Free is always good, I am looking forward to the roll out of the NBN in Drouin, I cant really complain to much with my current service, I am about 600meters (as the cable runs) from our local exchange and DCSI (Drouin Computer Services and Internet) is our local ISP. They have their own DSLAM at the exchange. 

I pay 79.95 a month for 200GB of data, no on peak or off peak but uploads are included. I also pay 5.50 for a static IP as I run a web server from home, DCSI is good they don't block any ports as they do not differentiate between business and domestic connections and they support Linux. My son got their mobile broadband and they set up his Linux laptop for him at no charge. I have rang up a few times for tech support and apart from having to isolate the network from the modem and plug in one laptop they are happy to let me use Linux to diagnose problems.

 Being so close to the exchange I regularly get over 20 Mbit down on my  24Mbit ADSL 2 connection with the speed dropping to around 16-17 Mbit when the pits get wet... Uploads are around 800Kbit even when it is raining of a possible 1Mbit.

I run a caching DNS name server and a transparent caching proxy, the modem is in bridge mode and the Linux box (Smoothwall) handles the pppoe connection. Last time I was on the line to the tech support department he said he wanted to move in with me as he could only get 4Mbit at his place... lol

I also only use my POTS line for incoming calls with all my outgoing ones being done over a VOIP service. So far the home network for a family of 4 geeks consists of a bridged modem feeding a Smoothwall firewall in to a 24 port switch and a dlink SOHO WAP for the wireless. 2 laser printers, 6 laptops, 1 desktop workstation, a media centre PVR, 1 android tablet, 5 android phones, a VOIP ATA and a file/web-server enough to keep me busy

 

I will be first on the list when it hits my street. I was the first property in Drouin to be hooked up to DCSI's DSLAM when it was installed, I was phoning them every 3-4 weeks to enquire on the status of the installation, I knew when the fibre back to their servers had been installed and was connected 2 days after the DSLAM went in. 

I am in government housing but I am assuming that as Internet is an essential service that they cant stop me having the NBN connection put in  once it gets here.. But what I don't tell them wont hurt them, like the 25 foot tower I am installing for my HAM radio antennas. The lease just says I cant attach antennas to the barge boards, and the tower is free standing bolted to a concrete slab so no barge board attachment in sight...