The term broadband describes high-speed internet connections such as cable, wireless, ADSL and satellite. Although the technology may no longer be considered “new”, many consumers are still being offered incorrect information about its very basic aspects. This is especially so with regard to ADSL, which is provided through a customer’s copper telephone line.

Whether you can gain access to a broadband service will depend upon the infrastructure located in your area. Even people who live in modern, metropolitan estates may not be able to access broadband. Most customers will be offered either cable or ADSL and there are an increasing number of wireless services becoming available in more populous areas.

Unlike a dial-up connection, with ADSL the user can access internet and telephone services at the same time. Theoretically, ADSL can be run on any type of “powered line”. In Australia, the telephone networks have predominantly been used for this purpose.

ADSL services rely on a high quality copper line as a power source, but one prominent metropolitan newspaper recently speculated that customers can cancel their existing landline telephone without disrupting their broadband service. This is simply not the case. An article in the business news section of a similar newspaper likewise advised customers that, “since broadband doesn’t need a phone”, they could save “up to $30 a month in line rental” with a low-cost internet plan. With poorly researched articles being featured in otherwise reliable media sources, consumers are faced with an important question. Where is the best place to seek information about broadband services?

To answer the question, it may be useful to consider two of the issues that consumers may encounter. The first hurdle is often the process of service qualification. Is their telephone cabling suitable for the provision of a broadband service? To address the issue, it may not only be necessary to consider the type and quality of the line but also the customer’s distance from the telephone exchange, and also whether the local exchange has been configured to provide ADSL.

The quality of data transmission generally diminishes the further along the telephone line a customer is located. Internet service providers (ISPs) will usually set a maximum distance from the exchange calculated along the path of the cable and may not supply a service to those whose cabling runs beyond the defined boundary. The distance observed by many ISPs is commonly between 4km and 5km.

For customers whose services are within this limit, thorough testing of the line is necessary before a service can be offered. If a phone line does not meet the quality criteria necessary for an ADSL service, it may be possible to lodge a “transposition request” with the carrier of the network.

If it is possible, a transposition will entail the installation of a new copper line or the removal of existing hardware that is prohibiting the provision of an ADSL service.

It should be noted, however, that there are constraints on successfully applying for a transposition. There must be sufficient capacity within the exchange to accommodate additional copper services. Additionally, the customer’s preferred ISP will need to have a process in place whereby it will lodge a transposition request.

There are limits on the TIO’s powers to investigate complaints where the provisioning of a broadband service has been refused. Usually the TIO will only be able to investigate whether an ISP has offered a customer accurate, supported information.

For those customers who have an existing ADSL connection and would like to transfer to another ISP, other queries may arise. Is a customer in this position able to transfer their service without disconnecting their broadband service? There is currently a voluntary process in place, The Rapid Transfer Process, where participating ISPs are able to arrange the transfer of a service without disconnection. In order for a customer to transfer between providers, the telephone line must be active and the ADSL service itself must not be subject to any pending orders; for example an order for a change of lessee or plan.

If one or other of the providers is not a participant in the voluntary process, a transfer will not be possible. A customer will be required to disconnect their current ADSL service then submit an application for a new connection with their preferred ISP. Customers who disconnect their service risk the possibility that the required infrastructure may not subsequently be available for reconnection by the new provider.

These are merely two scenarios that prospective broadband users may face. The accuracy of the advice that they receive is important, as is the option to have the advice reviewed. The primary source of any information regarding a broadband service should therefore be a customer’s preferred ISP. The TIO expects ISPs to make genuine efforts to assist potential customers and offer technical support once a service has been provided. In a market where some fundamental aspects of broadband technology are misrepresented, a customer’s preferred ISP should have the expertise and procedures in place to ensure that customers are given thorough, accurate advice.