Telstra will start rolling out Top Hats in November
Filed under: ADSL, broadband, consumer, innovation, technology
Sometimes all you need is a person with a bright idea to solve a problem that has been affecting many. Earlier this year one of the NAT engineers, Darryl Dux, was idling at some traffic lights, and noticed a box mounted on top of the traffic light cabinet and had a light bulb moment. This doesn’t sound too amazing, but this observation is going to bring fixed broadband to many homes and businesses that could never have it before.
Telstra has approximately 5000 street side cabinets across Australia, mainly in housing estates that were developed in the late 1980’s – early 1990’s, that provide telecommunications services to the streets surrounding them. As they were installed before the internet was an everyday accessory, they weren’t designed to deliver broadband access.
Typically each cabinet can support up to 480 telephone services. Some we’ve been able to fit with ADSL technology, however only 120 services could be supported by some cabinets, and some cabinets could not support ADSL at all.
Darryl’s bright idea was to install ADSL2+ equipment on top of the existing street side cabinets but it took a lot more than this to turn this into reality. Telstra and Alcatel-Lucent engineers had to solve complex equipment cooling and cabinet upgrade challenges to make this process quick, economic and have minimal impact on existing customers. We even went as far as building the first prototypes inside an industrial toolbox to test the system end to end, this sped up our engineering processes and took up to 12 months off the time to get this solution up and running.
Dubbed a ‘Top Hat’ this new equipment means we’re now able to deliver ADSL2+ fixed broadband to all homes and businesses that are connected to an upgraded street side cabinet. It sounds simple now that we’ve come up with the idea, but will make a huge change to people who will be able to access video streaming, digital business and connected home services for the first time over a fixed broadband connection.
Telstra will start rolling out Top Hats in November, to approximately 2000 street side cabinets and expect the project to be completed within 18 months. At the same time we’ll be replacing the connection from the street side cabinet to Telstra’s core network with Gigabit Ethernet fibre. This sounds very technical, but in reality means that customers will get the best speeds possible from their ADSL2+ service, and will experience less contention even when many users are on their fixed broadband at one time.
In addition to having fixed broadband it means many customers will also now be able to take advantage of Telstra’s popular home phone bundles, making it a very economical way to access high speed broadband. As Telstra installs Top Hats into local areas, we’ll be letting the local communities know. You can see if your area is scheduled for an upgrade in the next few months by visiting www.telstrawholesale.com.au.
To see how Darryl’s idea came to life, watch this video.
Can someone tell me whether our community can buy a top hat for our area! Brendan can you tell me whether our area of Mount Nathan, QLD 4211 can get ADSL if we paid for our own!
Hello Beth, I’ve asked and your location is a few hundred metres outside the allowable transmission limits for ADSL broadband. This is not connected via a roadside cabinet so is not a potential site for a Tophat cabinet upgrade.
We are continually reviewing for opportunities to upgrade services for ADSL, but unfortunately there is no upgrade proposed for this area at this stage.
Brendan, are you able to find out if anything can be done in Katherine NT, 0851?? I think where I live is one of the only places that can’t get any ADSL 1 or 2.. It is very frustrating!!!
This is the best news i have read this year…. i hope.
Will more detail be made available as to where in the Distribution area access will be increased?
I am on Swanbank exchange (DA033) and would dearly love to join the 20th C with adsl. Will maps be made available so we can plan changes from satellite to “real” net access?
Thanks
How do areas get scheduled? On what priority? I am in ‘area 62′ in Point Cook which coincidentally is a mobile service dead zone, ruling out mobile broadband as well.
Brilliant! I am on the Caboolture exchange in QLD and my street (Parkridge Ave) is serviced by the DA089 RIM. Despite the Caboolture exchange being ADSL 2 enabled, the RIM can only supply ADSL 1 (which is fine by me) however there are never any spare ports available. I have been relying on pre-paid dial up for the last 2 years. We are also in a ‘known 3G black spot’ and any form of wireless internet is not an option. I see our cabinet is not currently scheduled for an installation of a Top Hat, can I ask if all Cabinets are going to be upgraded over the 18 month roll out schedule and that I should just keep checking back to confirm when our cabinet will be upgraded?
Hi Joe, I’ll ask for you.
Just an update. Noticed last night that the street side cabinet servicing our estate had a top hat installed some time in the last 2 days! Checked the Telstra wholesale roll out spreadsheet this morning and yep, proposed service date of May 2012
Not sure if this is the result of your investigations Brendan but if so, on behalf of myself and many more residents in my estate I know of, thank you very much.
Glad to hear that Joe. Enjoy.
Hello,
For the past 3 years I have been a proud Telstra customer with a solid adsl and adsl2+ service without complaints. November last year I moved from Oakey to Westbrook Qld and attempted to get adsl right away. Unfortunately there weren’t any ports available at the time. So a telstra rep told me to call once every week to see if a port became availible and today we sit in the month of March. To this day a port has not opened up and I am still stuck on a useless 3G device. Telstra I have never had any issues with you before but there must be something that can be done about this situation, i read Kim D’s story and i would really appreciate a similar ending to mine.
Hi there, we live in Varsity Lakes but have been told we use the Burleigh Heads exchange we have haven’t been able to get ADSL with anyone due to the limited ports. Is our area on the upgrade list! and when would it be????
Hi Brendan,
Not sure if you missed my post – are you able to tell me anything about Katherine NT.. We are on a RIM, and the exchange is DA023. I believe it is the only “ADSL enabled” exchange in Katherine that cannot actually get ADSL…
Hi LR, I’ll need your address please. Use this form.
I have just found out that where I live the 89 Crane Crescent Nerang 4211is not on the NBN list for the next 3 years we only can get dial up or wireless . Is Telstra going to update this area so that we can get adsl?
John
can you tell me if your tophat upgrade is coming to albany western australia 6330- absolutely no ports left
This sounds good. The plan, however, does not list Pelverata Tasmania (7150) and I was wondering if this could be looked into. Our area only has dial-up and satellite generally available and Next-G/3G is mostly unworkable because of hilly terrain as we are at the bottom of a twisting valley. Considering most people have no type of broadband access I would expect uptake of ADSL (1or 2+) in this area to be quite close to 100%. I believe there are slightly more than 100 households within 4km of the Pelverata RIM. The NBN lists us for wireless access in the next decades but line of sight is unlikely to be very successful again because of the nature of the terrain. Use of the copper network makes the most sense and would be very cost effective.
Cheers
Mike Graham
Hi There
I live in new part of Roxburgh Park (Kelmscott close) area and only available internet is the wireless…Can you please advise if there are further plans to upgrade the network or if the tophat option would work for us.
I thank you in advance.
Leyla
Amendment to my earlier post. NBN have listed Pelverata, Tasmania as a red zone which means NOT to be commenced withing 3 years.
So, dear Telstra, if you feel like upgrading the Pelverata RIM, Tasmania, it would look like NBN may never be in competition with that infrastructure.
Kindest Regards
Mike Graham
Hi Mike,
I live in Point Cook and currently on ADSL 1, does this top hats will supply me ADSL 2+? Or what other information we need consider? Thanks.
Regards
Hi Telstra, if you could install for Pullenvale Road, Pullenvale, Brisbane, 4069. My exchange is three suburbs away at Chapel Hill. It does not give any ETA on when this will be installed on the Telstra Top Hat Web Site.
Regards
Warwick Mortensen
After years of putting up with radio based broadband, Optus 3G broadband and several failed attempts to get ADSL services from various “can do” ISPs, I finally got Telstra ADSL2+ service at home in Vermont South. I’m paying a premium for the 20Mb download speed with 100Gb monthly limit. What a disappointment! Some nights I’m lucky to get “dial up” like speeds less than 100kb/sec. Telstra Help Desk tell me that 1.5 Mb/Sec is considered acceptable! It might be to Telstra, but not to me, when I’m paying for 20 Mb/sec. When I heard about Tophat I thought “beauty, it’ll get fixed!” but no, Tally Ho exchange and Vermont South are not on the list! Will someone tell me how I can get a reasonable download speed with a reasonable data amount without paying a fortune for it?
Peter, Sorry to hear your ADSL2+ is a disappointment. I’ve asked for a local team to investigate and call you. Brendan
Hey Brendan,
The lovely folks over at the facebook page pointed me here.
I’m really struggling to run our business remotely, we have over 40 staff.
I know many cabinets in our area are getting tophatted, literally the street next to me. Yet ours is not.
What can we do to get this looked at, what if I get signatures from local’s in this area stating it is also wanted?
Is there any solution to have it added?
Area is:
Oxen DA144
Walter Court is my street (in wongawallan)
I appreciate any advice you can give.
Brendan,
My family and I have recently moved into a house on the Springthorpe estate, Macleod (3085), VIC. Our problem, and the problem of many of our neighbours, is that all the ports on the RIM’s in the area are taken and we are not able to connect to internet, apart from wirelessly. The NBN is coming to within 1km of where we are living on at least 3 sides but we aren’t on the list for installation in the next 3 years. Tophats have just been installed but not activated yet. Many in our community are wondering whether this will open up more ports or will this simply provide an upgrade to those already connected to ADSL1?
Hi Brendan,
Recently moved into Newington on the Silverwater Exchange in NSW. There are no ports left on the exchange and there are no plans to upgrade. Just like Anna above, the NBN is being rolled out to all surrounding suburbs, but not us. There is no information for Tophat to be installed in our area, but it’s the only realistic way of us getting ADSL at any stage.
We just can’t afford nor rely on wireless and would appreciate any help you could provide.
Hi Mathew, Right now the best way to find out is from the advertised list online in Excel format. It is updated regularly.
Thanks Brendan. As of the last spreadsheet, the Silverwater exchange area (incl. Newington) is not listed.
What can we do to get it on the list?
Hi Brendan,
I looked up the Spreadsheets and find no plans for RIM in Pelverata TAS 7150. Any Plans for Pelverata? Ever? Never?
Regards
Mike
Hi Mike, We will add more to the list when the information is public and we’ll also letter drop the neighbourhood.
can anyone tell me where I can put my letter of interest into A Top Hat Project to us on the list for faster internet!!!! I have googled A Top Hat Project but not sure where to leave my message
Hi Lisa. I’ll ask for you. Brendan.
The relatively new estate that I live in at Monarch Place, Mons QLD 4556 does nor have ADSL available, despite several Telstra salesmen saying it was only to be turned down on a few occasions by the Telstra technical support section. Is TopHat coming to our street? Why isn’t a link provided to the “spreadsheet” so that I can check for myself as to whether or not Top Hat is to be installed, and if so how soon?
Hi Matt, The link is just under the YouTube video in this post. Brendan.
Hi Brendan, thanks for your reply and yes I found the spreadsheet thanks. There was no Mons, QLD listed at all. Could you please advise if Top Hat is being made available for us as I know of several neighbors in our street called Monarch Place who will sign up if is made available. Thanks
Is there any chance that areas of Ocean Shores NSW will finally be able to get ADSL? I live on Boondoon Crescent and have been told by many isps that there is no ADSL here despite there being an exchange close by. As far as I can tell there should be no reason why I cant get ADSL here but everyone tells me I cant. Please help! I’m sick of using Optus wireless!!
Hi Brendan I am moving to Moorebank on Wellwood Ave in NSW and the only option on that street for me and my new neighbours is wireless internet which is very slow and making it almost impossible for me to work from home or my daughters to do school work via the internet. Please let me know if and when the Tophat will be coming to my area and what I can do to get it on the list. Thank you
Any chance that Noarlunga Downs SA will see a Top Hat install? The Lonsdale exchange supports ADSL2+ but my service is connected to it via a RIM so I would love a speed upgrade as the NBN is only planned to Seaford SA at this point. So I can see homes with high speed ADSL2+ in either direction.
Hi Brendan,
Like Anna (above) we also live in Springthorpe estate, Macleod, VIC and are very frustrated operating on wireless broadband. We also do not understand whether Tophats will provide more ports or just better speeds for those lucky enough to already have ADSL1. We would really love a reply. Thankyou.
Hi there. As I’ve mentioned previously we keep adding to the online spreadsheet and that’s where you can find out the progress of any roll outs. Brendan
Sorry didn’t see the link information above, great news for next month!
Thank you very much
No problem Adam. I’ve updated that area to make it more obvious to get the speadsheet.
Thanks for the reply Brendan but it doesn’t answer the question – Tophats have just been installed but not activated yet. Many in our community are wondering whether this will open up more ports or will this simply provide an upgrade to those lucky enough to be already connected to ADSL1?
Hi Brendan, the spreadsheet shows CA31 (Point Cook) scheduled for update ‘second half 2012′, but I can see the box has physicaly been updated more than a month ago. What else needs to happen between ‘box being upgraded’ and ‘customer can apply for ADSL2+’? What is the likely approx timeframe between these two events? Thanks.
Howdy Brad. I’ll ask for you and see if we have any info we can share with you.
Hi Brendon my problem is that Boondoon crescent and surrounding streets in Ocean Shores nsw are not connected properly to the local exchange. Nobody in my entire area can get Internet through our phone lines despite the exchange being adsl enabled with spare ports available. Ocean shores is NOT on the 3 year roll out for the nbn so upgrading the current infrastructure is vital. When the top hat is installed here would it also be possible to fix the problem that stops half of the entire Ocean shores town getting Internet. Thanks
Hi Brendon
I am planning to move to a property at 63 Bradley Dr Harrington Park NSW 2567 (Narellan Exchange) and was told (by Telstra Customer Service) that the property is on a RIM and that I can only get ADSL (not ADSL2+).
I went through the Telstra Wholesale site and saw that there are no plans to upgrade my area to ADSL2+. Is this correct? If not when would I be able to get ADSL2+
Thanks
Hi Lahi, That spreadsheet is updated regularly so keep checking.
I live 1 km from my exchange but am connected to a rim that makes my cable length 4.7 km. Why do we have these rims ? Surely it doesnt help in my situation
I live in Sky Royal Terrace, Burleigh Heads 4220. Tallebudgera Exchange, RIM CA30.
For 12 months my Internet Provider Comcen/Spintel have been applying on my behalf for ADSL but we always receive “no ports available”
I notice that our RIM CA30 in Cowell Drive now has a Top Hat, but still no ports available for me!!
Why is this so? How much longer do I have to put up with expensive, slow, unreliaable Mobile Broadband.??
Have the extra Ports been taken up? Why have I missed out after applying every week for 12 months?
Hi, My Plenty GBRH CA28 tophat is due for activation by May 2012.
only 2 days to go, any chance it will be operational soon ?
Also once operational how long before my Telstra freinds on the phone are advised so i can actuall get it ?
See above from me………..Marie
Also ….. Our RIM has the Top Hat “on top”, but when I check on the Top Hat web site, it says “Sorry, not doing it”?? So maybe an activation date is needed??
Hi, could you please let me know if Laverton Exchange DA 126 will be upgraded with ADSL 2?
Apologies for the late response and the bad news. There are no plans to upgrade at this time.
Hi Brendan, I have lived in this property (for 8 years and I am still trying to get ADSL through the Karingal Vic exchange, though this has become critical with my kids now studying, and requiring decent broadband access. NBN will never be a solution for me as my property is ‘a non standard installation’ and requires extra cable at my considerable expense. I have checked the rollout spreadsheet, but no joy. On what basis does Telstra decide which areas are next on the list. Does waiting for 8 years (and having been a loyal Telstra customer for 24) count for anything? Is there a request form I can use to apply for the TopHat upgrade in my area (happy to supply address if you contact me directly)?
Thank you
hello there brandan a tophat is being installed in my ocal area could u please tell me if i am connected to the newly upgared cabinet
Hi Brendan,
I put a comment up a bit above (search my name)
Were you able to address that?
Thanks
Hi Marc, I’ve been on leave and please keep an eye out for the updates in the spreadsheet. This is the way to get the info. Brendan
Thanks anyway for getting back to me Sunil. On another note, could you pls tell me what the maximum speed for my line is (Im curretnly on a Bigpond 1.5Mb plan). Thanks
Hi Brendan,
I live in Narre Warren South (VIC), and we have issues with getting adsl2+ for a long time. I’ve heard about this Top Hat technology and that Telstra is installing it around my area. Now, just yesterday I saw technicians installing what it looks like a top hat box on a street side cabinet just across my street. The cabinet is on The Strand, I live in Somerset court. Can you please confirm this as I am very eager to get Adsl2+ through Telstra. Nothing is mentioned on Telstra wholesale website.
regards,
Alex
Hi Alex, You’ll need to keep an eyeout on the spreadsheet (end of the blog post) and we letter drop homes to notify residents when we are in the area. Brendan
I (Telstra Employee) can verify about the letter drops. We live in the Jacksons Hill area of Sunbury and 2 weeks ago received the letter in our mailbox advising that ADSL2+ may now be available in our area. My neighbour now has ADSL2+ and we should be getting it today.
My speed just nearly doubled with a top hat install in what could be described as an extreme fringe area that is more rural than suburban. 6-7 Mbps consistently is not too shabby , and a static I.P is just icing on the cake.
I spoke too soon , the dreaded copper cables failed for the umpteenth time with speeds down worse than dial up and no dial tone . An estimated 8 weeks plus to repair it .So after using it for 30 years i had to disconnect. No more ADSL.I guess its a bit like bolting a turbocharger onto a motor that’s done a million kilometers – is it the answer i wonder
My local rim Caboolture CA091 had a top hat installed last month. It still hasn’t been listed in the rolllout schedule. What is the typical timeframe for a tophat to be installed and functional.
Hi
Is there anyway to find the actual physical location of the RIM cabinet used to service an area? I live in Charker Dr Harrington Park 2567.
Thanks
Hi,
I live in Parkinson, 4115 and received the leaflet drop a little while ago. I contacted Telstra immediately, and once we resolved a systems error by Telstra, I was successful. To get ADSL2, after a number of years getting knock backs for being attached to a RIM, this is just fantastic! So thank you Telstra. No impact to our plan or pricing either!!
Hi,
I live in Caboolture QLD. I have noticed some of the cabinets around me being upgraded but I do not know where my cabinet is and whether it is being upgraded as the spreadsheet doesn’t seem to be accurate. My cabinet is CABO101 if anyone can let me know where it is or whether it is being upgraded?
Cheers
Hi
I’ve looked at the spreadsheet & i’m in this area:
LTVNCA40
LTVN
LAVERTON
DIST AREA: 146
It says that the Proposed service date is July 2012 & Actual Service date is 5th July
Existing DSLAM ID QLTVNE18S6
Proposed DSLAM ID QLTVNE4012M
Does this mean i’m available for internet??
Thanks
Leanne
Hi,
My DSLAM (SA04/SOCDA/CA13 in SAMFORD VALLEY, 4520) has recently had a top hat installed. But there is no entry in the spreadsheet and Telstra Activations say there is no ADSL2+ available at my address.
Can someone tell me when this DSLAM will be activated for ADSL2+? There is HUGE demand for ADSL2 in the area!
Thanks in advance
…Steve
Hi
Is it possible to get the linked PDF maps in the Tophat.xls spreadsheet available to customers?
Cheers
…Steve
Just to clarify, when you click on a link in one of the spreadsheet columns containing a link to a map, it says “Cannot open file”, and the link points to (for example):
file:///c:\Documents and Settings\Steve\Local Settings\Temp\ALDA-CA8-Map-ALDA-DA41.pdf
There are no PDF files downloaded with the spreadsheet.
Cheers
…Steve
I’m advised that Telstra are working on fixing this problem with the tophat spreadsheet.
Cheers
…Steve
Haven’t heard any more about Telstra fixing this problem (unable to display the PDF map files) – it’s still broken! If anyone in Telstra is listening, please can someone email me the PDF files for SAOD-CA13 – thanks!
Cheers
…Steve
Hi Steve. I’ve just chased this up and will ask for someone to email you. Brendan
Hi Steve, Sent them to you today. Hope this helps. Brendan
Got them – many thanks Brendan.
Cheers
…Steve
Hi all,
Bane has provided a solution in a comment further down.
Basically add the pdf filename after http://www.telstrawholesale.com.au/download/document/ in your browser.
Thanks Bane – the missing link:-)
Cheers
…Steve