A few weeks ago, I expressed my frustrations in this column about my struggles for a strong internet connection.
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It turns out that someone in the NBN media team read my message and reached out to offer me some help with my connection frustrations.
This person put me in touch with someone who checked what was provided to me in the area where I live.
They also checked the speed of my NBN connection to my house.
That assessment indicated that I was well set up for a better connection.
But it also identified a few things I needed to raise with my service provider.
The first was that the plan I was on was no longer the fastest I could get in the area in which I lived...but no one had let me know.
The second detail was that my modem was becoming too old to provide a faster service.
Again, this was not passed on by my provider.
However, a quick phone call to my provider was all it took to ensure these simple solutions were addressed.
Apparently, it is a matter of ask, and you shall receive the information you need.
Otherwise, like me, you could be left frustrated and guessing. So now I want to share what I have learnt with others.
The NBN contact told me there were people like her working throughout regional areas to help people assess and navigate the challenges they faced with regard to their internet connection.
She also advised me that there was a regional tech hub that provided free support and guidance to help regional, rural and remote Australians get connected, stay connected, and make the most of new technologies.
I can happily say that I am now enjoying an internet service that is five times faster, and there is no longer an impact to my online access at peak user times, such as the end of the school day or from 5pm.
If you, too, are struggling with your service, then I would highly recommend you reach out to your regional service provider for assistance, and if you have no luck, reach out to the Regional Tech Hub.
The online Regional Tech Hub is an independent service which comprises a website, a phone call-back service and an online chat function as well as social media.
Contacts are https://regionaltechhub.org.au/, call 1300081029, helpdesk@regionaltechhub.org.au or go to its Facebook page.
The NBN also has a series of upcoming events where members of the community can speak to them directly.
Details of these events can be found at https://www.nbnco.com.au/corporate-information/media-centre/events
Jackie Meyers, ACM editor
