Networking

Storm weather that pushed through Victoria this week has left behind power outages, homes destroyed, as well as a single fatality in its wake. Providing an update on its blog on Friday morning, NBN has continued to state that restoration could take days. “As at 8:00am on Friday 11 June, NBN Co has restored its infrastructure assets servicing approximately 54,000 premises in metropolitan areas of Melbourne, mainly in the city’s eastern suburbs,” it said. “As a result of impacts to other network infrastructure assets, approximately 75,000 NBN services remain affected across parts of the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area, Yarra Ranges, Gippsland, Gisborne, Ballarat, and small areas of other storm-impacted regions of Victoria. “It is likely that power restoration to some areas may take a number of days, which will delay the restoration of NBN services in these areas.” The company said many of its sites are running on battery backup systems, with generators deployed, and access restricted due to storms that swept through the state on Wednesday and Thursday. NBN added that power outages would impact whether it could restore services to premises.

“NBN Co is working closely with power providers and Emergency Services in Victoria and will monitor the weather situation over coming days. It will continue to respond to network outages and is aiming to restore services as soon as possible,” it said. On Thursday morning, NBN said there were an estimated 200,000 premises across Victoria without power. Related Coverage More

Weak spots from a poor signal and dead zones can affect your online experience and overall productivity if you’re working or studying. After all, network interruptions and connection issues can distract you from the actual task at hand. Investing in the best Wi-Fi extender may be worth the cost. The right Wi-Fi extender expands your coverage area and frees you to work outside the router’s standard coverage range.  You may be pleasantly surprised to find out that the latest generation of best Wi-Fi extenders are fairly affordable and are capable of rebroadcasting speeds of up to 6Gbps. Several users within the network can simultaneously stream 4K/8K-quality media or play multiplayer games with no lag or buffering — even if it’s from an upstairs corner bedroom that used to suffer from connectivity issues. While the best Wi-Fi extender can dramatically cut down on weak signal issues, it relies on the quality of your router. The extender only rebroadcasts what’s available. If you’re in search of faster speeds, purchasing the latest extender with Wi-Fi 6 won’t work unless the router is delivering that speed. Luckily, most extenders are universally compatible and you can always upgrade your router to improve your home network’s performance. The following Wi-Fi extenders for home or office were chosen based on ease of setup, features, universal compatibility, price and performance. To lengthen their usage life, some of the best Wi-Fi extender devices that made the cut are future-ready, with Wi-Fi 6 for faster speeds, which is the next generation of wireless connectivity.

Best overall

Features: Wi-Fi 6, dual-band, Seamless Smart Roaming, four 1GB LAN portsRange: 2,500sq ft, 30 devicesPrice: $249.99If you’re in search of a robust Wi-Fi extender that handles a variety of devices, the Netgear Nighthawk EAX80 Wi-Fi Extender is the one. It’s the priciest one on the list, but the Netgear comes with features that rivals don’t offer. The EAX80 is optimized for all Wi-Fi 6 routers, providing the fastest form of wireless internet you can buy at this time. The dual-band technology can give you up to 6Gbps performance, which is ideal even for the heaviest-duty 4K/8K Ultra-HD streaming and multi-player gaming. As far as our picks for extenders go, the EAX80 is capable of delivering the fastest speeds. However, it needs to be said that if high speeds are important to you, upgrading your router may also be necessary. An extender will not improve your network’s speed — it can only work with what the router outputs. Set up is easy — Netgear claims it takes five minutes or less. Best of all, this Wi-Fi extender creates a mesh network. Mesh networks are an upgraded form of extenders that create one Wi-Fi network for your home or office instead of several smaller ones. This means that you can move around without getting disconnected, as would be the case with non-mesh extenders. You won’t even have to set up a new network — the Netgear EAX80 works with your current SSID name through its Seamless Smart Roaming function.

$250 at Amazon

Cheapest Wi-Fi extender

Features: Wall plug-in, one LAN port, indicator lightsRange: 1,200sq ft, up to 25 devicesPrice: $29.99On the other side of the cost spectrum, you have the TP-Link RE230, our pick for the cheapest Wi-Fi extender. For $30 or less, you can get a solid device that rivals what more expensive Wi-Fi extenders can do.Set up is also simple. The extender works with nearly all routers, making it a modular solution when you need to extend range while traveling. Simply plug the device in at a wall outlet. Press the WPS setup button on your router and the button on the extender for about one second. You should see the RE230’s light change to a solid light that indicates the connection is a success. Perhaps the biggest challenge here is having a second party push on the RE230’s button at the same time if it’s located out of reach from the router, which it most probably will be. Once it’s paired, the RE230 will broadcast over its networks in 2.4 and 5GHz bands. The TP-Link RE230 doesn’t have Wi-Fi 6 compatibility (or the speeds that come with it), but for less than $30, you have a low-profile, easy-to-use Wi-Fi extender that gets the job done reliably. In fact, it’s so affordable you could add a couple of extras throughout your home or office to ensure a strong signal from some of the most Wi-Fi-challenged areas.

$30 at Amazon

Best compact solution

Features: Dual-band, 1GB LAN port, Spot Finder technology, seamless roaming available with certain routersRange: Up to 10,000sq ftPrice: $89.99The Linksys RE7000 is small but powerful. It’s designed to extend your coverage up to an impressive 10,000sq ft. Next-Gen AC Wi-Fi and multi-user MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) technology make it easy for all devices to be connected at the same time without buffering or lag. In addition, the extender’s dual Wi-Fi bands of 5GHz and 2.4GHz can deliver combined speeds of up to 1.9Gbps. You would think that such a powerful extender would look like a large brick, but it actually plugs into a single power outlet. Setting up your RE7000 is easy. Push the connect button and let it sync to the router. Take advantage of the RE7000’s Spot Finder feature using your laptop or smart device, which helps you find the best place to plug the extender in, take care of dead spots and optimize performance overall.You can also count on seamless roaming with one caveat — it does not integrate with every router. To enjoy smooth Wi-Fi connections without the drop between networks when moving around, you would need to purchase a Linksys MAX-STREAM router. Otherwise, you may get disconnected once you’re out of the coverage area. It’s more of an inconvenience than a dealbreaker. If you’re disconnected for being out of range, find the strongest available Linksys extender network in the zone or reconnect to the router. You may only have to do it once — most devices nowadays can remember networks and connect automatically once you’re within range.

$90 at Amazon

Best for obstructions and thick walls

Features: Dual-band, 2GB LAN ports Range: 5300sq ftPrice: $109.99Sometimes size isn’t the issue; the building is the problem. Some homes and offices feature thick concrete walls or structures such as steel stairways or large columns that wreak havoc on a network’s signal strength. You may need a powerline adaptor to get Wi-Fi to the furthest corners or around a major structure.Powerline adaptors send signals through existing electrical wiring instead of the air. Netgear’s is fast — it offers Gigabit speeds to ensure that multiple devices, gaming and 4K HD streaming all happen lag-free. It’s built with an electrical outlet on the front of the plug-in device, so you don’t sacrifice the limited power outlets in a room. And it’s noise filtered, so it does not affect connectivity speeds.The only drawback is the wired nature of this solution. You may finally get connectivity in areas that seemed impossible before, but you would need to connect the device that needs a signal through one of the two high-speed Ethernet ports. Fortunately, most smart TVs, games consoles and computers have an ethernet port. However, you may not be able to connect your smart devices or newer-generation Macbook. 

$110 at Amazon

Best for seamless roaming

Features: Dual-band, Seamless Smart Roaming, 1 0/100/1000 gigabit Ethernet portRange: 1,500sq ft, up to 25 devicesPrice: $89.99Range extenders do a great job of expanding your network’s reach. However, you may have to connect to different SSIDs as you move throughout the coverage area. A mesh network system eliminates the extra “EXT” networks and handles the transition smoothly behind the scenes by routing your connection as needed.D-Link’s Wi-Fi Mesh Range Extender expands your network as soon as you plug it into an outlet and pair it with your router. For a seamless experience that allows you to move within the range without disconnecting, you’ll need to use a D-Link router. Considering how popular they are, you may already have one, although you may want to upgrade to some of D-Link’s latest, which include 6G Wi-Fi connectivity, such as the EXO Smart Mesh Wi-Fi Router.The small extender’s dual-band technology is compatible with older wireless devices that operate on 2.4GHz. For newer devices, 5G delivers the fastest speeds. The DIR-LIX1870’s Wi-Fi speeds are as much as 300Mbps in the 2.4GHz band and 1,733Mbps on 5GHz). In addition, you can plug your wired device into the Gigabit Ethernet port. Plus, the extender is compatible with voice control, so you can conveniently use Alexa, and Google Assistant commands to manage it.

$90 at Amazon

Easiest to set up

Features: Dual-band, two high-gain antennas, Wi-Fi 6, 2GB Ethernet port, OneMesh router compatible, connection strength indicator lightRange: 1,500sq ft, up to 30 devicesPrice: $99.99The RE605X is one of the simplest and most effective Wi-Fi extenders available at the moment. Plus, it’s Wi-Fi-6 ready to match the speeds your router is capable of delivering. If you’re a heavy 4K/HD streaming user, the adjustable, high-gain antennas can hit up to 1.8Gbps thanks to 5GHz AX and 2.4Ghz AC dual bands. Installation is quick. Plug it in somewhere near a dead zone or area with dismal connectivity and adjust the antennas to improve signal strength. You will know when you hit the right spot based on the signal strength light. The range extender is compatible with all routers, Wi-Fi-enabled devices and access points including the latest-generation AX devices. In addition, you can set up a seamless home system by adding a OneMesh-compatible router. When you do, you can roam without worrying about disruptions to your signal.

$100 at Amazon

Best router/Wi-Fi extender in one

Features: Dual/tri-band combination, 2GB LAN connectors per extender, three-pack bundleRange: Up to 5,000 square feetPrice: $350We round off the best Wi-Fi extenders with an all-in-one solution that works as a router, extender and mesh network. Although many individuals already have a router they own or lease through their internet provider, those looking to upgrade their home or business completely should look at this bundle. It comes with a router and two extenders which can be set up in opposite areas of the home or location. Wireless mesh networking can be complicated since the router and extenders need to play well together to deliver connectivity wherever you may be seamless. Linksys simplifies the process by providing a free iOS or Android app that can help you set up the Velop mesh network in just a few minutes. Connect the router, plug in the extenders in an area with poor connectivity and link the devices or nodes through the app. Once it’s all set up, you can move around without manually connecting to the extender’s network for the zone. The process happens automatically behind the scenes, so you can focus on surfing or streaming without worrying about dropping off a network and searching for a new one.

$350 at Amazon

How does a Wi-Fi extender work?

A Wi-Fi extender works as a relay or middle man between your device (a smartphone, TV,  game console or computer) and the router. It receives the internet signal from the router and broadcasts it further along, expanding how far you can access your internet connection. Wi-Fi extenders are useful in larger homes or workspaces or when you want to add internet connectivity outdoors.

Do Wi-Fi extenders work with any router?

Most of the best Wi-Fi extenders are universally compatible, meaning they work with nearly any router. However, older routers may be slower. It could be worth upgrading to a newer-generation model for an improvement in range and speed, even before you add the extender. Keep in mind that while most extenders work with most routers, your connection could drop in and out as you move through range zones. To avoid the inconvenience of a temporary disconnection, choose an extender with smart seamless roaming from the same brand as your router. 

What’s the difference between mesh Wi-Fi and a Wi-Fi extender?

A Wi-Fi extender simply rebroadcasts your signal further away from the router itself. They essentially boost your coverage to areas that typically don’t have coverage because they are too far from the router to receive a stable signal. However, to achieve this, you may need to connect to the extender’s own network. This means that if you want to move back and forth, you may need to connect and disconnect from the router’s SSID and the extender’s. Although it’s a small inconvenience, you may want to set up a Wi-Fi mesh. Mesh Wi-Fi connects multiple devices into one seamless network. Instead of having several networks comprised of the router and each extender, you have one. As you move about, your devices will connect to whatever “node” is available seamlessly and without disruptions.

Can I have more than one Wi-Fi extender on my network?

You can connect as many Wi-Fi extenders as you need to a single router. However, extenders need to link to the router itself. Daisy-chaining, which means one extender is connected to the router and the rest connect to a subsequent extender may not work as effectively. If you’re dealing with a very large space, you are better off buying an extender with a powerful range instead of daisy-chaining several lower-range versions together. 

Where do I put a Wi-Fi extender?

You can use a Wi-Fi extender anywhere you need a signal boost. It could be the bedrooms on the second floor of a home or an outdoor area where you like to work from. Most models will have suggestions in the manual of where best to place the extender. Some extenders, such as the Linksys RE7000 even help you find the right place. In general, position the extender halfway between the dead zone and router.

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As everyone knows, working from home (WFH) has been the norm for the past year. Enterprises are now gearing up for hybrid working arrangements and that means home internet connections remain critical for people who need to hop on a Microsoft Teams or Zoom video call while the kids are homeschooling, playing Fortnite, or watching Netflix. Home broadband connections were put to the test during the initial COVID-19 phase of pandemic lockdowns around the globe as employees en masse logged in from managed and BYOD devices to business applications, Office 365, and Google Workspace over VPNs. Broadband speeds are a top concern for Americans. US President Joe Biden’s $100 billion plan to bring affordable, reliable, high-speed broadband to all households could be a game-changer, but massive infrastructure projects take time and FTTH projects often falter. The net neutrality debate is back on the agenda too with a Biden appointee Jessica Rosenworcel leading the Federal Communications Commission as the acting chairwoman. This has implications for Netflix, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft plus all the major ISPs, from AT&T to T-Mobile. Broadband speed tests could become a bigger part of the political debate about investing in America’s broadband infrastructure.  Rosenworcel noted that during the pandemic some Americans were sitting in parking lots using free Wi-Fi signals while students were falling in the “homework gap” because their broadband was too slow to join remote classes.Here are five broadband speed tests that ZDNet considers trustworthy. But to get a true picture of your broadband speed, you’ll likely need to run the tests multiple times and check results across different devices throughout the day. 

Customizing your speed test is a strength

Speedtest from Ookla, which also owns outage site, Downdetector, was one of the first broadband speed tests and offers a snapshot of download and upload speeds to an ISP via its website or a lightweight app for Windows 10 or macOS. It’s also available in 17 languages and if you set up an account, you can keep track of your speeds over time. The service displays the current download and upload speeds, and measurements for ‘ping’, ‘jitter’, and packet loss. There are also options to change the local server that the ISP speed test is conducted with — a configuration option that most other tests lack. Plus, results can be shared on social media.   Ookla has some helpful explanatory notes for people who aren’t familiar with the ping test. It’s a latency test. Ookla says that less than 59 milliseconds (MS) ping is very good for online games. The FCC wants satellite broadband providers to deliver latency of below 100 ms to bid for a slice of its Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). SpaceX says its Starlink satellites will provide a latency of 20ms to 40ms.   Also, if your Speedtest records 250 Mbps, you should be able to download a 1GB file in 30 seconds. 25 Mbps should be good for 4k video streaming.      Its website is useful for those who are curious enough to learn why a test on a mobile device returns a different result to a laptop or a device that’s physically connected to a router.  Each test taken with Speedtest uses Ookla’s server network of over 14,000 servers and reports back on key network health metrics, Nick Turner, a technical trainer at Ookla, tells ZDNet. “There are Speedtest servers in virtually every country and major population center worldwide,” Turner said.  He argues that Ookla’s distributed server network makes it more accurate than many other tests. “This enables us to more easily select ‘nearby’ servers or combinations of servers that are capable of delivering the sufficient bandwidth necessary to discover the most accurate maximum speeds to the device in question. Since our founding in 2006, an unparalleled total of more than 35 billion tests have been taken with Speedtest.”Pros:   It’s a general purpose broadband speed test in use since 2006   It’s not from an ISP or a service provider    Users can select the host server from which to test their ISP’s speed test Cons:   The site uses tech-lingo that some people might not understand    It’s full of ads and ad trackers 

View Now at Oookla Speedtest

A speed test for a specific web application

The Google Stadia online gaming platform has hit a few bumps since launching in 2019, but it is a massive platform and the company knows that consumer broadband speeds are critical for adoption.Google recommends a download speed of no less than 10 Mbps to stream games on Stadia, but recommends faster speeds for displays with a resolution higher than 720p HD. It teamed up with open source project Measurement Lab or M-Lab to run its speed test. The project is led by teams at Code for Science & Society and Google. The Google Stadia web interface is pretty simple — literally a one-click task at Google’s Projectstream website from the “Check Now” button. It’s focussed on Stadia users and so, for accuracy, it recommends people use the device and network where they want to play and have a strong wi-fi or Ethernet connection. It also recommends halting current downloads and file-sharing, and closing tabs that are streaming video. The measurement takes less than 30 seconds to complete and returns similar results to Ookla. At the least, it confirms whether you’ll have a decent experience when gaming on Stadia.However, as Google notes, the test only provides a general indication of the quality of a connection and does not guarantee Stadia will work. Other factors include the device, ISP, and other activities that are consuming bandwidth.Pros:   It’s a general purpose broadband speed test in use since 2006   It’s not from an ISP or a service provider    Users can select the host server from which to test their ISP’s speed test Cons:   The site uses tech-lingo that some people might not understand    It’s full of ads and ad trackers compared to other tests

View Now at Stadia speed test

Can you trust your ISP’s speed test?

As the US leader in gigabit internet, Comcast’s Xfinity xFi broadband speed test is a popular choice for Americans. The speed test itself operates similarly to Google’s speed test, but the site has some pointers for customers wanting to explore why the speed results might not match the user’s plan. These are helpful but feel defensive, as if they were written to help reduce customer support calls for why a broadband isn’t as fast as advertised.    On the other hand, it provides more context about factors that can affect the home connection, such as an old home gateway lowering available bandwidth. The result also explains what the device being tested can do, such as streaming 4K video. The site prioritizes download speeds but does have a “Show more” option to see upload speeds, latency, the internet protocol, and where the host server is located.    Results may vary depending on where you’re located. The test designed purely for American internet users.   Pros:   The results are consistent with other speed tests   It’s dead simple to use and there are no ads    Test servers are located in the US Cons:   It is a test operated by an ISP    The information it provides appears to help reduce support calls

View Now at Xfinity xFi speed test

A test for Netflix’s CDN

The good thing about Netflix’s Fast.com broadband speed is that it is run by Netflix, which has an interest in its customers having a fast enough connection to stream its content. There are no lingering questions about potential bias from speed tests run by ISPs. Plus the tests are international, using servers where Netflix has installed appliances for its giant content delivery network (CDN).  Netflix has a vast CDN called Netflix Open Connect, which relies on Open Connect appliances installed within ISPs that peer with Netflix. That CDN is built around the principle of moving content closer to users and is how it delivers a fast streaming experience. Hence, the Fast.com test is designed to test the connection between a person’s device and Netflix’s CDN servers. That means the results are specific to Netflix’s own network, which makes sense for the company but also means it looks at speeds from a particular perspective.   The Fast website keeps things simple by only showing the download speed. In my tests, it reported slower speeds than Oookla’s Speedtest. And it produced wildly different results between wifi tests on a 2017 macOS MacBook Pro (160Mbps) and an iPhone 12 (330 Mbps), with both on a modern router’s 5GHz frequency.But on Fast.com you don’t even need to click ‘Go’; just opening the site in a browser tab starts the test. There’s also a “Show more” option, which provides latency speeds and upload speeds, as well as where the servers used in the test are located.  Pros:   It’s designed to test the speed of your connection to Netflix’s servers   There are no ads    It’s relevant to your connection wherever you’re streaming Netflix from Cons:   It’s not really designed to test your ISP’s connection speed    Results are specific to Netflix infrastructure 

View Now at Netflix Fast.com

Take two speed tests for yourself and one for the country

The FCC in April launched the FCC Speed Test app. It’s available as an Android app in the Google Play Store and an iOS app in Apple’s App Store. That means you can’t run the test from your desktop, but you are taking part in an important project for the commission to get a clearer picture of broadband quality across America. The test produces results once you press the button to start the test in the mobile app. The data collected is used to help the FCC improve its broadband maps. Under the Trump administration, Microsoft argued the FCC was severely overestimating how many residents had access to fast broadband. Microsoft’s data suggested almost half of America’s population had access to speeds of at least 25 Mpbs rather than the 24 million estimated in the FCC’s maps. Data is shared with the FCC’s Measuring Broadband America research program, an important national project that will help determine where funding is allocated in years to come. It’s a case where broadband speed tests aren’t just about your own connection speed, but the state of broadband across the nation. “To close the gap between digital haves and have nots, we are working to build a comprehensive, user-friendly dataset on broadband availability,” said acting chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “Expanding the base of consumers who use the FCC Speed Test app will enable us to provide improved coverage information to the public and add to the measurement tools we’re developing to show where broadband is truly available throughout the United States.”

View Now at FCC Speed Test app

Why do you need to check your internet speed?

Speed tests are useful to remote workers who might need to figure out whether a poor connection is due to the ISP or something else, such as the home router, an internet routing issue, or even the device they’re testing from — be it a laptop, desktop or a smartphone. The tests can also be handy when disputing an ISP’s claimed speeds for a subscription. 

Are some internet speed tests more reliable or trustworthy than others?

Results can vary widely between broadband speed tests and day-to-day due to changing network conditions. ZDNet considers the five five broadband speed tests above to be reliable and trustworthy. But to get a true picture of your broadband speed, you’ll likely need to run the tests multiple times and check results across different devices throughout the day.

How did we choose these internet speed tests?

ZDNet doesn’t vouch for one test over another. As explained, there are multiple broadband speed tests and people should . Some of them are designed to test a connection for a particular online service, such as Netflix or Stadia, while others can help customer dispute speed claims with ISPs, and the FCC’s speed test might help fill broadband gaps in the community. 

Are there other internet speed tests worth considering?

OpenSignal for cellular networks

OpenSignal started out with mobile speed tests and regularly produces reports about 4G and 5G speed results around the world. It crowdsources its results and now also returns results for wifi speeds, but its focus is squarely on the mobile experience. 

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I’m no fan of being opted into things, even things that I agree with. So, while I believe Amazon Sidewalk is ultimately a good thing, I can understand why people want to opt out.Must read: I just found my lost AirTag… you’ll never guess where it went

If you want some background, you can get there here and here, but the short version is that Amazon is going to take a small part of your internet bandwidth and use it to create a shared network that other Amazon devices — such as Echo devices, Ring Floodlights, and Spotlight Cams — can connect to.The idea is that if someone’s internet goes down or a device is in a spot where your Wi-Fi coverage is poor, your Amazon devices can tap into a ‘free’ low-bandwidth distributed network to continue to receive things like notifications. You donate up to 500MB a month in exchange for access.The idea, as I said, is a good one. Problem is, Amazon has decided to opt people into this, rather than given them the options to opt in themselves (I wonder why…?).

Fortunately, opting out is easy. Well, if you know how.Don’t think it’s a worthwhile exchange? Here’s how you opt out:Find up your Alexa app and fire it upTap More and then SettingsTap Account SettingsTap Amazon SidewalkNow you can turn Amazon Sidewalk on or offNote that this is currently only available in the US, so this feature won’t be present in other territories. More

Zoom Video Communications is launching Zoom Phone Appliances, a combination of hardware from Poly and Yealink with Zoom video meetings, phone and collaboration software. The all-in-one desk phone has an integrated touch display to start and schedule meetings, take phone calls and collaborate. Yealink’s VP59 Smart Video Phone. Credit: YealinkVideo collaboration players are launching new products and revamping platforms to prepare for hybrid work arrangements.With its video collaboration footprint, Zoom is aiming to blur lines between video and audio and make it easier for enterprises to procure and manage hardware with minimal integration. Zoom Phone Appliances include:Deskphones that are always on. Poly’s CCX 600 Desk Phone and CCX 700 Desk Phone with integrated video camera and Yealink VP59 Smart Video Phone are the two headliner Zoom Phone Appliances with more hardware partners to be added. Centralized management via Zoom Admin Portal with remote provisioning and updates. No additional licensing and available through Zoom’s hardware-as-a-service offering. Synched user calendar, status, meeting settings and phone. Zero touch provisioning. Touch display with interactive whiteboarding. Certification from Zoom. More

Image: Qualcomm
Nokia, Qualcomm, and UScellular announced on Tuesday a millimetre-wave (mmWave) test had successfully been conducted on UScellular’s live 5G network that hit 748Mbps down and 56.8Mbps up at a range of 11.14 kilometres. At a distance of around 10 kilometres, the trio said the test reached speeds around the 1Gbps mark. The equipment used consisted of Nokia’s mmWave range-extending system, and customer premises equipment using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X55 5G modem and mmWave antenna. The test was conducted at Grand Island in Nebraska using 28GHz spectrum. The results were touted as showing mmWave could be used to provide rural fixed wireless connectivity. “These latest trial results reinforce the important role that fast, reliable wireless service plays in keeping people connected no matter where they live or work,” UScellular CTO Mike Irizarry said. At the start of the year in Australia, the company responsible for the National Broadband Network claimed it had hit close to 1Gbps over a distance of 7.3 kilometres. NBN had previously said it was looking at using mmWave over 10-kilometre distances.

Elsewhere, Dell Technologies announced on Wednesday it was launching Project Metalweaver to allow carriers to deploy 5G edge, core, and Open RAN solutions, alongside a number of reference architectures.These architectures include core software from Nokia and Affirmed Networks, private networks from CommScope, multi-access edge computing thanks to Intel, and Mavenir and Dell teamed up for Open RAN on PowerEdge XR11 servers.  Related Coverage More

Image: Superloop
Superloop has announced to the ASX it has entered into an agreement to purchase fellow telco Exetel for AU$110 million. Exetel will bring 110,000 customers that use 185,000 services and AU$150 million in revenue to Superloop. After the acquisition, Superloop is expecting to post revenue of AU$261 million, and have 155,000 customers using 230,000 services. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) after the purchase is expected to be AU$34 million, consisting of AU$18 million from Superloop, AU$11 million from Exetel, and AU$5 million in synergies expected to be realised within a year of the deal. Superloop said the acquisition would pretty much double its workforce, with “no headcount synergies” flagged. The deal is expected to be completed by July 2021, and will be funded by AU$100 million raised from 108 million new Superloop shares, with Exetel shareholders offered AU$10 million in Superloop shares priced at AU$1.01 per share. Superloop will also be refinancing its debt facilities for an extra AU$20 million that will go towards integration costs and working capital. “Exetel services will be transferred onto the Superloop network without material capex spend, and the network will continue to have significant capacity to support future growth,” Superloop said. “The acquisition of Exetel enables Superloop to accelerate utilisation of its infrastructure assets, through scaling its consumer and business customer segments. It delivers increased financial scale and market relevance.

“The transaction is fully aligned with Superloop’s growth strategy, continuing to provide super fast, easy & reliable connectivity to now 3x more homes & businesses.” See also: Best internet provider in Australia 2021: Top ISP picks In prior years, Exetel has seen its revenue shift from AU$127 million in 2019, to AU$156 million in 2020, and AU$150 million for the 2021 fiscal year. Over the same years, EBTIDA increased from a AU$0.1 million loss, to AU$6.4 million in 2020, and AU$11 million in 2021; while net profit moved from AU$0.5 million in the hole, to AU$3.6 million, and AU$6.7 million respectively. Breaking down Exetel’s customer base, Superloop said it had 86% of its services used by consumers which provided 56% of the revenue total. The remainder consisted of business customers. By revenue line, 45% related to NBN connections, 28% was labelled as data, 13% was fibre connectivity, 6% for VOIP services, 4% for mobile, and 4% filed as other. For its first-half results announced in February, Superloop reported a 4.8% increase in revenue to AU$53 million and an almost doubling of EBITDA to AU$8.15 million. In net terms, the company posted another loss, this time closing the loss by 11.7% to AU$18.9 million. Related CoveragePaul Tyler takes reins at SuperloopFormer Nokia, Telstra, and NBN executive to take charge from October.Spirit Technology hits new highs as Superloop narrows net lossSpirit more than triples its revenue as it starts down a path as an integrated IT and telco business.Telstra and Southern Phone saw complaints rise over 2020Overall trend for Australia’s telco industry is complaints are falling after some pandemic spikes.Australian telco complaints to TIO continue to decrease despite rise in mobile issuesThe TIO third-quarter 2020-21 complaints report shows there were 30,393 total complaints, with 35% being in relation to mobile services. More

NBN’s pricing options: a reworking of the current model; its melded halfway house model; and its flat price model.
Image: NBN
The company responsible for the National Broadband Network has revealed the flat-price modelling it has been working on as part of a trio of pricing options to retailers. The flat-price option would see the loathed connectivity virtual circuit (CVC) capacity charge removed from all plans, with access pricing increasing as a result. NBN is also putting forward a reworked option of its current pricing structure, with the CVC charge dropping by AU$2 to AU$6, and a melded option that removes the CVC on plans of 100Mbps down and quicker, while keeping the current AU$8 CVC charge on lower speeds. Satellite connections have not been considered as part of the discussion paper to modify NBN’s Special Access Undertaking released on Monday. “All three options substantially address many of the concerns that have been expressed by retailers and provide a pathway forward to delivering a sustainable long-term pricing framework that supports the industry and meets the future digital needs of Australians,” NBN said. “While we are aware of some retailers’ preference for a flat AVC-only construct, NBN Co believes careful consideration needs to be given to the potential impact on affordability of the broadband network for low usage customers, equitable cost recovery between consumer segments, take up of NBN services, retail competition, and consumer choice.” Citing a report written for it by Accenture, NBN said the flat-pricing option would see price hikes of AU$120 a year for the 1.4 million customers on low data plans.

“NBN is concerned that [flat-pricing] would not deliver a number of outcomes that usage-based charges were designed to achieve, and would impact not just the affordability of the NBN broadband network for low usage customers, but also the take up of NBN services,” it said. “NBN estimates that between 69,000 to 170,000 end-users would no longer be able to afford or be willing to take-up NBN broadband under [flat-pricing], primarily as a result of the removal of data-capped plans in market and retail price increases. The initial pricing proposal … has been adjusted to account for potential losses in NBN take-up.” The company added that in exchange for losing revenue from CVC, it would turn to indexation to recoup its investment. “In general, NBN proposes that where the pricing proposals outlined in this paper restrict or entirely remove NBN’s ability to recover its costs through usage-based charges in the form of CVC as applied to increasing bandwidth usage, NBN should have the opportunity to recover those costs by increasing fixed charge pricing components in real terms (i.e. an increase above the rate of inflation, reflecting the rapid growth in usage and hence capacity),” it argued. “This is critical to allowing NBN the opportunity to generate additional revenue to recover efficient existing and future investments needed to sustain growing bandwidth requirements as well as network upgrade programs to uplift the capability of the network. This approach also reflects that the increased utility derived by end-users of the service as their usage of the network increases should be appropriately reflected in the revenues that NBN is able to earn.” It added that removing CVC would result in traffic surges, such as when popular games are updated, and said it would need extra safeguards to manage capacity NBN said for its melded option, due to telcos having data caps and entry level pricing plans sitting below the 100Mbps mark, it would expect retailers to have “little to no overage exposure”. See also: Best internet provider in Australia 2021: Top ISP picksOn entry level pricing, NBN said there was not strong evidence for 20% annual increases on data inclusion on 12/1Mbps plans. It said it has noticed CVC utilisation on such plans was shifting downwards as some customers moved to higher speeds and was well below the 1.7Mbps deemed suitable for a AU$35 bundle. “NBN understands that providing pricing certainty on entry-level services is important, and that price controls on these services can provide a meaningful anchor on prices of higher value services,” it said. “Accordingly, we are proposing a price control of CPI for entry-level services, to enable the price to remain constant in real terms over time. In addition, we are proposing to commit to increase CVC inclusions on the [entry-level bundle] based on the actual usage growth of end-users on that service.” For some time the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which oversees the undertaking, has expressed concern at NBN’s use of discounts. NBN said in its paper that discounts allow it to trial pricing changes before offering them. Written submissions to NBN from those that make up its product development forum are due by July 16. NBN said it is looking to lodge the variation with the ACCC in the final quarter of 2021. “We believe the pricing options presented for discussion represent a balanced approach to meeting the objectives set out in this paper. The various pricing options include ones designed to reduce retailers’ commercial risk of exposure to higher than expected usage growth; support the continuation of cheaper data capped retail plans and promote a competitive environment that enables retailers to differentiate their respective offerings from their peers,” NBN executive general manager of commercial Ken Walliss said. “In evaluating a final pricing option, key considerations for NBN Co will be promoting strong outcomes for customers throughout Australia, creating the environment for robust retail competition and opportunities to support all customer groups as much as possible, and maintaining the company’s ability to earn a reasonable return on its investment to enable continued efficient investment in the network.” Related Coverage More