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BEFORE WE START: Donald Trump has become the first president in US history to be impeached twice after the US House of Representatives found him guilty of inciting last week's deadly riot. We figured you already knew that - but just in case, read it here. Now, back in regional Australia ...
One of my favourite things to do happens to be speed testing internet.
I know, I need a new hobby.
I get excited when I'm out and about and find myself in a magical 5G area and watch the speed on that testing needle hit heights I could only dream about at home (for the tech-heads among you I clocked a satisfying 683 megabits a second download recently).
But at home. Well home is a much different story. I'm lucky if I see 9Mbps and let's not even talk about uploads. It might make you cry.
So it was with interest I read about the NBN Co report tabled in Parliament prior to Christmas that showed while 98 per cent of all premises in Australia hit the legal requirements of internet speed, almost a quarter of a million of us are still dreaming about such things.
But the words that stood out to me weren't about the numbers struggling or winning in this internet speed war - rather: legally required speed.
What a revelation.
Telecommunications laws require all Australians to have access to minimum broadband speeds of 25Mbps.
Further reading would indicate these speeds apply to NBN customers, not those still on the old ADSL like me. But then again, that's supposed to be most of the country these days.
Sure, 25Mbps is not world leading speed, but at least its a starting point.
The report argues the vast majority of the two per cent not able to reach 25Mbps are able to hit 20Mbps.
But Labor has pounced on the findings, arguing the research admits decaying copper lines are causing speeds to get worse.
And while the politics play out, for those of us with terrible internet, it pays to know your rights. This ACCC page might help out.
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