Fixed Wireless NBN Sucks

By Christie Graham

Last updated 17 January 2024

There’s no other way to put it, Fixed Wireless NBN sucks.

As someone who has moved from a fixed line Fibre to the Node (FTTN) connection in suburban NSW to Fixed Wireless internet in rural Queensland, the quality difference has been staggering.

Sure, back in the day when I was on a standard fixed-line connection, I had my fair share of troubles. I had to sit on the phone with internet providers troubleshooting my occasional dodgy service but hey, who hasn’t? It happens.

But Fixed Wireless has proven to be so unreliable at times I’ve considered switching it off completely and turning to hotspotting my mobile phone data instead. If only I had a stable enough 4G connection to do so, as the 4G in my area isn't reliable either.

Now I’m someone who not only works from home but is also a certified TV show binger, partakes in weekly FaceTime calls with friends and family back in NSW, and enjoys the occasional few straight hours of online gaming. So you can imagine how vital it is for me to have a stable internet connection.

Unfortunately, more often than not, I’ve experienced my family’s faces turning fuzzy on-screen before my eyes. This usually results in needing to ask my husband to log off Netflix, or whatever streaming service he’s simultaneously trying to run, just so one of us can have a solid connection. It’s deflating that just because of our address both of us can’t enjoy the wonders of the internet at the same time.

There have also been other instances where we’ve given up trying to stream content entirely, due to dropouts and constantly poor image quality. This isn’t even a level of disappointment I’d experienced on FTTN, despite it being the worst fixed-line NBN connection type out there.

So I tried switching providers to make sure it wasn’t a matter of who I was but rather the specific connection type I’d been saddled with.

After trying at least three different providers, I’ve still had to turn off certain devices connected to the internet before I participate in a Zoom call for work just to ensure a reliable connection. I will say though that some providers have been less patchy than others — special shoutout to Dodo and iPrimus for their minimally interrupted service.

For context, my current iPrimus Fixed Wireless Plus plan promises typical evening speeds of 16Mbps for its download speeds and 3Mbps for its upload speeds, despite technically being able to achieve maximum speeds of 50Mbps.

In terms of real-world performance, these are the speeds I’ve captured for various activities over a day:

10:30am - 42.8Mbps (2.9Mbps upload speed) with just one person working online
2:30pm - 39.1Mbps (2.3Mbps upload speed) with the same activity
4:00pm - 12.6Mbps (1.7Mbps upload speed) with one person gaming online and another using their phone to scroll socials while connected to the WiFi
8:30pm - 10.3Mbps (1.2Mbps upload speed) with one TV streaming Prime Video

These numbers aren't great - especially when it comes to my upload speeds so it's no wonder my FaceTimes go blurry.

I’d also like to mention my plan started at just $65 per month, then jumped to $80 per month after just seven months of being connected due to price rises. Currently I am paying $84 per month after just 14 months of being an iPrimus customer. I was also compelled to get one of their modems after needing to return my previous provider’s hardware. This locked me in for 18 months unless I choose to pay out the remaining amount owing ($10 per month over 18 months).

And of course, I’ve tried basic NBN troubleshooting techniques, like restarting my modem, moving my modem closer to my workspace, investing in a range extender AND upgrading my hardware. Yet despite all of that, we’re back to square one with an internet connection that’s as unpredictable as British weather.

Fixed Wireless is an awful technology to be on. Fixed Wireless plans currently max out at 75Mbps (as opposed to 1000Mbps on fixed-line NBN), which isn’t bad, but typical evening speeds are a different matter entirely.

In the most recent Measuring Broadband Australia report, ACCC found that “Fixed Wireless NBN customers were only achieving 79.8% of their plans' maximum speeds during busy hours”. In NBN Co’s most recent progress report, it found that 0.64% of Fixed Wireless towers were giving customers speeds under 12Mbps during busy hours and 6.67% were only achieving under 25Mbps.

Unfortunately, around 750,000 homes and businesses are connected to the Fixed Wireless network and if I’m struggling I’m sure many others are too. So what other options are out there?

I can sit patiently and hope 5G home internet makes its way out here sooner rather than later then switch (quite unlikely)
I can sign up for Elon’s pricey Starlink setup

If I wanted to go with Starlink, I’d need to pay at least $139 per month for plan fees. On top of that, Starlink’s hardware kits are priced at an eye-watering $599. Considering all up I pay $80 per month for my current internet connection, that’s a substantial dent in my budget.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, however. NBN Co is currently upgrading the Fixed Wireless network with 5G. In theory, everyone on Fixed Wireless will be able to get speeds of over 100Mbps, and up to 85% of those premises’ are being given the equivalent of NBN 100 and NBN 250 speeds.

In a positive twist, I was recently informed that NBN Co’s Fixed Wireless upgrades are scheduled to begin in my area specifically between early to mid-2024. While it's exciting news, I'm apprehensive.

After experiencing nothing but inconsistent speeds and unreliable connectivity, I can’t see how increasing the speed potential will deliver the unobtainable speeds my connection is already struggling to reach. Regardless, I’ll wait and see how it all plays out and will come back with an update. I’ll be thoroughly impressed if it does unlock a faster, more reliable connection for rural internet users rather than just pave the way for expensive plans that already don’t achieve the speeds they’re promising.