From Tuesday NBN Co will stop taking new hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) orders due to a global shortage of one key part.
What is going on with NBN HFC connections?
According to Commsday, the pause on HFC sales will last for several months due to a COVID-related shortage on chips used in devices in people’s homes.
This shortage is said not to impact current HFC customers as NBN Co still has an existing supply for replacements and vulnerable customers.
“We would like to reassure existing customers connected to the NBN via HFC that we are able to repair and replace equipment in customers’ homes, if required,” NBN Co stated in its announcement.
It has also said it intends to honour new HFC orders already in its system, as well as orders for homes where a previous occupant already had a HFC connection.
NBN Co has also stated this will only impact a small number of customers. NBN Users on other NBN technologies will also be unaffected.
“We apologise to new customers that may be affected by this global supply chain issue and the anticipated delays,” the company has said.
“While this issue only affects a small number of potential customers relative to those on HFC, and this decision will not affect other customers connected to the NBN by other technologies, we appreciate that for those customers yet to connect to the NBN HFC network, this is frustrating.”
HFC is the oldest connection type and it often repurposes existing pay TV cables.
A few years ago HFC was the slowest NBN connection available. But it has gotten some beefy upgrades and is now one of only two connections that can access NBN 250 and NBN 1000.
You can learn more about the seven different types of NBN connections right here.