Buying a home in a new estate?

Buying or building a home in a new development is exciting but if you don’t know what to look for, it may mean you are left without phone or broadband services for longer than you expect.

Here are 10 things you need to know before making your decision:

  1. Developers are responsible for providing telecommunications infrastructure in developments they build.
  2. Ask the person selling the property what telecommunications infrastructure and retail services will be provided in the development, and when services will be available.
  3. Your developer should arrange for a carrier to install telecommunications infrastructure in the street of your development.
  4. When building your home, make sure your builder installs a lead-in conduit that meets the carrier's specifications, so they can connect the cabling from the street to your property.
  5. Internal cabling is the responsibility of the property owner—make sure you decide how you want to do this when designing your home, before signing a building construction contract, to avoid additional costs.
  6. If you are building your new home, talk to your developer or builder as early as possible to find out what telecommunications infrastructure will be available in your development.
  7. Once you have selected the phone or broadband service provider you want to use, your provider will let you know if any extra equipment and cabling needs to be installed at your property before activating the connection.
  8. If your development doesn’t have infrastructure installed, you may be subject to extra costs after you have moved in.
  9. If your developer has not provided infrastructure in your development, you can contact Telstra who will provide a standard telephone service in most instances, using the technology of its choice, this could include fixed-line or wireless technology.
  10. Contact your developer or real estate agent if you have any questions about the telecommunications infrastructure available in your development. You can also get in touch with your carrier or service provider about what services are available.

For more information, check out our fact sheets for consumers and developers.

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