As NBN is rolled out across Whyalla and people are getting connected eventually the traditional telephone and internet services will be disconnected. Usually 18 months after NBN is live and ready to order, old landline and ADSL services will be cut off. Reports show that when an area becomes live for NBN a lot of people order a service within the first 3 months. After this the next spike in orders is towards the end of the 18 months just before old services are due to be disconnected.

It’s highly recommended not to leave it until the last minute as there are some important considerations to think about. The biggest is if you plan to keep your existing telephone number. When you transfer your telephone number to the NBN in most occasions it is changing network. This is from the traditional Telstra copper line to a VOIP provider of your ISPs choice. This transfer process is known as Porting and there are some specific requirements to consider ensuring your port goes smoothly.

The main issue experienced with porting is when a port rejects due to complex products being on the line. What this means is before you can port a telephone number you must remove all complex products from the line – this includes ADSL! Only after ADSL is removed from the line will the phone line successfully port to your new provider.

If you have left your NBN order until the last minute, you may already have received the disconnection letter for your phone line. This means that you won’t have your NBN service connected before you need to submit the port for your phone number. What this also then means is that you’ll need to remove ADSL from the line, before you can port the number and before your NBN service is connected.

At the end of the day this means that you may well be without a broadband service during this time. This can lead to inconvenience and frustration. If you are a business then this could potentially lead to loss of business. Consider this when you see the NBN letters arriving through your door. Don’t just sit back and wait – get a service ordered and avoid last minute issues and complications.

For more information or to browse the NBN plans available in Whyalla, visit