One of the new features of our Naked DSL website is updates and notifications for every phone exchange. This will be exceptionally useful if you want to monitor changes and updates at your local exchange. We will monitor the major Naked DSL providers like iinet, Internode, Netspace, Optus and TPG and keep you informed of when they add new DSLAMS to your phone echange.

If your local exchange currently has no ports available or it awaiting an upgrade, then you will be eager to hear when more ports do become available or when Naked DSL is released. Simply enter your details at the bottom of the applicable exchange page. To find your phone exchange, you can either enter your phone number at the Naked DSL home page or sort through the exchanges if you know the name of your exchange.

Here’s what the form looks like:

If you are still unable to locate your phone exchange and would like to receive updates, please contact us with your phone number and address.

Internode has just announced the launch of Naked DSL in Tasmania, based on their own DSLAM infrastructure. The service is NakedExtreme ADSL2+ and over the next 6 months will become available to over 90,000 homes and businesses.

Register Your Interest In Naked DSL in Tasmania

The exchanges of Bathurst and Davey in Hobart have previously been enabled with Internode’s own ADSL2+ DSLAM equipment. But these exchanges in Hobart will now have immediate access to Naked DSL. There are limited ports available in both of these exchanges currently, so if you are interested in joining Internode Naked DSL, then click here to submit an application. You’ll go on the waiting list if there are currently no ports available.

All of the Tasmanian exchanges to receive Internode Naked DSL are:

If you would like to be notified when Naked DSL launches in each of these exchanges, please register your interest and we’ll let you know. If you are unsure which exchange you are connected to, please use our Naked DSL phone number checker.

Internode Naked DSL plans start at just $49.95 per month. Internode is one of the only Naked Broadband providers that does not charge for downloads and does not have an off peak period. Just use the downloads whenever you need them! Internode also provides a high quality VoIP service that comes with $10 included credit for calls each month!

Internode SOHO and Business Plans are also available and include extra features like Annex M for increased upload speed and a Static IP address.

Click here to sign up with Internode or click here to register your interest in Naked DSL  in Tasmania.

When trying to compare broadband plans, most people start at the wrong place – they start with price. Although price is undoubtedly an important factor in the comparison – and may be a deal breaker or clincher – you’ll be far better served by leaving price to the end and first looking at the features that you need and want.

Once you have found plans and providers that have the features you are looking for, if the price is right, then you’ll be ready to connect. If you focus on looking at price first, you can go through an exhaustive process of comparing providers and plans only to find out that the options you are considering are not available in your area or don’t have an essential feature that you need!

The Essential 5 Step Guide to Comparing Naked DSL Plans

1. Availability

You need to know what Naked DSL or broadband services are available in your area. The best place to start is by entering your phone number into the Naked DSL Number Checker. If you don’t have a phone number or your number is not returning any results, then drop us a line with your address and we’ll do a manual check for you.

Sometimes an ISP does have Naked DSL at your phone exchange but all the ports are full or there is limited capacity. We’ll try and let you know as much information as we can when you are checking for availability.

2. Phone Features

Firstly you need to decide if you want a VoIP account to make phone calls. If you have been using the landline a lot or already are a VoIP user, then this will be important for you. If you plan on using your mobile for all calls, it will be less important – you might just be interested in seeing which ISPs can also offer a bundle deal with your mobile phone.

Secondly, if you want a VoIP service it will help you to know what type of calls you will be mainly making. The best VoIP plan for you will vary depending on if your calls are going to mobile phones or mainly to landlines.

Thirdly, do you have an existing phone number you want to keep? There are providers who can port your number to VoIP if you want to keep your number.

3.  Connection Features

Naked DSL providers like TPG and Exetel will not connect a service if you don’t have an active phone line. For me the option of connecting a landline to be able to get a Naked DSL connection was out of the question. We hadn’t had a landline connected at our house for years and it was going to cost $299 to be hooked up. This wasn’t worth it and so I had to choose from ISPs that could connect internet without a phone line. In many houses it will only be $59 to connect the landline, so you may be happy to connect it if it means going with a provider line TPG or Exetel.

Also consider how quickly you need the service up and running – some providers can get your service done quicker than others. Here are some extra tips on getting it connected quickly if that is important to you. Some transfers will require downtime, so look for a provider that suits you in this regard.

4. Price and Data Allowance

There may seem like a lot of information in the above steps, but it can be done within a few minutes. Because you have thought about these issues of Availability, Phone Features and Connection Features, you’ll be far better equipped to see the best plans for you when comparing price.

When looking at price, set a realistic budget range. Then start looking at and comparing Naked DSL plans and you’ll get a good idea of what data allowance is being offered in your budget.

If you are unsure of exactly how much data you are going to need, I suggest usually starting with a lower amount. If that amount of data works out well, then you are saving money by being on the cheaper plan. If it turns out that you do need more data, then most ISPs are more than happy for you to move up to the next plan to get more data.

5. Plan Features

Looking at the plan features (or ‘fine print’) is something that needs to be done once you have started looking at pricing and narrowing down your options. Some of the key plan features to look out for are:

• whether uploads are counted in the data allowance. This won’t matter for most people, but if you are a bit torrent user then you’ll want a plan where only downloads are counted.
• whether there are peak and off peak periods. What times will you be using the internet and will you have enough data allowance at the times when you need it?
• contract lengths. Every Naked DSL ISP has different options for contract length, usually with some financial benefit for committing for a longer period. The most common benefit of the longer contract is a reduced set up fee.

You don’t have to consider all of these points, it is intending as a guide only. But following these steps will allow you to take a well-considered approach to your new Naked DSL connection. You’ll be able to narrow down suitable options quicker and more easily find the best Naked DSL plan for you!

Get Started With A Phone Number Check!

We are excited to announce the Beta version of the Naked DSL Phone Number Checker. We believe it to be the first and only such tool in Australia to check availability of Naked DSL from a variety of leading ISPs.

By inserting your 10 digit landline phone number (area code + 8 digits), our database will advise you of which telephone exchange you are connected to and which ISPs can provide Naked DSL there. You will then be presented with the options of available Naked DSL plans from those providers. This database involves complex information combining telephone exchange records, available Naked DSL providers, port availability records and the latest plan information. Check it out now!

We have also added the function of being able to compare up to 5 plans in detail side-by side. After you have searched and compared the available providers and plans, we provide a ‘Sign Up Now’ link to visit the website of your favoured provider so you can submit an application and get things started!

What If You Don’t Have a Phone Number?

Many people looking for Naked DSL won’t have a current telephone number that they can enter into the checker. There are a couple of solutions to this:

1) You can enter in the phone number of someone living close to you. As broadband in Australia is supplied from phone exchanges, people in the same street and suburb as you are likely connected to the same exchange. There are exceptions to this, so if you want a more detailed check, please contact us.

2) Send us your address and we’ll get back to you shortly with your exchange and available providers and plans.

We are currently working on some mapping solutions for address checking, so we’ll keep you updated on that progress. So if you haven’t tried it already, go enter in your phone number and see what Naked DSL plans are available for you!

Click Here for the Naked DSL Phone Number Checker

We had an enquiry come in last week about Naked DSL availability in Ballarat in Victoria. The options in Ballarat are similar to many large regional centres around Australia, so I thought it would be worth examining what is on offer.

The first thing to note is that not every provider can offer Naked DSL in Ballarat. Why not? For an internet provider to be able to offer Naked DSL they need to have their own DSLAM installed at the local phone exchange. The cost of installing DSLAMs is extremely expensive and so most providers have focused on CBD and metropolitan rollouts of their coverage. If there was a good business case for a DSLAM installation in a regional area then they would have gone ahead with it.

The broadband market in Australian has grown quite regionally. iinet has the widest Naked DSL coverage in WA. Internode has the largest Naked DSL coverage in SA, covering such places as Mount Gambier, Whyalla, Port Lincoln and Murray Bridge. TPG and Optus have more coverage in VIC, NSW and QLD.

So What’s On Offer in Ballarat?

By using the Naked DSL Availability tool, you can see that some providers have Naked DSL in Ballarat. Do they all have their own DSLAMs there? No. They are all currently re-selling services using the Optus DSLAM in the Doveton St, Ballarat phone exchange. So if you liked the look of going with Internode, you would be able to get their plans delivered on the Optus network.

The other providers to offer services are Exetel, Netspace and Dodo. So there is still choice and a variety of plans and pricing that you can select from. If you want high download allowance for gaming or high web usage, then Exetel and Dodo are worth looking at. If you prefer a higher level of customer support and don’t need such a high data allowance, then Internode and Netspace are fantastic options.

What About iinet and TPG?

Unless they also strike a wholesale deal with Optus it is unlikely that either company will be getting Naked DSL in Ballarat very soon. To install a DSLAM in a phone exchange takes months. So seeing they haven’t even announced an installation in Ballarat, I wouldn’t be holding my breathe. You are far better offer going with one of the ISPs that can offer you the service now.

It is the nature of DSL broadband connections that your speed is reduced the further you are from the telephone exchange. There are several reasons for this. The most basic is that the longer the cable is, the more the signal (internet) is attenuated or weakened. Secondly, the longer the cable distance, the more likely there are to be joins, connections or defects in the copper wire – all of which are factors to slowing your internet speed.

The following graph is from the TPG website (http://www.tpg.com.au/dslam/faq.php) and indicates typical speeds of ADSL2+ (including Naked DSL) and ADSL1 over certain distances.

Between 4km and 5km have traditionally been distances at which broadband is sometimes difficult to get. If the cable quality is of poor standard and the line attenuation too high, then an ADSL order is rejected.

But things are starting to change as ISPs now have greater control with their own DSLAMs in exchanges, and they are not restricted by the judgement that comes from Tesltra as to whether an ADSL application will be rejected or accepted. Internode Naked DSL has connected customers at over 7km from the exchange according to their website! I have also seen examples of where iinet Naked DSL and ADSL2+ have been connected at significant distances from the exchange.

How Far Are You From The Exchange?

This is actually more complex than just finding out where your local phone exchange is and measuring the distance to your house using a mapping tool like Google Maps. There are checking mechanisms that the ISPs have which allow them to check actual cable length between your house and the exchange. It is the cable length which is the key and not “as the crow flies”.

If you would like us to check your cable length from your phone exchange, please fill in the Contact Form below with your phone number and address. We’ll get back to you shortly with the results!

What’s The Difference?

You will read on the Internode website about two types of Naked DSL plans – NakedExtreme ADSL2+ and Naked ADSL2+. There is a difference between the two and it’s important to know, so you get the best plan from Internode for you.

NakedExtreme ADSL2+ is delivered on the Internode (Agile) network. Download speeds go up to a maximum of 24,000 kilobits per second or 24 megabits per second. Like any Naked DSL service you don’t need to rent a landline phone each month. You can use Internode’s own NodePhone2 VoIP service to make calls.

Naked ADSL2+ (without the Extreme) is delivered over Internode’s parnter network – Optus. The Optus network has a maximum download speed of 20,000 kilobits per second or 20 megabits per sceond. You don’t need to rent a landline phone service as it is still a high quality ‘Naked’ connection. You also get access to Internode’s NodePhone2 VoIP service. It’s exactly like a normal Internode service, with Internode plans and technical support.

Click here to check which Internode services you can get

What’s The Benefit?

By accessing a partner network to deliver their Naked DSL plans, Internode has significantly increased their network coverage – meaning that more Australians can now get Internode’s fantastic services. Internode currently has about 169 telephone exchanges where their own equipment (DSLAMs) has been installed or is in a planning phase. The Optus network has 366 exchanges with their equipment!

Some exchanges currently have both Internode and Optus equipment, but the number of individual exchanges covered by Internode across both networks is close to 400!

If you are at an exchange covered by both Internode and Optus, then we recommend choosing the Internode NakedExtreme plan. The potential download and upload speeds are slightly faster and Internode also gets past the “transmission loss too high” issues – they have customers connected at 7.5km from the exchange! Internode’s NakedExtreme plans also have higher download allowance per month.

What You Need to Know About the Plans

There are some things that are the same regardless of which Internode plan you connect to:

Fantastic Internode Customer Service and Technical Support

A Naked ADSL2+ connection without the need for landline rental

Access to NodePhone2 Special – a free VoIP account with $10 credit per month

The choice of free set up on a 24 month contract or $129 set up on a 1 month contract.

Uploads are free and do not count towards the data allowance

There are somethings that are different that you need to be aware of:

Internode network has a maximum theoretical speed of 24,000 kbps and Optus 20,000 kbps

NakedExtreme plans have higher download limit. For example for $49.95 per month NakedExtreme ADSL2+ has 5GB of downloads and Naked ADSL2+ has 1GB of downloads.

But regardless of which network you utilise, you’ll get great service and performance from Internode. You’ll also be able to ditch your landline, save money and use Naked DSL!

Click Here to Sign Up for Internode Naked DSL!