I've just signed up for a fibre-to-the-curb NBN connection. 

There's only one problem with this scenario: that conversation took place almost exactly a year ago in March 2018.

"Coming in June 2018" read the opening banner on the Internode website - my home internet provider - and despite hearing so many dubious reviews of the national network, I clicked through to read more. 

I already knew people were being lied to about what service speeds they could achieve on the FTTN (fibre-to-the-node), but what was FTTC? It was the hot new thing. 

The fibre connects to what the salesman tells me is "the Telstra pit" - the little in-ground access hubs you sometimes see in a front yard. 

The shorter distance from the "pit" to your home means better speeds, less dropouts and better connection ping. 

I tell him that sounds alright because the "pit" is next to my driveway and he assures me the proximity means I could theoretically get speeds around 90-megabits per second - about four times faster than my existing ADSL 2+ connection. 

This speed is also about eight times quicker than many fixed wireless users receive - on average. 

So I quietly get excited thinking of being able to download at the same time as watching Netflix - the usual in a nerdy household such as mine. 

But the months start to roll by and my expectations and interest have continued to plummet at about the same rate as the predicted delivery date. The last deadline the NBN failed to meet was February 2019 with a big asterisk included. 

And I'm guessing I am not the only person around the Bega Valley who has had a disappointing or downright frustrating engagement with the national network. 

If you have NBN woes, let me know about it at jacob.mcmaster@fairfaxmedia.com.au - if you can even get your internet connected, of course. I just hope that when it finally goes live at my place, the connection speeds are a bit faster than the time it has taken NBN Co to turn it on. 

I'm tempted to send them an e-mail … on second thought, I should write a letter, it will get there quicker. 

Jacob McMaster, Merimbula News Weekly