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[Jimmy-T]

In about a month we will know whether we are going to get the gee-whiz, super dooper National Broadband Network favoured by Mr Rudd, or the state-of-the-art (until it becomes two tin cans and a piece of string) version preferred by Mr Abbott.

But whichever service survives the Federal election, strata schemes will get it whether they want it or not. The same legislation that allowed cable TV providers to cable right up to the front door of strata buildings could be used, if necessary, to plug your building into the national network.

Now, that’s not a sinister as it might seem, since NBN establishes the infrastructure and you still get to choose who your internet and phone service provider is.   But literature on the roll-out says that Owners Corps don’t need to approve the installation (as they would with any other changes to common property).  What that really means is that they can’t stop it.

Again, the intention is to be a bit more ‘softly-softly’ than that. NBN contractors will make a number of approaches to your owners corp, building manager or strata manager to try to arrange times for inspection and installation.

However, if they are ignored or rebuffed by your executive committee, they will be able to force the issue, go and get orders and hook you up anyway.

On the positive side, this will happen for free in buildings that register in advance.  And unless your scheme is dominated by Game of Thrones fans whose preferred method of communication is to send ravens, high-speed broadband is surely not a bad thing.

There are apartment blocks in our major cities that are already hooked up, including several in Melbourne and off-the plan developments like Divercity in Alexandria and Tempo in Mascot, both Sydney. Developers of these new projects presumably see the NBN as a positive asset that enhances the value of their apartments.

Currently Strata Community Australia (the strata managers’ industry group) is working with NBN Co to identify buildings that actively want the broadband connection when it comes into their area. Your owners corp or strata manager can register for the scheme online (see below).

But what about individual apartments?  There is some debate about whether the cable will just come to the building or will be ‘backboned’ to each floor.

Smart strata managers are already advising buildings to come up with a plan now, and some are even suggesting compulsory cabling into to each apartment.

Why? It could be argued that the NBN is as basic a service as water, electricity or phone lines and that the owners corp is obliged to provide it throughout the building. And, as we know in strata, anything that could be argued, will be argued.

However, if individual owners decide at different times that they want the service, that’s a lot of disruption to walls and ceilings.   Some owners corps might decide to side-step the infighting, CTTT hearings and court cases while enhancing the value of their building as a whole and just cable up.

It could be easier to tell owners it’s coming in, whether they like it or not.

Go HERE to find links to the NBNs interactive map of where the cabling is, where it’s arriving soon and where it’s a few years away.  You’ll also find links to the NBN website, and SCA’s information and NBN registration pages.

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