Who is CNTCORP?
CNTCORP PTY. LTD. “CNTCORP” is a private network owner-operator and a registered carrier with ACMA “Australian Communication and Medica Authority“, currently active with license number 279. Formed in 2003, the company is privately owned and funded by sophisticated investors, with a debt-free balance sheet the company is financially well placed and does not require any capital raising to grow its own network.
What is RedTrain?
REDTRAIN NETWORKS PTY LTD “RedTrain” is the nominated network wholesaler responsible for overseeing the design, implementation, and management of a fixed-line network specifically Fibre to the Home (FTTH) infrastructure that is wholly owned by CNTCORP.
RedTrain is an alternative to Australia’s National Broadband Network “NBN” which also offers Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) connections, currently considered the fastest connection type available in the Australian market.
RedTrain is a wholesale service operator and is the service management company responsible for CNTCORP’s fixed-line network in Australia. Like NBN, RedTrain allows authorised Internet Service Providers (ISP) to offer retail internet plans to residential and businesses in RedTrain fibre Communities. ASCENSA COMMUNICATIONS PTY. LTD. “Ascensa” is an experienced retail partner that offers high-speed internet services over CNTCORP and NBN.
What makes RedTrain different to NBN?
A RedTrain fibre connection is almost identical to an NBN FTTP service. It uses the same access technology to deliver high-speed internet over a fibre optic cable by transmitting signals at the speed of light over the optic fibre network to the customer premises. The only real difference between the two network providers is the equipment deployed throughout the Fibre Distribution Network (FDN) and who actually manages the live system.
Comparing Access Technologies
RedTrain fibre is considered equal, and in some circumstances, more superior to most NBN connections. This is due to NBN Co’s broadband rollout strategy which uses legacy infrastructure to offer Fibre to the Basement (FTTB), Fibre to the Curb (FTTC), and Fibre to the Node (FTTN) broadband access. The delivery method of these technologies relies on decades-old copper wires, and in some areas, coaxial cables also known as Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) are used to make up the shortfall for NBN’s FTTP national rollout.
These traditional access technologies are not capable of transmitting signals faster than optic fibre, this limits the maximum speed capabilities for uploads and downloads compared to RedTrain’s FTTP.
Another upside with RedTrain is their ability to provide an Integrated Communications Network (ICN), in which the infrastructure has been built to integrate with other services such as Free-To-Air (FTA) and Foxtel just to name a few. There are some limitations with RedTrain FTTP, this is more so with its availability in the selected RedTrain Communities whereas NBN is a government initiative to deploy highspeed broadband nationally to 90% of Australian homes.
Alternative Access Technologies like 4/5G and Fixed Wireless
Customers who aren’t keen on a fixed-line connection will have the option to consider other access technologies available as an alternative. This includes fixed wireless and mobile broadband in the home. It is important to point out that the connection quality may vary depending on the location and mobile network availability.
If 4G or 5G signal strength is good in your area, then there’s no issue with considering mobile broadband however customers are advised to check the included data bundles as an advertised 100GB mobile data bundle would typically include the upload and download data. Both contribute to your monthly allowed data usage, and can quickly be used up especially when streaming 4K content. Where RedTrain or NBN fixed-line is available, it is always the broadband connection of choice.
Speed and Plans available
RedTrain FTTP is capable of offering speeds ranging from 25 Mbps up to 1000 Mbps or (1 Gigabit) through an active FTTH location. Availability and pricing are dependent on the ISP.
Ascensa has been an authorised Retail Service Provider (RSP) with RedTrain Networks since 2012, providing internet services over their managed FTTP network. Ascensa is also an approved NBN ISP listed on NBN Co’s website as part of the approved list of retailers.
As of January 2021, Ascensa offers the following access speeds to customers. A side-by-side comparison outlines what is available through Ascensa over Fibre to the Premises in RedTrain and NBN Communities.
It’s important to note that RedTrain and NBN Fibre to the Home are capable of speeds greater than 250 Mbps, speeds currently available with Ascensa are subject to change in the near future as the technology continues to advance.
RedTrain is an ideal alternative if you are looking for superfast broadband that uses the fastest connection type currently available, and avoids legacy technology such as copper and coaxial which may be susceptible to service degradation due to environmental factors.
However, accessibility is one of the few features that you can enjoy with RedTrain compared to NBN due to its limited footprint however when it comes to speed, RedTrain may be more reliable than other NBN connections like FTTB, FTTC, FTTN but its unavailability in most regions makes it less competitive.
Summary
If RedTrain is available in your area especially where FTTB, FTTC, or FTTN is your only option, RedTrain FTTP is the preferred alternative when it comes to broadband access technology. The cost to get a fibre connection from RedTrain is no more expensive than with NBN. For most Australian households, NBN services remain the most accessible and common internet service choice due to their national reach. Ascensa is an approved Reseller of services for both NBN Co and RedTrain, we therefore offer an unbias view of our experience with FTTP on both infrastructures with their FTTH Internet offering.