ADSL in Toowoomba

I moved into a new residence at the beginning of January, and began organising broadband connection straight away. To my dismay, the phone company told me that there was too much attenuation in my phone line as I live too far away from the Middle Ridge telephone exchange.

After making a few enquiries with the neighbours, it came as a surprise that neighbours on either side of my house do have ADSL. They told me it took them a few months before Telstra (the main local loop supplier) sorted out the technical issues.

A few months is not an option for me, as I worked from home.

A few more enquiries later, and this is what I’ve found. If your application for ADSL is rejected, you can call up Telstra and ask them to investigate why is it that your neighbours are able to obtain ADSL. Have their addresses and phone numbers handy, as it’ll help speed things up. Then keep asking until they refer your enquiry to the House Base Area, which is a unit set up to investigate this sort of issues.

Incidentally, Toowoomba residents can also try Bluemaxx, who provide a government subsidized WiMax service to people who can’t get ADSL.

How about LL ADSL to overcome transmission loss?

Update 14 March 2007: I’ve got ADSL. For people who want it badly enough, you need to talk to one of the customer managers at Telstra Country Wide. And keep talking. Unfortunately, the nice guy out there doesn’t want me to say his name. Since you’d have to go and see them anyway, I’m sure you’d find him. Firstly, don’t go in with the attitude that Telstra owes you ADSL. Telstra owes you nothing. Secondly, explain your case to him … e.g. son in high-school needs to be able to do research. Working from home, etc.