Pulling the plug on net

Alert goes out over NBN switch deadline

BROADBAND users in more than 400 suburbs across Australia risk being disconnected from the internet early next year as the deadline to switch to the National Broadband Network may be closer than it appears.

Households that have delayed switching to the $57bn network may have as little as five weeks to make the move as some internet service providers plan to pause NBN installations from mid-December.

The Christmas shutdowns, in addition to public holiday delays and rising demand, could see households due to be disconnected in mid-January unable to switch to the NBN in time, and experts warn it could unexpectedly cut some critical services. Households are typically given 18 months to move from their existing broadband service to the NBN, with cutoff dates published on the NBN Co website. Many people are delaying their transition until the last moment.

NBN Co’s latest figures show more than four million households and businesses are yet to use to the network even though their suburbs are deemed as “ready to connect”.

Letters sent to ADSL users warn that from “December 14 through mid-January … no activity will be undertaken on NBN services needing cut over to the National Broadband Network”.

But NBN Co state media relations executive manager Jane McNamara said the company’s installers would still be available during the Christmas period, though individual internet providers may choose to limit or suspend new connections.

“Our installation and connection teams will be on hand over December and January to complete orders and we encourage people to place their orders as soon as possible to avoid any holiday rush,” she said. “It’s important to remember that making the switch is not automatic.”

The average time to connect a broadband user to the NBN was currently 10 days, she said, and appointments were not available on public holidays, which could delay December connections.