Telstra’s PSTN Exchanges across Australia are still being upgraded with Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (aka DSLAM) hardware for the purpose of delivering fast ADSL2+ broadband. Some of Australia’s largest Telecommunication Providers are still planing and rolling out DSLAM infrastructure in metropolitan, regional and rural Telephone Exchanges.

iiNet is one such Internet Service Provider that is busily working away on expanding their ADSL2+ Network using the current PSTN copper line technology. CEO Michael Malone says that despite the go ahead of the upcoming $43 billion National Broadband Network, it still might be 5 to 8 years away before many customers are able to take advantage of the 100Mbps high speed fibre to the home technology. Mr Malone suggests that it will give iiNet the opportunity to address backhaul in regional centres while Internode managing director Simon Hackett stated that it would help maintain a competitive broadband Industry by keeping ADSL2+ infrastructure active.

Australia’s two largest Broadband Service Providers ‘Optus and ‘Telstra BigPond’ don’t appear to be extending plans for further DSLAM roll outs, although Telstra has formed several agreements recently with other ISP’s that will allow them to use Telstra ADSL2+ Enabled Exchanges to resell their ADSL2+ Broadband. Optus on the other hand have ceased all ADSL2+ roll outs at the end of last year which brings their total number of ADSL2+ DSLAM enabled exchanges to 366.

ADSL Enabled Exchange Information which includes Proposed ADSL Enabled Exchanges and DSLAM Unhubbing and Migration Plans, can be found at TelstraWholesale.com. Find out the status of your local ADSL2 Exchange when viewing the Telstra Wholesale ADSL reports and plans.

Compare popular Telstra BigPond, Optus and iiNet ADSL2+ and Naked DSL Broadband Plans right here at Broadband Guide.

Telstra wholesale have a range of ADSL reports, ADSL Exchange reports and Exchange plans available for Telstra Wholesale customers. Keep in mind that these documents and files are typically for prospective ADSL2 Providers and Broadband Internet Service Providers in general, so if you’re not one of these businesses, you should contact you’re prospective ISP for associated ADSL information.

Along with a list of enabled ADSL Exchanges, Telstra wholesale will soon be releasing a list of ADSL2+ enabled Exchanges too. Some of their reports, which are updated weekly, include ADSL Capacity; ADSL Relief Plans; Proposed ADSL Enabled Exchanges; DSLAM Unhubbing and Migration Plans; along with ADSL equipment, supporting documents and much more. There is even an information section on Unconditioned Local Loop Services as well.

The Telstra Wholesale documents cover the entire range of Australian Telephone Exchanges and reference State, Town/City area, Exchange description, Broadband range, new zone classifications, HIBIS and Broadband Connect initiatives and enablement dates.

If it’s a Broadband Guide to ADSL2 Exchange information that you’re after that we can’t supply, your next best bet is to check out the ADSL Exchange information at Telstra Wholesale.

The ACCC has recently acted upon mountaing complaints from Telstra’s rival Telecommunication Providers who argue that Telco is blatantly lying about the number of ports available at their ADSL Exchanges. Installing DSLAM equipment and DSL infrastructure at the ADSL Exchanges has also been a nightmare for frustrated ISP’s, especially after waiting in line for months (sometimes over a year) to be told by Telstra that the Exchange has been declared full.

If the NBN is to succeed for the public and provider alike, all Australian ADSL Exchanges will need to be facilitated through regulatory rules. This way every Broadband Provider and Broadband user can be guranteed a fair and prosperous Broadband Industry for all.

If you’re a newcomer to ADSL Broadband Internet and its associated technologies, understanding the jargon may get a tad confusing. To dispel the complexities behind Australian ADSL Speeds and ADSL2 Exchanges, I guess it’s important to first understand the difference of such. ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line), as you should know, is a protocol for delivering data communications over copper lines. ADSL2 & ADSL2+ are improved versions of ADSL and increase coverage distances, broadband speed and bandwidth limits.

ADSL Speeds range from 256k up to 8Mbps (anything below 256k is not deemed as Broadband)
ADSL2 Speeds range from 8Mbps up to 12Mbps (ADSL2 was quickly superseded by ADSL2+)
ADSL2+ Speeds range from 12Mpbs up to 24Mbps (Not available in all areas)

ADSL2 Exchanges are otherwise known as Telephone Exchanges, as ADSL technology currently uses the traditional PSTN telephone line to deliver broadband connectivity. Australian Telecommunication Operator ‘Telstra’ owns the telephone line infrastructure and wholesale ADSL Broadband to other Telecommunication Providers. In order to obtain ADSL2 Broadband or ADSL2+ Broadband Internet from ADSL2 Providers other than BigPond (such as Optus, iPrimus, Dodo or AAPT), these Internet Service Providers (ISPs) must first install their own DSLAM* (Digital subscriber line access multiplexer) equipment in Telstra’s Telephone Exchanges before being able to offer ADSL2 services to you. Otherwise the only other alternative is to become a Telstra reseller (if they let you) and sell ADSL2 plans that way.

More and more Australian Internet Exchanges are being equipped with ADSL2 Broadband connections everyday. Churning ADSL Providers (Internet Transfer of service), is now a faster process with ADSL2 churns starting to become available. Naked DSL Exchanges are the same as an ADSL Exchange, in fact Naked ADSL is not a new technology, moreover a new service that incorporates the home phone line.

Unfortunately there is no assured way (nor resource) for confirming ADSL2 eligibility at this stage. You can use the prospective Provider’s coverage checker that’s usually located on their site, or search for Plan right here at Broadband Guide. On the other hand if you want to know which Telephone Exchanges are ADSL enabled, you can download the Telstra Wholesale spreadsheet to find out. ADSL Enabled Exchanges : http://www.telstrawholesale.com/products/docs/access_broadband_adsl_en_ex.xls

Search for ADSL, ADSL2 or ADSL2+ Plans in your area right here at Broadband Guide Plan Search.

* Digital subscriber line access multiplexer hardware allows telephone lines to produce faster connections to the internet