Auckland friend is totally confused by upcoming fibre installation-advice please

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geekIT

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#296413 15-Jun-2022 14:17

Said friend - actually my sister-in-law - seems to be getting the runaround from her ISP, which I think might be Slingshot.

She lives in Manly, Whangaparoa, down on the flats near the beach. For a start, she's been told by Chorus that if she doesn't opt for fibre by December, she'll have no internet connection. I imagine this means that her copper line will be removed. Next, she received a new modem from her ISP. When she queried said supplier, it devolved that a) they'd sent her the wrong modem and b) she needed to purchase a smartphone instead of her simple basic mobile and c) that the new modem she'd receive would cost her $5 monthly, presumably for the foreseeable future. Oh, and she needed to get an app called 'Orbi'.

Could some kind person please enlighten me about this? Then perhaps I can offer her better advice than my first impulse, which is to tell her to swap ISPs to Spark. Sure, the outfit is a bit of a dinosaur, but it's the big player and at least they offer a mail client, which Slingshot does not.

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#2927981 15-Jun-2022 15:01

Orbi is the netgear router/wireless companion app.

Are you sure of the whole story (these thing's always seem to go wrong 3rd hand or miss important information in place of emotion)

Hope they have not been talked into a mesh fixed broadband Orbi mesh wireless everywhere unit instead (cheaper to ISP than fibre). But going by this, they're supplying orbi routers now. But should still support existing routers/BYO as long as it does ethernet and vlan tagging

https://help.slingshot.co.nz/hc/en-us/articles/5663670082073-Setting-up-your-Orbi-Wi-Fi-6-router

geekIT

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#2927985 15-Jun-2022 15:25

No, I'm not sure of the whole story, which is why I asked the question. Let me see if I have the correct gist of your info. First, is the part about the copper line not working after December correct? Then, are Slingshot assuming that she doesn't want the fibre installation, in which case she'll have to settle for a totally wireless operation?

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quickymart

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#2928000 15-Jun-2022 15:44

Has she received anything to advise that copper services are being withdrawn in her area?
Does her address show up as impacted on this map? https://www.chorus.co.nz/copper-withdrawal

geekIT

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#2928003 15-Jun-2022 16:01

Thanks, but the map (.dbf) opens with Excel to only show lat.and log. co-ords.

She's in Motuora Rd. Manly. But it apparently was Chorus that informed her about the December deadline.

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quickymart

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#2928006 15-Jun-2022 16:06

Further down the page is a part where you can enter your address, but it looks like that street may indeed be impacted.

geekIT

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#2928998 15-Jun-2022 16:35

Yep,I entered the full address but I couldn't see any relevant map indicators.

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nztim

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#2929988 15-Jun-2022 17:27

There are two things happening that you need to be aware of

The Spark NEAX PSTN shutdown and Chorus Withdrawal of copper

If she has a copper based landline it by impacted by the SPARK NEAX Shutdown - https://www.spark.co.nz/shop/landline/landline-migration/

Spark & (And Other RSPs) are moving people off Copper Broadband in line with those NEAX shutdowns

Secondly Chorus is withdrawing copper in areas where there is fiber here https://www.chorus.co.nz/copper-withdrawal

If your address is not listed on the chorus map, its likely your RSP is not waiting round for Chorus to withdraw copper in your area and is withdrawing copper broadband in line with the NEAX shutdown

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

PolicyGuy

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#2929989 15-Jun-2022 17:47

Are Chorus withdrawing copper services in areas where one of the other UFB providers (Enable, Tuatahi, Northpower) are providing the fibre service?
For consistency, they ought to
Commercially, it's to their advantage not to until the old copper gets to the unmaintainable stage

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#2929990 15-Jun-2022 17:49

It does sound like something that may have happened almost exactly as you have been told.
I have heard of customers being sent WBB routers to affected addresses with basic instructions when prior plans have not been made by customers contacted by Chorus. (isp specific)

From memory of playing around with one, the 'smartphone' side is just for the router setup and personalisation side, connect through scanning QR codes inside the orbi app so you don't need to fiddle with wireless connections when you make changes. The rest of the story about wrong routers and ongoing costs I've no idea on and cant really speculate.

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nztim

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#2930002 15-Jun-2022 18:16

PolicyGuy:
Are Chorus withdrawing copper services in areas where one of the other UFB providers (Enable, Tuatahi, Northpower) are providing the fibre service?
For consistency, they ought to
Commercially, it's to their advantage not to until the old copper gets to the unmaintainable stage

Chorus have been competing against other LFCs so far as to turn on VDSL vectoring on cabinets in other LFC areas (for example Hamilton)

No copper in other LFC areas has been marked for closure yet

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

antonknee

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#2930011 15-Jun-2022 19:21

It sounds like they've ordered a fibre installation for her (good thing). She should continue with this IMO.

They've also signed her up for their rental modem, which isn't necessarily a good thing. If your friend doesn't want a smartphone, then I would strongly suggest she gets in touch with Slingshot and cancels the rental modem. You can then purchase a more basic modem (or have Slingshot send one) which won't have the $5/month rental, won't require a smartphone, but will allow her to use a computer or other wireless device. If you want it, I have a totally spare suitable modem she can just have.

Slingshot don't currently offer fixed wireless broadband of the type Oblivian describes.

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Oblivian

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#2930012 15-Jun-2022 19:32

Oops

I got worried seeing their list of routers and mesh stuff which at the same time sounded 4G capable kit

Presumed they did like the sneaky others that try it on for better overheads

But yeah. Router thing is odd. Especially if it was a more than capable router. Other than wanting to try avoid supporting and talking them through reconfiguring so send a 'smart' one they know how to support via script/web guide easier like located above

geekIT

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#2930013 15-Jun-2022 19:33

antonknee:

It sounds like they've ordered a fibre installation for her (good thing). She should continue with this IMO.

They've also signed her up for their rental modem, which isn't necessarily a good thing. If your friend doesn't want a smartphone, then I would strongly suggest she gets in touch with Slingshot and cancels the rental modem. You can then purchase a more basic modem (or have Slingshot send one) which won't have the $5/month rental, won't require a smartphone, but will allow her to use a computer or other wireless device. If you want it, I have a totally spare suitable modem she can just have.

Slingshot don't currently offer fixed wireless broadband of the type Oblivian describes.

Thanks for that. The section of your tip that I've bolded -this would require her to have fibre installed, wouldn't it? Plus, she's already been a Slingshot broadband customer for some time, so she already has a modem. Will that one not work with fibre?

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antonknee

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#2930014 15-Jun-2022 19:35

Oblivian: Oops

I got worried seeing their list of routers and mesh stuff which at the same time sounded 4G capable kit

Presumed they did like the sneaky others that try it on for better overheads

But yeah. Router thing is odd. Especially if it was a more than capable router. Other than wanting to try avoid supporting and talking them through reconfiguring so send a 'smart' one they know how to support via script/web guide easier like located above

100% and I would absolutely have the same concern. Had the OP said Spark or Vodafone were the supplier I would have absolutely jumped straight to the conclusion she'd have been signed up for fixed wireless.

I also agree that it seems a little odd they've done the rental modem, but you are quite right it has some customer support advantages for both Slingshot and the OP's friend if things do go wrong - as it sounds like the OP's friend is maybe not the most technically inclined person. But if OP's friend does not want a smartphone then this is not really suitable, despite that advantage. Slingshot offer an 'ugly' modem which is likely going to be a recycled more basic model which wouldn't need a smartphone.

nztim

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#2930015 15-Jun-2022 19:40

Her current modem may or may not work with fibre even it does chance are it wont support the latest fibre speeds

if you want me to tell you if there is a fibre order been placed DM me your address

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

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