPU. It’s frustrating to hear that recommended practices like using self-amalgamating tape and double wall heat shrink aren’t consistently followed by NBN installers. Your explanation about how temperature drops and water ingress can create issues inside the housing really sheds light on why these problems persist. Ensuring that the joints are secured and the units are correctly installed is essential for maintaining the IP66 rating and overall system integrity. It’s unfortunate that flooded pits can still cause significant issues despite these measures. Your expertise adds a lot of value to understanding the root causes of these network problems. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and contributing to the discussion! Cheers, Jason

[@iamdave84]

I've come across a DPU with water inside. I installed it but couldn't integrate it due to incorrect PON port (design issue). I was sent back months later to integrate it after the issues had been resolved, and couldn't get it to boot properly. I unscrewed the USB cover and about 50mL of water poured out. I assumed the same, that cool water dropped the air pressure inside and it slurped up the water. I performed a DPU swap and the fresh one integrated as normal. I don't know if another tech or curious local might have loosened that port, or maybe it was loose from the factory.

[@LS1Cobra]

@iamdave84 All 3 DPU manufacturers are having water ingress issues (Nokia, Adtran and Casa). I put it down to NBN install practices not being followed. We made recommendations to them for improved practices that would solve water ingress for all the deployments but it seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Possibly just too difficult for their install crews to follow.

[@iamdave84]

@@LS1Cobra I always cut the RJ11 connector off and shrunk a 2pr heat shrink end cap on in its place. A photo of it was always in my artifacts. Except on the one I mention here, that I wrapped well in layers of electrical tape instead. I expected it to take a couple of hours or maybe a day or 2 to fix the PON port mismatch issue, but it took them over 8 months. Like I said, it was a design issue, no field work required to fix it.

[@iamdave84]

@@LS1Cobra what suggestions were made to minimise water ingress risk? Pressurise the internal cavity to a few PSI like the bigger fibre joints?

[@lemagreengreen]

Exhibit A on why FTTC is garbage and should never have been considered, this kind of stop gap garbage is going to take years to rectify.

[@braveworld2707]

Plus more *billions* of taxpayer's *dollars.* I wonder what the MTM mess price has escalated too. IIRC two years ago it had reached *$92 Billion* which is only a few dollars more than Turbullshit's *$29 Billion* and *DOUBLE* Labor's costing and their plan was *NINETY-THREE PERCENT* of households getting *FTTP.*

[@SECUREACOM]

Yep, its a nightmare out there

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

It's not "FTTC" that's the problem, it's the shit job done by installers who don't give a crap beyond getting the telco's money in their pocket. The whole "I got paid, you can all get stuffed" attitude many have.

[@lemagreengreen]

@@PiDsPagePrototypes It's just encouraging piling mess on mess though. FTTP means rip it all out, start again.

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

@@lemagreengreen If FTTC had been done right, it still would have been 'rip it all out and install fresh'. The only thing kept would have been the copper in to the house, but all the connections should have been redone in the pits and boxes.

[@CalinDee]

I guess its like every other industry. There are techs and there are techs... Paid the same but the output varies significantly. Even moving into my current house, a new house in a new development at the time - whole development is native FTTP. The NBN techo that was performing the connection could not get it to work. Literlly a fibre connection from the street directly to the CTD with a join at the exterior wall. 2 hours of faffing about and he calls out his supervisor. Ol mate arrives, spends less than a minute messing with the connection between the pairs and its good to go - been solid for the 10 years since. The look the old fella gave the initial techo was priceless... I had flash backs to giving my dad the wrong spanner as a kid 😀

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @CalinDee, You’re spot on-there’s a big difference between techs who really know their stuff and those who are still figuring it out. Your story perfectly illustrates that! Sometimes it just takes someone with a bit more experience to spot what’s going wrong. That look you mentioned? I can picture it perfectly-like a classic “teachable moment” from your dad! Glad to hear your connection has been rock-solid ever since. Thanks for sharing, and I appreciate you watching the video!

[@kevinmartin8088]

I had a friend ring me up and tell me that he was having a lot of trouble with his FTTC NBN dropping out. Well, I'm surprised it worked at all. The NBN guy had disconnected all his previous sockets, that were in a star configuration - which I initially thought sounded alright, except that the customer told me that all the socket covers had been left off. Obviously I first thought the NBN guy had forgotten to tidy up. However, how this clown disconnected the sockets had me stunned into disbelieve!!!! The sockets actually had the wires removed from the 610 sockets as were the spring sets! Yes that's right, while the sockets were dead, everything was still in star configuration, except for the last 10mm! In many years, I've never anyone disconnect a 610 socket, by removing the contacts - how anyone thought that would help is beyond me! Anyway, my friend wanted his phones to still work, so I had to reconfigure his wiring, so that his line went directly to the NCD, then the phone line back out to sockets (which of course I needed to reassemble!) on another pair. It took me a while to sort out the mess, but it was working well. At least it did, until NBN decided a couple of weeks later, that the lead in was faulty and replaced it. Sounds great, but they didn't take the new cable directly to the NCD, but hacked into the cable pair going to the phones. So I had to reconfigure it again.

[@brucelee3388]

The ISP's (can't mention a particular name) just want to force everyone onto their private wireless broadband instead of the NBN so they don't have to pay NBN fees. Then they oversell their network and they can blame the user for all the dropouts and poor network speeds (or a plane flying past, a new hirise building in the way etc etc) They also seem to be throttling the throughput at the ISP end of NBN connections to match the drop off with their wireless net - 'You won't notice any difference if you switch'.'

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @brucelee3388, You’re touching on a real concern here. The push towards private wireless broadband by some ISPs is definitely something to keep an eye on, especially when it’s driven more by cost-cutting than by providing a better service. Overselling networks and then blaming users for poor performance is a frustrating experience for many, and throttling NBN connections to make wireless options look more appealing doesn’t sit right. It’s a shame when business strategies take precedence over delivering a reliable service. Thanks for bringing this up and for your insightful comment!

[@breebw]

As a consumer who knew zero about this stuff, over the years I have fixed three of my very poor connections when I was upgraded to various setups. In 1999 I first started, reading about phone connections, to fix the line to a dial up modem. Later it was the cable from the box outside on the house to my modem inside. My "career" ended 3 years ago, when I got Fibre to home. The guys were great and put everything new into the street and from road to by closet inside. Ironically they unpacked the new modem, and connected that to the Fibre box, and it didnt work. The yellow cable was faulty, so replaced it with one from van. And as a matter of course, they renewed the cable from modem to my computer. I hope to never have to get involved again.

[@SECUREACOM]

@breebw Wow, you’ve certainly been through quite a journey with your connections over the years! It’s impressive that you’ve managed to fix so much on your own. It sounds like you’ve earned a well-deserved break from it all now that you’ve got Fibre to the Home. Glad to hear the installation team was thorough, even if there was that hiccup with the yellow cable. Here’s hoping you can stay out of the tech trenches from now on! Thanks for sharing your experience and for watching!

[@ghead58]

We had Indian contractors install fibre in the street as the 100 year old copper cable was on it's last legs. The contractors hauled new fibre through the conduits but totally destroyed what was left of the old copper stuff cutting off about 50 premises. Due to the time lag telstra/NBN had no choice but to install new 100 pair copper in the street. Now have fantastic speed with nil drop outs. The same speeds advertised by internet providers when cutting over to fibre are more expensive, we will not be changing over to fibre and if we have to we will go to an alternative to fibre. Abbott, Turnbull with the NBN stuffed this up in the first instance and we now have no faith in NBN to do anything properly.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @ghead58, That’s quite a story-what a rollercoaster! It’s frustrating to see such mismanagement, especially when it ends up disrupting so many people’s services. It’s good to hear that your current copper setup is working well and delivering the speeds you need without the dropouts. It’s no wonder you’re hesitant to switch over to fibre, especially after an experience like that. The way the NBN rollout has been handled has definitely shaken a lot of people’s confidence. Thanks for sharing your experience, and I appreciate you taking the time to watch the video! Cheers, Jason

[@turnitupmike]

Creating an ongoing industry pushing costs up.

[@borisj4054]

Cheap foreign labour has hit our shores and the rot that goes with it.

[@tomv8952]

This is awesome mate, really interesting. Appreciate you taking the effort to share.

[@SECUREACOM]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@1stArizonaSub]

What a dogs breakfast. No wonder it doesn't work. Kudos to you for figuring it out. I am a tech myself, and all to often with FTTC and FTTN, I see the NBN boys take shortcuts, not replace degraded existing PMG cable, and have the pit in a complete mess, flooded and bare cables everywhere.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @1stArizonaSub, Thanks for the kudos! It’s always rewarding to figure out these "dog’s breakfast" situations, but it’s frustrating to see how often these issues crop up, especially with FTTC and FTTN. You’re absolutely right-too often, the NBN teams take shortcuts, leaving degraded PMG cables in place and pits in a complete mess. The flooding and exposed cables are all too common, and it’s no wonder people experience so many problems. It’s always good to hear from a fellow tech who understands the challenges we face. Thanks for sharing your experience and for watching the video! Cheers, Jason

[@NecromancyBlack]

And that's why when I brought a house I made sure it was already FTTP. Holy hell that is messed up.

[@KaldekBoch]

I paid ten frikkin' grand for Technology Choice to upgrade to FTTP. Sure the price still stings but here I am on reliable as feck 1000/400.

[@SECUREACOM]

Smart move

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

​@@KaldekBochWait until the mice find the opical cables,... or the Telstra tech pulles the replacement fibre through too tight a curve, and it back a month later.

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@tcpnetworks]

what a rotten, rotten network.

[@braveworld2707]

Why are you being so complimentary about that garbage rats nest. 🤔

[@SECUREACOM]

Yep

[@AngryHBadger]

as an experienced nbn telstra contractor tech i could of diagnosed what was wrong with that in about 15min. also anything past that 10pr frame is the customers problem however there’s so much wiring in that place i doubt there’d be any issues getting a clean pair to a socket

[@Rob-pi9go]

I've had similar problems every time I've dealt with NBN and once was without service for 9 mths despite 3 contractors coming to the house.Eventually I had an Aussie attend and found the problem in the street. On another occasion I had two NBN contractors attend and after 9 hours still hadn't managed to feed a cable into a wall cavity but managed to mark my walls with permanant marker and stand on my pergola roof damaging it.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @Rob-pi9go, That sounds like an absolute nightmare-being without service for 9 months and dealing with that level of incompetence is beyond frustrating. It’s stories like yours that really highlight the issues some people face with NBN contractors. I’m glad an Aussie tech eventually found the problem in the street, but it’s a shame it took so long and caused so much damage along the way. Hopefully, things have improved since then. Thanks for sharing your experience, and I appreciate you taking the time to watch the video! Cheers, Jason

[@S.Romanes]

Glad when the NBN was getting rolled out, I live in a 'remote' area - Darwin. We went straight into FTTP. only had one issue since it was installed years ago and that was someone using a jack hammer in the pit and broke the cable

[@SECUREACOM]

Glad to hear you had a good experience mate

[@HikeingiTuP]

The most basic of fault finding. Confirm the supply before looking anywhere else. I'm wondering why they wouldn't do that. I remember going in to fault find after a few techs had been to a house. "tell me what is happening", "i told the others" , blah blah, "well I'm here now, tell me". So off they would go, all round about and eventually telling me the line would go dead after it rained. BINGO! Flat tin roof, walking around the eaves and a TBA 8 upside down on the edge of the eaves timber filled with water and now only giving it line crackle as it drained.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @HikeingiTuP, You’re absolutely right-confirming the supply should be the first step in any fault-finding mission. It’s baffling that some techs overlook such a basic yet crucial part of the process. Your story really hits home-sometimes it just takes listening to the customer and doing a thorough check to find the root cause, like in your case with the TBA 8 filled with water. It’s frustrating when something so simple gets missed, causing unnecessary problems for everyone involved. Thanks for sharing your experience and for watching the video! Cheers, Jason

[@HikeingiTuP]

@@SECUREACOM Brings back memories.

[@null5909]

Ugh god that’s horrible cheers for showing this calamity of a network

[@SECUREACOM]

@null5909 It really is a nightmare, isn’t it? Thanks for checking out the video

[@null5909]

​@SECUREACOM and thanks for showing it ❤

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@boltonky]

Great work, as someone who did networking stuff when i worked in IT in Aus/NZ it blows my mind how often the word clean install never came to mind and found it sad how often some of the contractors that were employed to do NBN installs or similar weren't up-to par...Its the reason why good network guys/gals get paid the big bucks. Thanks for helping people sort there stuff out

[@Rusty_Gold85]

The Incoming 2 Pair has no Cable pair Identification number. The office pair termination Internal at the MDF looks like a fried electrician . Needs tidying up. Do you have a remote Modem to test at the MDF or network pair end, for sync when you are isolating (battery operated preferably ) using a EXFO? The NBN cutovers should be through a new joint over the 10pr Leadin as a control joint that has the Node copper pairs shrunked on , going into it and they should be tagged. It really looks like NBN have visa workers with NFI

[@SECUREACOM]

@Rusty_Gold85 Thanks for the detailed observation! You’re spot on about the lack of pair identification and the state of that MDF-it definitely needs a good tidy-up. I do have a remote modem for testing at the MDF, and you're right, a battery-operated unit like an EXFO can be really handy for isolating and testing sync. As for the cutovers, your suggestion about a control joint with tagged pairs makes a lot of sense and would definitely help keep things organised. Unfortunately, it does seem like the quality of work varies a lot, and we often end up dealing with the aftermath. Appreciate your input and for sticking with the channel for so long!

[@lohnro]

Loving all the recent vids, Jason. I always refer residential people to you because you keep these bastards honest. Keep up the good work, mate, long live Telecom. Cheers Gary

[@SECUREACOM]

Hey Gaz! That mate you have always been a great supported. 👍

[@PartTimeLaowai]

4:00 is that typical of a pit to have stagnant water sitting in it? Can't be healthy for the techies if it is typical!

[@SECUREACOM]

I know right

[@braveworld2707]

It's really not that unusual. I have seen cable joints wrapped with plastic supermarket bags to try and keep them waterproof.

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@iamdave84]

Worst when it's downhill of a septic tank and smells just like it

[@Bobo-ox7fj]

Having worked a little with NBN types I'm shocked that it was put together so well. Fairly certain most of those techs can't even read.

[@SECUREACOM]

ha ha ha love it 🤣

[@martinp8889]

Perhaps the way technicians are engaged is a big part of the problem. Pay per job on very tight schedules rather than per hour makes the company accountant happy but not the customer. No wonder they rush and ‘can’t find the problem’

[@SECUREACOM]

Yep. if they trained and looked after the techs better this would not happen

[@brianl.6866]

Bugger me, the problems we had when it first came out. Dropped out when it rained, dropped out constantly during a 24 hour period. Rang Optus as you can’t contact NBN 🤬. After a few weeks of conversations with “techs” from Optus until finally one said “ oh I can see it has dropped out 40 times already today 🤦‍♂️”, so finally they contacted NBN to send out a Techy. This cycle continued for months, each time a new issue would be found either in the pit out our front or pits leading back to the green box, a grown over pit was also discovered. NBN should have been done properly the first time, avoiding all the issues with the old wiring.

[@SECUREACOM]

@brianl.6866 That sounds like an absolute nightmare-especially with the constant dropouts and the back-and-forth with Optus. It’s so frustrating when you know there’s a problem, but it takes forever to get it properly addressed. You’re right, a lot of these issues could have been avoided if the NBN had been done right from the start, with proper infrastructure and less reliance on outdated wiring. Thanks for sharing your experience and for watching-hopefully, things are running smoother for you now.

[@skippymaster57]

I may get hate mail, but I blame the open cabling licence that allowed anyone with an electrical licence to go into the Network without any Telecom Australia (or Telstra) training. I used to find so many of these shitshows in buildings where the cabling has all been left intact and jumpers at IDF and MDF Krone panels weren't recovered when a service was discontinued. I also blame piano string tight jumper techniques making hand tracing a jumper more difficult. Without any trustworthy records to rely on, it came down to an educated guess to connect anything from a socket back to an incoming cable at the MDF. The game was to pick a vacant pair and go further back from there, 'F' set tone showing the way back home. I have pictures going back 15 years of this crap. The fact that ANYTHING works at all, or as well as it does for a while, is an amazing miracle.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @skippymaster57, I totally understand your frustration, but just to clarify, people with an open cabling licence aren't permitted to go into the network. With over 20 years of network experience and holding an open cabling licence myself, I've seen it from both sides. The messes you’ve described-leftover jumpers, tight cabling, and lack of proper records-are all too familiar, and they make fault tracing a real challenge. It’s incredible that anything works at all sometimes given these conditions. Your insights really resonate with me, especially about the challenges of hand-tracing in such environments. It’s no wonder that some of these setups are barely holding together. Thanks for sharing your experiences and for the thoughtful comment-it's always good to hear from someone who’s been through it as well! Cheers, Jason

[@skippymaster57]

@@SECUREACOM I spent about the same amount of time in Telecom, Telstra NDC, Visionstream and Telstra exchanges, doing everything from network carrier equipment, Fibre channels, Commercial Data/Networking, Cisco, PABX and home installs. Most of this in WA/SA. Though the state may be different, the crap still remains the same. Currently working on Self Checkouts (Coles/Woolies) and Bank ATMs. I had been through the Telecom Training programs from 1975 and the one big thing that I learned is to make the place look better when I left it, than when I found it. There's only so much you can do though. Rod.

[@christopherstaples6758]

looks like our pit ... they ended up giving up then drilling under the road and running fibre directly to the house

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@robertalker652]

That wiring reminded me of many of the comms rooms I had cause to work in during my IT role in Qld Health that I started many years ago. Just awful. But, happy to say that Qld Health has come a long, long way since then.

[@MrPilton]

As a Technician remember you are (probably) the next guy. Labels, labels, labels (photos, photos, photos). Ziplock bag for spare clips, documentation, probe line, spare tape, spare zip ties.

[@davedonnelly8681]

What a disaster. I moved from a fttp house to fttc area. When I looked at the wiring out on the street and the fact there was no eta for fibre I pulled the plug on the phone line quite literally and installed starlink. It’s been 6 months and while it’s no fttp setup it’s pretty amazing

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@morgan_bowe]

"A bit of a joke" is an understatement. Our hitec NBN is piggybacked onto a ratsnest under water! Sheeesh. 😢

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@Bubble0seven]

as soon as you said iinet i was like yep no wonder lol i left them went to aussie broadband and had no issues

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@Bubble0seven]

@@SECUREACOM the funny thing is i had FTTC and iinet stated that NBN were out of NDC Boxes and could not supply me, so in turn they couldn't upgrade me to FTTH. I then spoke to Aussie Broadband and they had me signed up and got me a NDC Box within 2 days and my FTTH upgrade done within 2 weeks. Never been happier IInet are too big for their boots and are very poor i rather pay more get better service

[@edc1569]

In Europe we've used fibre to the home for the last 20 years, recommend you guys give it a go.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hey there welcome. When NBN rolled out here 2009 that was the plan. But because our government are tight, they decided to go the hybrid approach and it been an uphill battle ever since.

[@David-d4k9k]

In most country towns, if you live just outside the 60km marker you cannot get NBN. We live 200 m west of 5he marker and are still on ADSL. Nor can we get r3liable 4G. If you live anywhere other than in, or near a capital city, or along one of 5he major highways, Telstra ignores you. Do not believe their hype about connecting rural or remote Australia. That’s just for the consumption of gullible politicians, and Australians who have never lived outside a large regional centre. The only option for most in rural Australia is Starlink.

[@SECUREACOM]

@user-dd9tc4zz8j It’s really disheartening to hear about the lack of connectivity options for so many people in rural areas. The fact that you're just 200 meters outside the marker and still stuck on ADSL is frustrating, to say the least. Unfortunately, you’re right-despite all the talk about connecting rural and remote Australia, the reality on the ground is often very different. It’s a tough situation, and it’s no wonder so many are turning to Starlink as their only reliable option. Thanks for sharing your experience and for shedding light on an issue that too many people face.

[@RobertOrton]

20 years ago I took long service leave in a van with a cdma phone. I had internet access over the whole country. I just did a second lsl trip my new phone could not get a single 4g connection for about 2000 km of my 2400km trip. The future is here and it is shit.

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@alexandermccarthy]

This is what happens when Telstra was allowed to have an infrastructure monopoly for years, and then the LNP says they can deliver the NBN "cheaper" than the original Labour plan. Dreadful installation! No cable management whatsoever. Total rats nest.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @alexandermccarthy, You’ve nailed it-Telstra’s long-standing infrastructure monopoly set the stage for a lot of the issues we’re seeing now, and the attempt to deliver the NBN “cheaper” has only made things worse. The installation in this case is a perfect example of what happens when cost-cutting takes priority over quality. No cable management, just a total rat’s nest-it’s really disappointing to see. Thanks for watching the video and sharing your thoughts! Cheers, Jason

[@mikelastname]

I had a crappy FTTC installation like this that filled with water and I thought it was awful - until I moved to a country town that has FTTN only on aerial copper that every cocky and galah has been swinging on for 50 years - back to ADSL2 speed now. I would love my old FTTC service back - at least I got 100Mb unless it was raining. The good folk at NBN have been threatening to give us an upgrade to FTTP soon, so hopefully that goes well.

[@SECUREACOM]

fingers crossed for you mate 👍

[@GuntherGlesti]

Looks identical to mine...😢 Just like in India. I ended up going VDSL as NBN was just never going to happen!

[@kevlec1947]

What a F%^@ing Mess. nice work Jason. Stay Safe Mate.

[@SECUREACOM]

Thanks Kev

[@frankiechan9651]

Geebus - what a horror. I am incredibly thankful that my upgrade from HFC to FTTC, then FTTP actually worked. I actually fought hard to stay on HFC because at least I knew I had a stable 100 down, and had so for a decade+ at that point. There was no way I was going onto FTTN - but when they laid fibre in the court for FTTC, I was kind of swayed. Current;y paying for 250 down - and it's been stable - but will investigate faster should a good offer come along.

[@paulstubbs7678]

What a tangle of old (disused ?) crap, good only for confusing anyone who comes.

[@SECUREACOM]

@paulstubbs7678 It’s a real mess, isn’t it? All that outdated and disused cabling just adds to the confusion for anyone trying to work on it. It’s frustrating, to say the least. Thanks for checking out the video and sharing your thoughts!

[@scottgroves6386]

Trust this guy hands down for your fault tracing skills I started 96 doing Adsl n Fibre as NZs lead fault finder with only difference I was the few allowed end to end access You scored 12/10 for this vid Still wondering .... htf they missed that

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @scottgroves6386, Wow, a 12/10 from someone with your experience is high praise indeed-thank you! It’s great to hear from a fellow fault finder, especially someone who had the rare privilege of end-to-end access. It’s baffling how they missed something so obvious, but I guess that’s why we do what we do, right? Appreciate your support and thanks for the awesome feedback! Cheers, Jason

[@scottgroves6386]

@SECUREACOM it was like looking at a museum if you can call that a patch panel (not your fault .... and I bet ya fixed) seeing 2x 64k ISDN NTs I was wondering what century I was in Keep these videos coming as there are few on telephony, data and fibre

[@lugubriousenclave91]

Worked as a sparkie and comms tech for nearly 30 years. Any lead in and mdf and books were for the better part neat, accurate nd tidy, after 30 years, this type seen here of was more common than not. Often found cables jumped in the street or in a unit block on to neighbours phonr numbers, or a 2 pair cable burried between neighbouring houses, all sorts dodged up things.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @lugubriousenclave91, It’s frustrating to see how standards have slipped over the years. When you’ve been in the industry as long as you have, it’s disheartening to find these kinds of dodgy setups becoming more common. Whether it’s cables jumped between neighbours’ phone lines or poorly buried cables, it’s a far cry from the neat, accurate, and tidy work that used to be the norm. It’s a shame that these shortcuts are becoming the rule rather than the exception. Thanks for sharing your experience, and for watching the video! Cheers, Jason

[@Delbzy]

Love your vids mate!

[@SECUREACOM]

Thanks bro!

[@Snowy-r6r]

I chased a fault from an old PABX into an indoor 50 pair that exited a building and emerged from under a new concrete slab as an outdoor 50 pair, and then into a manhole, into a 100 pair, somewhere between pits near an alteration to a water main it changed into a bunch of 20 pair (I could only guess what had happened - backhoe driver calls his mate the sparky who has a roll of 20 pair, the 100 pair has been hooked on the bucked and ripped out of the snot box it terminated into so he used 5 lengths of 20 pair to patch it all up, and lots of heatshrink...hopefully) , around the block a couple of hundred meters, and out of a 2 pit and into some Cat 5 which I then found in a small building at the back of the block. It was all Church property, so I think a parishioners did some "free" work for the church during some construction and building modifications a few decades back, and then it got modified in the modern age. So one PABX line did almost a full lap of the block in the network cabling and back into a building that had to have been only 50 feet from the starting point. I was impressed that it had ever worked, let alone that they had put so much work into avoiding a little bit of work. You just stand there some days, look back over what you're been tracing for the last hour....and...WHY? How does this happen? Who does this stuff? Do they not understand the very basics? How did they get jobs? How do they keep jobs? What happened to standards? Training? Any wonder I drink.

[@SECUREACOM]

@user-jk9kt9dd6o That’s one heck of a journey for a PABX line! It’s amazing (and a bit terrifying) to think about the amount of makeshift repairs and questionable decisions that went into that setup. I can totally relate to those moments where you just have to step back and wonder how things got so tangled-literally and figuratively. The lack of standards and proper training really shows in situations like this, and it’s no surprise you’d need a drink after dealing with that kind of mess! Thanks for sharing your story-definitely makes me feel a bit better knowing I’m not the only one who’s encountered these head-scratchers.

[@isilder]

"bridge tap" is the idea of installing a temporary tap into a long bundle.. Its called a "bridge tap" to differentiate it from normal tree formation of "distribution the pairs any which way" pairs.

[@SECUREACOM]

@isilder Thanks for bringing up the concept of a bridge tap! Just to clarify, a bridge tap is actually a scenario where additional wiring is connected to the main phone line but doesn’t terminate at a device or connection point. Instead, this extra length of cable, or "tap," runs off the main line, often leading to nowhere. The term "bridge tap" is used because it effectively "bridges" across the line, creating a potential point of signal reflection, which can degrade the quality of the connection. Unlike a standard distribution setup where pairs are split and routed deliberately, a bridge tap introduces an unintended and often problematic deviation from the direct path the signal should travel. This kind of wiring issue can cause significant problems with modern broadband connections, especially VDSL and ADSL, leading to lower speeds and connection instability. It’s something that often needs to be identified and resolved during line troubleshooting.

[@sebastianwellington9038]

Since its FTTC and SSS cables near by why doesn't the EU go for FTTP upgrade program. This will stop drop outs

[@braveworld2707]

It that an option in the customer's street?

[@SECUREACOM]

I told them to apply

[@tonyf7997]

Those NBN white boxes give me nightmares- horrible tech and the puts are such a major issue. Starlink all the way and can take with you wherever you go !

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@ChrisB-u4n]

iinet were such a great company. I knew the guy that started the company from his back shed. When TPG bought it out, there went iinet, down to the bottom of the heap!

[@patrickd9551]

That is just horrible to look at. I've seen a few distribution nodes and I was amazed at what I would call a cable mess. But in fact it was a fully organized cabling system and every tech could easily identify what was what. No third party techs were allowed to make changes and the cables ran straight from the houses to the distribution boxes. In retrospect, this system was a godsend compared to whatever I just witnessed. How do you stay sane?

[@SECUREACOM]

Thanks for your comment, @patrickd9551. You're absolutely right-some of the systems out there are truly shocking in how disorganised they are. It's a tough industry, and staying sane often requires a lot of patience and persistence. Unfortunately, we're often left to pick up the pieces and go above and beyond just to ensure the customer gets the service they deserve. It’s frustrating, but it also makes the moments when we can sort out a mess like that all the more rewarding. We just keep pushing to improve things, one job at a time. Cheers for watching and sharing your thoughts!

[@johndale7760]

Can only echo comments under. I trained as a GPO tech in the UK, then as electronic engineer so have a pretty good grounding in comms installations. I now support a community radio station in Sydney. When we switched from ADSL to the NBN (via Telstra) for the station phone lines and internet/streaming it was a nightmare. Intermittent service, dynamic IP address (when static was ordered), and poor speeds bugged us for months, until total failure occured. This led the (underpaid) NBN contractors to investigate the street pits, and all were totally full of water. The DPU was blown (I wonder why?) and I was astonished when the NBN tech placed the new one back under water. Of course it failed again, and this time I helped the next tech bail out the pit and ensured the joints were waterproofed. He was an ex-Telstra 'copper' guy and took the time to locate and rectify other poor connections in the copper joints and high resistant pairs. The state of the pits is horrendous. No readable labelling, which means techs do all their maintenance using signal tracers! Anyway, the properly repaired circuits have been reliable for around a year now, but what's the betting the pit is full of water again?

[@SECUREACOM]

wow! Lucky you got a guy who could help, even if you did have to hold him hand and help him bail out the water. Thanks for sharing

[@iamdave84]

If they didn't fill with water they'd float out of the ground like an empty in-ground pool can. Everything in the pit is designed to be submersible if installed properly.

[@hycron1234]

When I was working for iiNet, I found on one hand you had too many cooks in the kitchen with zero accountability. (electricians, call center tech support staff, iiNet techs lvl 1 and 2 and NBN techs). And on the other hand techs who were completely clueless. If it was me I'd be tagging the crap out of all those cables and spelling it out to them like they are a child. Then praying you get someone half way competent to resolve the issue.

[@SECUREACOM]

Thats what i have found too, If you make it childsplay for NBN contractors (mostly on installations) then they get the job done without complaint.

[@Crazy--Clown]

I'm not Racist but many are Indians and this is happening widely in Aus

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@muchen1]

Legend. Loved the detail an explanation.

[@michaelrobinson9643]

I got to the point where I began to invoice Telstra at my work hourly rate for my lost work time due to having to cancel work and be home for repeat technician attendance on issues I'd already fully diagnosed as NOT being local. Failure to attend, and straight up failure to even check anything meaningfully were the key behaviours that ticked me off.

[@geoffroberts1126]

Yikes. What a friggin' disaster. I see lots of complaints on FB to NBN about stuff not working, think I'm seeing why now. Bloody hell.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @geoffroberts1126, Yeah, "friggin' disaster" sums it up pretty well! It’s no wonder you’re seeing so many complaints-when you witness this kind of work firsthand, it really puts things into perspective. The issues people are facing with the NBN are often down to exactly this kind of poor installation and oversight. Thanks for watching the video and for your comment! Cheers, Jason

[@057rcbartman]

Im not a telecommunications engineer but i am an electronics repairer , first look i thought god that needs to be tidied up , the harnesses and wiring , a mess . makes it harder to trace wiring connections. pride in your work is important . Some of these so called techs dont think in a logical way which is the basis of fault finding. it is like a board jockey , no real fault finding skills.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @057rcbartman, You hit the nail on the head there-tidiness and logical thinking are absolutely crucial when it comes to fault finding. The mess of cables and the lack of pride in the work done here really made it harder than it should have been. It’s frustrating to see how some techs overlook the basics, especially when it ends up causing more issues down the line. Your comparison to a "board jockey" is spot on-real fault finding requires a much deeper understanding. Thanks for your insights and for watching the video!

[@057rcbartman]

@@SECUREACOM all the best from down under , not the pit but Australia.lol

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@ianwild9923]

The back office tag means that the ext 2pr cable run back the old jointed into the new 10pr lead-in cable as external extension from old mdf. The old mdf 10pair cable is going back to joint laying the water in the pit. Iinet Should had been sent to NBN as Test and tag ULL external network fault. Should been NBN tagged at mdf on blue/ White pair on the old cable. Fault probably not jumper at NBN pillar box in street. Used on network faults like that all the time until I retired.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @ianwild9923, Thanks for breaking that down-your explanation makes perfect sense given the older setups. Things have changed a bit nowadays with FTTC (Fibre to the Curb). In the video, I showed how the connection goes to a DPU (Distribution Point Unit) rather than back to an pillar. From the DPU, it’s all fibre going back to the node. It’s a different approach compared to what you might have seen in the past, but the principles of troubleshooting and tagging still apply. It’s frustrating when proper procedures aren’t followed, leading to these kinds of issues. I really appreciate your insights, and I hope you’re enjoying retirement! Cheers, Jason

[@mesodatasystems]

I'm an old PMG tech (yes, I am that old) and ITC Manager. No one in my day would have left a cable cabinet in that condition. The techs (can they be called that, maybe cowboys) that created and left that mess should be banned from holding a license. As to the techs that checked this service issue, what can I say? You pay lettuce you get rabbits.

[@collectivesartori]

Who remembers when the federal government provided basic services that worked, efficiently and effectively, performed by technicians that were knowledgeable and took pride in doing their work and owning the outcomes?

[@getl0st]

6:16 - Did anyone else notice that there is nothing plugged into the Modem 🤦‍♂

[@SECUREACOM]

Ah! I just rewatched the video again. I now know what you mean. Yeah you’re right. In the video the FTTC connection device lead had fallen out. The clip on the customers lead had broken, and fallen out earlier. So when I did the video of that I think your right it is not connected. But my initial test after the first time it fell out, I made sure it was pushed in for the first test. Yeah it doesn’t look good. I know what you mean now. But still it wasn’t connecting, but I see your point 👍

[@isilder]

@@SECUREACOM lol. You haven't shown that. Maybe that FTTC NTD is dead ??

[@wobblysauce]

Ha, same thought... voodoo boxes.

[@mxslick50]

@@SECUREACOM What about the apparent reverse polarity on the connections in the house? originally blue and white reversed, then red/white reversed tied to the blue white.

[@SECUREACOM]

That makes no difference

[@edspace2402]

*No longer with nbn, not affiliated with any Service Provider* When I was working with the Tech Support team in nbn, the only Service Provider techs and support team we listened to as providing credible information and correct action taken, was Aussie BB. The rest were all transactional derps, button pushers using minimal effort to collect relevant information leading to wasted truck rolls and delayed restorations. When it works, its great, but when it fails and you need it restored first time...? That's where you get what you paid for.

[@jamesaustralian9829]

I brought a place with fttp, and as per the moron standard the box is on the opposite side of the loungeroom to the power point, so i have to have an extension lead, and an ethernet cable running across my floor looking shit. I conveniently belted the cable off the front of the house and made national bodgy network come out to fix it. A tech arrived and when he was running new cable from the pole to my house, i said run it to the side wall because im sick to death of cables runni g across my loungeroom floor de-valuing my house. The tech adamantly refused, even when offered 200 cash on the spot. And now i still have this utterly stupid eyesore box on the front of my house, with its idiotic 20mm conduit to protect a fkn 3mm cable. Im absolutely over it. Ready to smash the damn thing and get starlink just to not have the front of my house looking messy, and not have to put up with cords running across my loungerrom floor.

[@SECUREACOM]

@jamesaustralian9829 That sounds incredibly frustrating, and I can understand why you’re fed up with the whole situation. It’s unfortunate that the installation was done in a way that’s so inconvenient for you, and it’s disappointing that the tech wasn’t willing to accommodate your request, even when you were offering to pay extra. Having cables running across the floor and an eyesore of a box on the front of your house is definitely not ideal. Starlink might be a good alternative if it helps you avoid these issues and keeps things looking tidy. Thanks for sharing your experience-I hope you find a solution that works better for you.

[@CarstenBauer]

4:30 If I was doing this my OCD would be going off big time.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @CarstenBauer, I totally get that-seeing a mess like this would set anyone’s OCD off! It’s frustrating when things aren’t done neatly, especially when it makes troubleshooting so much harder. I had to resist the urge to redo the whole setup myself! Thanks for watching, and I appreciate the comment! Cheers, Jason

[@OmegaDesh]

When you picture our internet infrastructure did you ever picture the atrocious mess in both those pits. Abysmal.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @OmegaDesh, It’s definitely not what you’d hope to see when imagining our internet infrastructure. The state of those pits is truly abysmal, and it’s a real shame that this is what we’re dealing with after so much investment. It’s frustrating to see such a mess where there should be order and quality workmanship. Thanks for watching the video and sharing your thoughts! Cheers, Jason

[@NZSpides]

As an ex security technician that had to deal with messes like this on a weekly basis, yes, there are some complete cowboys out there that have no idea what they are doing. I was doing alarm connections in NZ when ADSL was the new thing in NZ. Some of the complete messes I ran into were like this. Some people just don't give a shit, if it works when they leave, the don't care any further.

[@Matin_M]

I've been having problems with my connection for months now. An NBN contractor came out, tested everything on our premises and found no problems. He did find a weak signal at the pit, but later when he was testing my modem he said the signal was back to normal. I explained to him how it's an intermittent issue and when it works its perfectly fine but it cuts out all the time. He talked to his boss and his boss said they won't look into it any further as the test had been passed at one stage during his visit. Absolute joke. Gotta sit on the phone for hours just to talk to someone and they'll probably refuse to fix it again when they're here. I've already bought a new router and a new wifi 6 motherboard so I know for sure it isn't something with my networking either.

[@idahofur]

I had to look up those ISDN boxes. ISDN never caught on in the States due to cost compared to other parts of the world. Now, it is all being replaced with Fiber. The Old T1 carriers are being turned off. Several places companies in the states are trying to kill analog (pots) lines. The problem is due to the size of the U.S. Places that have T1 and Analog phones is all they got. Not even really any cell service. Sure you have satellite. But, that is to slow. The other problem is how long it is taking to roll out fiber and for man years it was $$$$ and mostly geared to business. Not homes. It looks like that Unit can support 2 ISDN phones, along with analog phones and other devices? (Oh, I see it is a phone system.) Anyway thanks for the videos. I do enjoy them. Esp. about the DSL. Due to the companies not spending money into upgrading the system. Unless you are in one of those areas like talked about above. No change in getting an upgrade. DSL is not used. In my area I have offerings of DSL and Cable. Cable is 1gb down. Can't remember how up. Dsl is only 20 down if they have a port available. Fiber optic is not available. Unless I have a business in this area. Then I could order it. But, that is only due to another business up the road already has it installed. Part of a State Contract.

[@SECUREACOM]

Thanks for the comment, and welcome to the channel! It’s really interesting to hear about how things are done in the USA, especially with the transition from ISDN to fibre and the challenges in rolling out infrastructure. I appreciate you sharing your insights, and I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos! 😊

[@simonq9406]

Nobody noticed @6.45 the white and blue pairs were crossed

[@kathrynwhitby9799]

i did.

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@David-lr2vi]

That kind of crap is why I jumped at the chance to upgrade my FTTC connection to FTTP. My internet would sporadically drop out on a semi regular basis and especially when we got a decent whack of rain so when the option was available to upgrade to FTTP just by upgrading to a faster plan I took it. Been getting about 900-1000mbps since the upgrade (probably limited by the Ethernet cable/switch) and no more dropouts! If only the system had been done correctly in the first place like Labor intended instead of the complete abortion that the LNP foisted upon us!

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @David-lr2vi, It’s great to hear that upgrading to FTTP has made such a difference for you! Those sporadic dropouts, especially during heavy rain, are a common issue with FTTC, so moving to fibre all the way to your premises was definitely the right call. Hitting 900-1000 Mbps is fantastic, even if you’re limited by your Ethernet cable or switch. It’s frustrating to think about what could have been if the system had been done right from the start. Glad to hear your internet is rock solid now, and thanks for sharing your experience! Cheers, Jason

[@slimj2902]

Hey brother I always watch your videos I enjoy them, this issue here needs more investigation within the customer premise, do a tdr test on the internal cabling and check for resistance

[@slimj2902]

If there is any type of resistance the dpu port will not go up, the nbn tech are equipped with a portable ncd to check leadin to dpu to confirm no network issue and one it's determined it's inside home wiring that's when they advise of a private tech required

[@SECUREACOM]

Cheers Slim they are good tools.

[@SECUREACOM]

Unfortunately, by law, we are not allowed to alter anything inside the NBN network. That means even swapping over from pair one to pair two. It's stupid, I know. All I want to do is help my customer (I might sometimes do stuff not on camera). I usually use a line test set #2 for insulation resistance testing. But yes TDR's are good tools

[@tomleeroy5847]

the issue is these "skilled contractors" are paid per fault. so its less of a "I cant figure it out" and more "I cant afford to spend more time working on this". As an old Telstra tech, this was a common issue with ISGM techs in the area, they would rush fix faults and anything that took them more than 5 mins to resolve they wouldnt touch because it was not profitable for them to spend time working out

[@GavinR824]

What. A. Mess!

[@SECUREACOM]

Sure was👍

[@Accuaro]

Thank god I had the free upgrade from FTTC to FTTP

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

You can have tech that works, FTTN, FTTC, FTTP,... and if it's assembled like this, it's never going to be "The worlds fastest internet' as Stephen Conroy claimed it would be when started. All those pits need to be stripped, sealed, and re-installed from scratch, same with that downstairs break out point.

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @PiDsPagePrototypes, You’re absolutely right-no matter how advanced the technology, if it’s put together poorly, it’s never going to live up to its potential. The way this installation was handled is a prime example of that. Stripping, sealing, and reinstalling everything from scratch would be the ideal solution, especially if we want to get anywhere close to those initial promises. It’s a shame to see such potential undermined by sloppy work. Thanks for your thoughtful comment and for watching the video!

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

@@SECUREACOM I used to be the bloke called in to 'do cables', inside broadcast facilities and trucks,....

[@DavidCaldwell1]

Amazing what $50billion+ got us. Great work and great vid

[@braveworld2707]

I believe it's now at least *$92 Billion.*

[@SECUREACOM]

@DavidCaldwell1 Thanks, David! It’s pretty mind-blowing what that investment resulted in, isn’t it? Really appreciate your kind words -glad you enjoyed the video!

[@jamesaustralian9829]

And just to think, the same idiots in Canberra are now doing this to our power grid, powered by intermittent and unreliable generation sources....

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@Crazy--Clown]

Lol and the stupid Aus gov is still paying Telstra for access and rental fees to some of the rotten ex Telstra infrastructure

[@zordmaker]

Thanks Malcolm Turnbull.

[@SECUREACOM]

Agreed

[@carfiftyfour]

Starlink is looking pretty good at this stage

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @carfiftyfour, It’s no surprise that Starlink is becoming an appealing option, especially when you see situations like this. With the kind of reliability and speed Starlink offers, it’s hard not to consider making the switch. Thanks for watching the video and sharing your thoughts-Starlink definitely has a lot of people thinking twice about sticking with traditional services! Cheers, Jason

[@spacemanmat]

Great so at every junction it’s an utter mess. You can fix it but at some stage all the other connections are likely to fail and of course someone is going to have to figure it out all over again.

[@SECUREACOM]

@spacemanmat You’re spot on about the mess at every junction-it’s frustrating to see. Just to clarify, as a private internet technician, I’m only allowed to work on the customer side of the cabling. There are separate network technicians (NBN contractors) who handle the network side. I used to work in the network for many years, so I understand both sides well. I look into the network side mainly because it can help me solve problems for my clients, and that’s why I make these videos-to assist NBN contractors in fixing the issues more effectively. Thanks for watching and for your comment!

[@TradieTrev]

Scored some views on this one bro!!

[@SECUREACOM]

True mate. KZbin seems to be pushing my vids out to the USA and Europe now.

[@tready2008]

3:35 and 6:10 It Looks like only the power cable is plugged in? Not doubting your work but did the plug come out and you didn't realise. Also couldn't hear the FTTC clicking like they normally do when they try to sync.

[@SECUREACOM]

Yeah i tested everything.

[@getl0st]

I'm calling Bullshit on this Video. There is no way you can make a Video saying that the Modem isn't working when it's not even plugged in...

[@SECUREACOM]

@@getl0st Hi @getl0st, Thanks for your comment! I appreciate your engagement, but I want to clarify a few things. First off, without sync on the FTTC (Fibre to the Curb) connection device, there’s no point in plugging in a router. The sync between the network and the connection device is what allows the router to function properly. Without that sync, the router won’t have anything to connect to, which is why I didn’t focus on plugging it in during the video. To clear up some confusion, for this service, we don’t use a modem. Instead, we use a router. The difference is that a modem modulates and demodulates signals between your home network and your ISP, converting analog signals to digital and vice versa. A router, on the other hand, routes data between devices on your home network and your ISP, managing the flow of data and directing it to the correct device. If you observed the video closely, you’d have noticed that the yellow cable going to the socket was connected to the Red/Black pair of the 10-pair lead-in, which was connected to nothing in the pit. In the pit, the DPU (Distribution Point Unit) was connected to the Blue/White cable of the 10-pair that was running to the MDF (Main Distribution Frame). At the MDF, that cable wasn’t connected to the one going to the office. This misconnection is why the service wasn’t working. Hope this clears things up! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. Cheers, Jason

[@campbellmorrison8540]

What a bloody shambles!

[@SECUREACOM]

Sure is

[@Thompson8200]

How can it even be legal for a company to charge for a service and then be incapable of providing it?

[@TheChipmunk2008]

Openreach (british telecom's network division) is shutting down all copper here in the next few years.... fibre to the home is the future, but we have similar here in our home, 1970s direct buried copper (not jelly filled). so they'll have to dig up the entire street, or install poles (I suspect the latter).Me, i don't mind overhead infrastructure, but i am weird, i think it's kinda cool that the 21st century is still using telephone poles people from the 19th would recognize

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @TheChipmunk2008, It’s interesting to hear that Openreach is moving forward with shutting down all copper-definitely a sign of the times. Fibre to the home is the way forward, no doubt about that. Dealing with 1970s direct-buried copper that isn’t even jelly-filled sounds like a challenge, and I can see why they might opt for poles over digging up the entire street. It’s a big undertaking, but the end result should be well worth it. Thanks for sharing what’s happening on your side of the world, and for watching the video! Cheers, Jason

[@TheChipmunk2008]

@@SECUREACOM i follow tech channels from around the world here, 33yrs time served UK sparky with a background in telecom and by extension data, also a bit of a nerd. It's interesting to me to see the differences and similarities. Openreach are half assing the 'copper switch off' sadly, they will be cutting the E side to the cabinets but still using the old distribution side wiring for 'fibre to the cabinet' (which i guess is equivalent to fibre to the kerb' in aus??) where the last 100m are copper VDSL? in 'difficult areas'. I suspect we may be one :(

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @TheChipmunk2008, It’s great to connect with someone who has such a strong background in both electrical and telecoms-33 years in the field is impressive! The differences and similarities between how various countries handle these upgrades are fascinating, and it’s a bit disappointing to hear that Openreach might be half-assing the copper switch-off. What you’re describing with fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) is indeed what we refer to as fibre to the curb (FTTC) here in Australia, where the last stretch is still copper VDSL. It can be a mixed bag, especially in more challenging areas, but fingers crossed it works out well for you. Thanks for sharing your insights-always good to hear from someone with a deep understanding of the tech! Cheers, Jason

[@officialWWM]

I have no idea what you’re talking about or why KZbin suggested this to me but I assume it’s bad 😂

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @officialWWM, Haha, KZbin can be a bit random with its recommendations! Even if this isn’t your usual type of content, you got it right-it’s definitely not a good situation. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to watch, even if it was a bit out of left field for you!

[@rgj8044]

This is exactly why my household relies totally on mobile telephony for everything. NBN? Never!

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @rgj8044, I can totally understand why you’d choose to rely on mobile telephony after seeing issues like this. When the NBN isn’t up to par, mobile can often be a more reliable option. It’s unfortunate that so many people are opting out of NBN because of experiences like this, but it’s a reality for many. Thanks for sharing your perspective and for watching the video! Cheers, Jason

[@stejac51]

FAA*RR*K .... how standards have dropped ... back in the day we Ex Telstra (Telecom/PMG ??) techs actually took great pride in ensuring the network was 'standardised' , connections labelled ... it made the job so much easier when upgrades had to be done or years later when faults could be more easily found and rectified ... these days of contractor fixed price tasking just means blokes cannot afford to spend the time to do the job properly ... its such a shame ... so glad to be retired!

[@SECUREACOM]

Hi @stejac51, I couldn’t agree more-it’s a real shame to see how much standards have dropped. Back in the day, techs like yourself took pride in doing the job right, ensuring everything was standardized and labelled. That kind of attention to detail made a huge difference, especially when it came to upgrades or fault finding down the line. Nowadays, with contractor fixed pricing, it’s all about rushing to get the job done, and quality often suffers as a result. It’s a tough reality, and I can see why you’re glad to be retired. Thanks for sharing your perspective and for watching the video! Cheers, Jason

[@zyeborm]

Seeing that green cable sitting right there, then all the work and expense spent just to avoid running it a bit further is just criminal. If i were the customer id try ordering a gigabit service for a month, get the fibre upgrade then cancel it. At least it won't die next time it rains. Though it looks like it's probably strata building so not allowed for some reason.

[@davidunwin7868]

Thanks Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turdbull for a half-baked NBN.

[@SECUREACOM]

@davidunwin7868 It’s frustrating, isn’t it? The decisions made back then have definitely had long-lasting effects on the NBN. We’re all dealing with the consequences now, trying to make the best of a system that could have been much better. Thanks for your comment and for watching!

[@jamesaustralian9829]

Should of never been government involvement at all. Should of got proper internet guys from Japan to do it. Their internet makes ours look like third world trash.

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@zodiark2456]

@@jamesaustralian9829 no one from another country is gonna come roll out fibre in australia that aint how it works

[@SECUREACOM]

👍

[@epyksound1440]

One I found by mistake is that data cables in water affects the cable impedence and destabilises it