Naked Broadband
Posted February 7th, 2012
and last modified April 15th, 2012Naked Broadband Plans: Compare The Best Naked DSL Providers
Many of us take connecting to broadband internet for granted as it is just one click from your desktop, laptop or smartphone and you are connected to high speed, reliable broadband. However, most of us don’t give the process a lot more thought than that – as long as it works we’re happy. What we don’t realise though, is that there are so many different ways to get connected. For many people, getting connected to broadband internet would have involved a letter from, or an enquiry to, the telecommunications company who handles your phones and dial up internet, regarding an upgrade to broadband. The process to upgrade to broadband is simple enough in this case, and so often isn’t questioned.
However, what you can be missing out on is the chance to connect to broadband internet in new and modern ways, without having to be dictated by your telephone provider at all.
Top Naked Broadband Plans
What is Naked Broadband?
Naked broadband (commonly known as naked DSL) is a form of broadband without a telephony service – or the associated dial tone. In other words, naked broadband does not require the standard telephone cable that is required in regular cable and ADSL broadband connections.
Naked broadband is one of those alternatives to traditional broadband, as it is delivered to your property through telephone wires as a DSL service, however, you aren’t required to have an accompanying telephone service. While getting broadband internet through your existing phone service is convenient, and often qualifies you for bundled service options, you are forced to pay for both a phone and an internet service.
Therefore, naked broadband allows you to receive broadband internet without requiring your to have a phone service connected, for example you may be renting, or you may simply not want to bother with a landline phone because everyone calls you on your mobile, and the calls are generally easier and cheaper. Plus, you can still make voice calls if you want, without a landline phone by connecting to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), which routes a phone call through the internet and makes for much cheaper calls than via a landline phone.
Naked broadband can also refer to any type of broadband service which is connected to your home through a certain medium, but doesn’t include the accompanying service of that medium. This means naked DSL is connected through your telephone lines without you needing a telephone service, and naked cable broadband cones through the cable wires, but you don’t need to have cable TV to your home. Plus, the speeds you can enjoy on naked broadband will rival those of a standard broadband connection, for example naked cable broadband can reach speeds of 24-30 Mb/s, naked ADSL2+ can see speeds of around 24 Mb/s and naked ADSL can reach speeds of between 1.5 Mb/s and 12 Mb/s.
How does naked broadband differ from traditional broadband?
Naked broadband allows you more opportunity to be free and flexible with your internet connection, and tailor a plan and usage system which includes everything you want and nothing you don’t. Typically, to enjoy the benefits of speed and reliability found with cable broadband, you would need to be a cable TV subscriber, however, with naked cable broadband you can connect through the cable system without the costly addition of cable TV – plus you can download any shows or movies you want to watch through your new broadband connection anyway.
However, there are a few things you need to know about the differences between naked broadband and the traditional options, to help you make the right choices, and find the best deal:
- Naked broadband can be more expensive. When you look at the costs of naked and traditional broadband side by side, naked broadband can appear more expensive. However, you need to remember that with a naked connection you are not paying the $20 to $30 of line rental fees, so going naked will usually actually be cheaper.
- Packaged VoIP calls. If you really think you’re going to miss the ability to make phone calls from home, you can look for a provider who offers bundled VoIP calls, which allow you to make phone calls over the internet, at much cheaper rates than landline calls. This can save you money by doing away with the costs of line rental, and reducing the amount you spend on phone calls as you don’t have to use your mobile.
- New competition in naked connections. Naked broadband is only a recent addition to the Australian internet market, because Telstra had previously blocked other providers from offering residential naked DSL plans. Telstra owns the copper wire infrastructure in Australia, and sells those connections wholesale to its competitors, and they had been setting the prices of naked broadband so high, the other telecommunications companies couldn’t competitively sell them. However, Telstra have been forced into lowering their prices and now the other Australian providers are able to offer competitive naked broadband options.
How does naked broadband work?
With naked broadband, your internet and phone run through your broadband connection. A portion of cable running from the telephone switch to the splitter is removed, allowing the dial tone to be removed from the line. Because there is no landline phone service anymore, you no longer need to pay for line rental!
Naked broadband is identical to ADSL2+ in speed and reliability. The only difference is that you remove the phone service on the line, saving you anywhere up to $30 in line rental! The internet is still running through a copper line into your house, but it’s naked; it’s got nothing else on it!
Since naked DSL users don’t have a phone line anymore, many service providers offer internet plans bundled with voice over IP (VoIP) packages, so their customers can make their regular phone calls via the internet. VoIP calls are significantly cheaper than regular landline rates.
Features of Naked Broadband
It may be sounding too good to be true, that you can be connected to fast and reliable internet without being locked into phone or cable contracts and services, and be saving money on your phone calls and line rental, so now it is time to see how the features of naked broadband compare to standard broadband, and the issues you may need to be aware of to optimise your connection:
- Speed. Naked DSL and naked ADSL2+ will feature speeds which are comparable to the traditional connection types. Both standard and naked DSL are delivered in the same way, through the telephone exchange, over the copper wire system. Therefore, it is your distance from the exchange, and the quality of the copper wire in your area which will affect the speed of your naked connection.
- Reliability and clarity. Just as the speed of naked DSL broadband is delivered in the same way as the traditional connection, so too will the reliability of your connection be just as good as a standard broadband connection under the same circumstances. You will also be able to get a very high quality connection on your VoIP calls, while not quite as clear as a landline, VoIP is an ideal substitute, especially since you likely have access to your mobile too.
- ADSL2+ technology. Naked broadband is simply another type of ADSL2+ technology, and so you are able to enjoy the same speed, reliability and features you would get with a traditional connection, but you don’t have to be paying for bundled telephone or cable services you don’t want or need.
How to Connect naked broadband
As naked broadband runs through the same systems and uses the same technology as traditional broadband, you should be able to use naked broadband anywhere that ADSL or ADSL2+ is available. To connect you to naked broadband, the phone company will simply turn off your dial tone and switch you over to a naked connection, but make sure that you know your rights here, because some phone companies may try to convince you that you can’t switch to naked broadband, but this is simply because they don’t want to miss out on bundled services from you.
Therefore, to connect to naked broadband, all you need is an active phone line, your phone company to activate naked DSL on the line, and for them to the deactivate the phone aspect of the line. The following tips can help you with this process:
- Allow enough connection time. You may remember from your standard ADSL line, that connection only too around three to six working days. However, because naked DSL requires changes to a phone service, you will need to allow around 10 to 20 working days for the service to become active.
- Connect an active phone line. If you don’t have an active phone line at your home yet, perhaps you’ve just moved in, or you want to change providers, then shop around and choose the provider you want to work with. The provider you choose should be able to tell you whether you can access the ADSL lines, based on your location, while other providers will require an active phone line before they can tell you which services you can access – so make sure you ask your provider what they require to check your connection.
- Avoid extra costs for not having a landline phone. While it’s true that disconnecting your landline phone can save you a lot of line rental costs and expensive phone calls, there are some fees you will need to be aware of with disconnection. In some cases you will be required to pay for one month’s rental of the phone line, which can be around $60, plus a disconnection fee of around $100.
- Connecting to naked broadband from an active landline. If you have had an active landline telephone at your property for more than three months, you won’t have to worry about any connection or disconnection fees. Therefore, you may be better off taking your time to shop around for connection options and pricing, to see out the waiting period.
- You can still only choose from Optus or Telstra. If you are with Optus and your phone line runs through the Optus infrastructure, your Naked broadband will usually have to be through Optus, or iPrimus who also run on the Optus network. The remainder of Australian broadband providers use the Telstra network.
- Check coverage areas. To save yourself the hassle of trying to connect to naked broadband only to find it’s not available, consider choosing a broadband provider such as iPrimum Optus or iiNet who can tell you whether you can access broadband based on your location alone, using their coverage maps.
- Secure an available port. Each broadband provider has been allocated a limited number of ports at the local exchange, which they rent out to customers wanting to access the internet. Therefore, if you want to get connected, and there are ports available, it is wise to claim one as soon as you can before someone else does.
Benefits of naked broadband
While there may be a few more steps involved in connecting to naked broadband, the effort can be worth it when you consider the benefits. With naked broadband you will never have to worry about line rental charges again, and that’s not the only place you can save; by separating your phone and internet services, you don’t have to pay for any services you don’t want or need.
Chances are, if you have a mobile phone you will reach for it first want to make a phone call, even when you are at home. Therefore, think about whether you’d really miss having a landline, and then start imaging all the things you could be doing with your savings. Plus, with naked broadband you can benefit from the convenience of having just the one service to worry about. You can remove the hassle of another bill and another expense from your budget, and free yourself from another commitment.
Who is Naked Broadband Suited To?
By doing away with your landline phone you are relying on your mobile and your VoIP calls for communication, so if you have a medical condition, or are likely to need to make emergency calls for any reason, then naked broadband may not be the best option for you. However, if you don’t rely on your landline often, if at all, and you find yourself communicating primarily online anyway, then naked broadband can be a great way to save money and simplify your services.
Therefore, naked broadband is suited to anyone who wants a reliable, fast and affordable connection to the internet, with the ability to sign up for large data allowance packages. If you know your don’t need a landline phone, but you don’t want to be subject to the unreliable nature of mobile or wireless broadband, then naked broadband gives you the best of everything.
Drawback of Naked Broadband to Be Aware of
Unfortunately, while Telstra have been forced to make their naked broadband pricing more competitive, many providers still don’t want to lose your landline or cable business. Therefore, your provider may refuse or be unable to change your broadband to a naked connection, so you will need to find out if naked broadband is available in your area, and whether you need to switch providers to get connected.
You will also find that since naked broadband runs through the same systems as standard ADSL, that it is subject to the same speed and reliability issues. Therefore, the quality and speed of your connection can depend on how far away from the exchange you are, and the quality of the wiring you are connecting to.
How to Compare Naked Broadband
While there are a lot of great benefits to naked broadband, you need to make sure you’re getting the right plan, to take advantage of all of those benefits. Therefore, you need to carefully compare the following features when you are choosing a naked broadband plan:
- Connection speed. Don’t think that just because you don’t have a phone line with your naked broadband that this will reduce the speed of your broadband. Instead, make sure that you ask your provider what speeds you can expect from their naked broadband service, and check that those speeds compare to standard ADSL connection speeds.
- The right price. The cost of naked broadband should not be more than standard ADSL either, in fact, naked broadband should be cheaper because you don’t have to pay for your phone calls, your line rental or other services you don’t want or need through your internet provider.
- Choose a data limit. The data package you choose will depend on your usage, and if you are a heavy internet user who plays games online or runs a small business from home, then you’re going to be online almost all day every day, and you will need a high level plan. However, if you use the internet sporadically just to check your bank accounts and emails a few times a week, then you can sign up for a smaller data allowance on a cheaper plan.
- Contract terms. If you sign up to a naked broadband service on a contract, you can often secure an even better price, because the provider is willing to offer you discounts because of your long term commitment. Just make sure that the contract term you are signing up for will suit your needs, as if you have to move house, or your usage increases or decreases you may need to cancel or change your contract plan which can incur fees.
- Optimised service. Your location affects the speed and quality of your naked broadband connection, so choose an internet provider who has networks in your area, and look for the provider who can offer you the highest quality service. For example, if you live in a larger city, then you are likely to be close to an exchange, however if you live in a rural area, you may have limited options when it comes to provider who service your area, and your broadband may not be delivered at the highest quality.
- Bundles and extras. While the idea of connecting via naked broadband is to get rid of all the extras you don’t need, don’t disregard valuable options offer by your service provider such as free online storage space, email accounts, a free modem, and a free dial up account to act as a backup. You can also look for value in bundled services, such as VoIP packages which have been bundled with naked broadband services. This gives you back the ease and ability to make phone calls, and VoIP calls over the internet are much cheaper than standard landline calls, especially for interstate or international calling.
- The provider. As well as your location and your connection technology, the quality of your provider will determine the quality of your broadband connection and experience. Therefore, do your research into each provider you are considering and make sure they have high customer service and quality standards, that their services are reliable and inclusive and that their prices are fair. The best way you can learn about a broadband provider is by hearing from other customers, so speak to your friends, family and neighbours about their experiences, and go online and look for reviews of the providers you are considering.
As you are comparing naked broadband, you will also be comparing it with other technologies and types of connections. As you’re getting the same connection through naked broadband as you are through traditional broadband, the comparisons come in the added services which are often bundled with traditional broadband. Therefore, don’t discount the savings which can be made and the value which can be found from bundled telephone or cable TV services – just make sure you really want and need these services, and you are choosing the inclusions on your terms, rather than being bundled into services which aren’t entirely right for you.
Previously, if you were looking for broadband internet without the added costs of a landline phone, you were limited to cable internet which doesn’t have a wide coverage area, or wireless broadband which offers comparatively slow speeds. However, with naked broadband you are given more options of providers, packages, data allowances and services, because you can choose just those you want, rather than feeling obligated to sign up for more services just to secure fast and reliable broadband. By doing away with your landline phone you are relying on your mobile and your VoIP calls for communication, so if you have a medical condition, or are likely to need to make emergency calls for any reason, then naked broadband may not be the best option for you. However, if you don’t rely on your landline often, if at all, and you find yourself communicating primarily online anyway, then naked broadband can be a great way to save money and simplify your services.
Therefore, naked broadband is suited to anyone who wants a reliable, fast and affordable connection to the internet, with the ability to sign up for large data allowance packages. If you know your don’t need a landline phone, but you don’t want to be subject to the unreliable nature of mobile or wireless broadband, then naked broadband gives you the best of everything.
Drawback of Naked Broadband to be Aware Of
Unfortunately, while Telstra have been forced to make their naked broadband pricing more competitive, many providers still don’t want to lose your landline or cable business. Therefore, your provider may refuse or be unable to change your broadband to a naked connection, so you will need to find out if naked broadband is available in your area, and whether you need to switch providers to get connected.
You will also find that since naked broadband runs through the same systems as standard ADSL, that it is subject to the same speed and reliability issues. Therefore, the quality and speed of your connection can depend on how far away from the exchange you are, and the quality of the wiring you are connecting to.
How to Compare Naked Broadband
While there are a lot of great benefits to naked broadband, you need to make sure you’re getting the right plan, to take advantage of all of those benefits. Therefore, you need to carefully compare the following features when you are choosing a naked broadband plan:
- Connection speed. Don’t think that just because you don’t have a phone line with your naked broadband that this will reduce the speed of your broadband. Instead, make sure that you ask your provider what speeds you can expect from their naked broadband service, and check that those speeds compare to standard ADSL connection speeds.
- The right price. The cost of naked broadband should not be more than standard ADSL either, in fact, naked broadband should be cheaper because you don’t have to pay for your phone calls, your line rental or other services you don’t want or need through your internet provider.
- Choose a data limit. The data package you choose will depend on your usage, and if you are a heavy internet user who plays games online or runs a small business from home, then you’re going to be online almost all day every day, and you will need a high level plan. However, if you use the internet sporadically just to check your bank accounts and emails a few times a week, then you can sign up for a smaller data allowance on a cheaper plan.
- Contract terms. If you sign up to a naked broadband service on a contract, you can often secure an even better price, because the provider is willing to offer you discounts because of your long term commitment. Just make sure that the contract term you are signing up for will suit your needs, as if you have to move house, or your usage increases or decreases you may need to cancel or change your contract plan which can incur fees.
- Optimised service. Your location affects the speed and quality of your naked broadband connection, so choose an internet provider who has networks in your area, and look for the provider who can offer you the highest quality service. For example, if you live in a larger city, then you are likely to be close to an exchange, however if you live in a rural area, you may have limited options when it comes to provider who service your area, and your broadband may not be delivered at the highest quality.
- Bundles and extras. While the idea of connecting via naked broadband is to get rid of all the extras you don’t need, don’t disregard valuable options offer by your service provider such as free online storage space, email accounts, a free modem, and a free dial up account to act as a backup. You can also look for value in bundled services, such as VoIP packages which have been bundled with naked broadband services. This gives you back the ease and ability to make phone calls, and VoIP calls over the internet are much cheaper than standard landline calls, especially for interstate or international calling.
- The provider. As well as your location and your connection technology, the quality of your provider will determine the quality of your broadband connection and experience. Therefore, do your research into each provider you are considering and make sure they have high customer service and quality standards, that their services are reliable and inclusive and that their prices are fair. The best way you can learn about a broadband provider is by hearing from other customers, so speak to your friends, family and neighbours about their experiences, and go online and look for reviews of the providers you are considering.
As you are comparing naked broadband, you will also be comparing it with other technologies and types of connections. As you’re getting the same connection through naked broadband as you are through traditional broadband, the comparisons come in the added services which are often bundled with traditional broadband. Therefore, don’t discount the savings which can be made and the value which can be found from bundled telephone or cable TV services – just make sure you really want and need these services, and you are choosing the inclusions on your terms, rather than being bundled into services which aren’t entirely right for you.
Previously, if you were looking for broadband internet without the added costs of a landline phone, you were limited to cable internet which doesn’t have a wide coverage area, or wireless broadband which offers comparatively slow speeds. However, with naked broadband you are given more options of providers, packages, data allowances and services, because you can choose just those you want, rather than feeling obligated to sign up for more services just to secure fast and reliable broadband.