How Long For Fibre Broadband to Settle in NZ

Source: Pixabay.com

Were you excited to try out your new, hyperfast broadband connection after upgrading to fibre, just to be disappointed by your speed test showing different speeds than what you were promised? Don't fret, fibre connections take time to settle, and your internet connection speed should be fine after several days.

We'll tell you how and why that happens in this post, so continue reading to learn more!

How Long Does It Take For Fibre Broadband to Settle?

It'll usually take up to 14 days for your fibre connection to settle after activation. This is called the stabilisation period. During it, equipment at the telephone exchange works out the optimal speed for your broadband, so expect fluctuating upload and download speeds.

What Is Fibre Broadband?

Source: Pixabay.com

Fibre is one of the many types of broadband technologies. It uses fibre optic cables, which are thin strands of glass or plastic that transmit light signals modulated to transmit binary data. The transmitted data is then converted back to electrical signals by your router at the endpoint.

This is a significant upgrade over copper wires which transmit data as electrical signals and are commonly used in other broadband types, such as ADSL.

Data transmission with fibre optic is done at nearly 200,000km/s, enabling you to access the fastest broadband speeds possible. Fibre is also reliable, as the infrastructure behind it is more durable, and it's less prone to interference than the alternatives.

Some of the best fibre providers in New Zealand offer speeds from 100 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps. The latter equates to ~125 MB/s download speed. To put how fast that is into perspective, you can download a 4K movie in about 20 seconds with it!

Related: Fibre vs. Cable

What Are The Different Types of Fibre Broadband In NZ?

New Zealand is among the leading countries in internet connection; 87% of the population has access to fibre broadband. So, you're in luck as a Kiwi. As long as you sign up with a good broadband provider, you'll experience a really good internet connection. However, before that, it's a good idea to check out each ISP's coverage, internet quality, and customer support services.

New Zealand is also phasing out the copper network and replacing it with fibre. Note that unlike in other countries, Kiwis can access fibre to the premises (FTTP) and hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) but not fibre to the cabinet (FTTC). These are better alternatives to it, as it uses copper wire that's more prone to degradation and speed issues.

Fibre to The Premises (FTTP)

Source: Pixabay.com

With this type of fibre, the fibre optic cables run all the way from the telephone exchange to your house; no copper wires are used. There's no worry about cable degradation affecting your internet speed. FTTP isn't available in some remote areas in New Zealand, though. Still, those with access to it can experience up to 1,000 Mbps speeds.

Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC)

Source: Pixabay.com

With this type of broadband, the fibre optic cables run from the telephone exchange to a street cabinet near your home. Then, coaxial cables are used from the cabinet to your premises. They're thicker, more durable, and can carry more data than copper wires.

Still, it's worth noting you won't get the full speed you're paying for because they're slower than fibre cables. They're only available in some areas where Vodafone's cable network operates and offer speeds of up to 900 Mbps.

Why Switch to Fibre Broadband?

You should switch to fibre if your internet connection is underperforming and you believe it's time to upgrade. Let's highlight some of fibre's advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages

• Faster Speeds: Fibre's performance is what sets it apart from other broadband types. Most providers in New Zealand offer plans that start at 300 Mbps, which is fast enough to accomplish any online task or activity seamlessly.
• More Consistent: Fibre offers balanced download and upload speeds, unlike cable. They're also more stable, preventing common issues with your broadband. It's a significant upgrade if you consistently experience discrepancies in performance or your broadband keeps disconnecting.
• Less Interference: Fibre uses fibre optic cables, which are less prone to degradation compared to copper wires. It's also less susceptible to network congestion and signal loss.
• More Capacity: Since you have a higher bandwidth, you can connect multiple devices to your Wi-Fi network without worrying about slowdowns or internet access issues.

Disadvantages

• Higher Cost: Fibre costs much more than other broadband types. So, choosing a more affordable provider should help you reduce your monthly bills. You can compare providers on our website!
• Installation Hassle: Installing fibre can be more challenging and costly. You'll need a fibre-compatible Wi-Fi router, and your service provider has to wire a different set of cables to your home. So, drilling may be necessary. Note that you may need consent to install fibre, depending on your living situation (e.g. while renting, sharing a building, etc.)

How Long Does it Take for Fibre Broadband to Settle?

It takes fibre broadband about 14 days to settle. This is because of the stabilisation period, during which the equipment at the telephone exchange is working out the optimal speed for your line.

However, it may take longer or shorter, depending on your line's condition and provider. Still, it shouldn't take more than 14 days. Contacting your ISP is a good idea if it does.

What Is A Telephone Exchange?

The telephone exchange is a facility that, aside from handling telephone lines and calls, connects different types of broadband services like fibre, cable, and DSL. It's usually located in your neighbourhood or street.

What Happens During The Stabilisation Period?

Your fibre broadband connection gets adjusted and optimised by the equipment at the telephone exchange during the stabilisation period. This process is important because it aims to find your line's best speed and stability based on its length, quality, and interference.

This is done by testing different settings and configurations, so expect your fibre broadband speed to vary or drop occasionally.

This is what sets fibre apart from other broadband types. Thanks to the stabilisation period, your internet becomes less prone to cutting out due to interference or experiencing significant drops in performance. Generally, here's what happens during this period:

• Day 0: Your fibre broadband is activated.
• Day 1-4: Testing and optimisation begin, so expect fluctuations in your speed.
• Day 5: More information about your line is collected for the next testing phase.
• Day 6-10: Your connection continues getting tweaked and optimised for the best performance possible.
• Day 10-14: Your connection should be set. You should have the best speed possible for your situation.

Why Is My Fibre Broadband Speed Different Than What I'm Paying For?

Source: Pixabay.com

Several factors could be at play if you notice a significant disparity between your fibre's speed and the plan you're paying for.

By the way, we're talking about bad performance after the stabilisation period.

• Type of Broadband: There's a difference between FTTP and HFC fibre. The latter is slower than the former because it uses coaxial cables, which perform worse than fibre optic cables. So, expect a slower speed if they're linked to your home.
• Distance From The Exchange: Your latency will be higher if there's a significant distance between your home and the telephone exchange. However, this difference isn't as noticeable as the previous factor. That's called attenuation!
• Network Congestion: Your internet speed is bound to drop a bit when using the internet during peak hours when everyone else is online. These hours stretch from after work to midnight and during weekends.

Fibre optic cables are less susceptible to degradation, so signal loss and interference issues are less common than with other broadband types.

However, they aren't immune to bending, stretching, cutting, or crushing. So, if some maintenance work is taking place in your neighbourhood and they accidentally touch the cables, you may experience some hiccups and slowdowns in your broadband service.

What Can I Do To Improve My Fibre Speed and Stability?

Source: Pixabay.com

There are a few things to do to make your fibre connection settle faster or perform better during the stabilisation period.

• Used a Wired Connection: An ethernet cable can provide a faster and more stable connection than wireless.
• Reduce The Number of Devices: One of the purposes of fibre is to enable you to connect multiple devices simultaneously with no loss of performance. But, during the stabilisation period, many devices accessing the internet for data-intensive activities can cause slowdowns.
• Check your Hardware: Fibre needs a compatible Wi-Fi router. So, ensure you have a new, more modern router with the latest firmware updates. You can also change its wireless channel or frequency band to eliminate interference from networks in your area.

Conclusion

Fibre is the best broadband technology you can have in New Zealand today. It's also widely accessible; most schools in New Zealand have fibre.

While it costs more than the alternatives, its hyper-fast speeds and stability make it ideal if you have data-intensive needs or many devices.

However, expect its speed to settle after about 14 days after activation. It's because of the stabilisation period; your telephone exchange is trying to work out the most optimal configuration for your connection.