Utilities made easy at Melbourne Square
- 26/08/2020
Navigating through the wide world of utilities and deciding which energy, hot water and internet provider is the right one for you can become a tricky and time-consuming process. Even for the savviest people out there!
To get residents on the grid and supported from the moment they move into their new apartment, Melbourne Square (MSQ) has partnered with versatile utility providers able to cater for a diverse range of requirements, and offer expert customer services when it calls.
In this blog, we aim to equip you with all the information you need to know about your new utility networks and the options available to you.
Electricity and Hot Water
These are two crucial resources to organise when moving into a new home. To hear about how this process has been simplified for our residents, we touched base with our Melbourne-based provider WINconnect to provide you with some more background about these everyday utilities.
MSQ: How does Melbourne Square get its energy?
WINconnect: Like many of our 80,000 clients, residents at Melbourne Square access their electricity through an Embedded Network (EN). This type of infrastructure is one of the most trusted ways to deliver electricity into multi-tenanted sites and comes with many benefits.
Being in an EN means Melbourne Square is able to pool the electricity used by the building’s community and harness the benefits of buying electricity in bulk from the wholesale market. This allows for various pricing incentives not available with other normal electricity retailers.
Due to the benefits, we prefer to think of ENs as Community Energy Networks – as they deliver community-led, community-driven and community-focused benefits.
At the development, there are three types of ‘electricity meters’ that measure how much electricity is being used throughout the precinct:
Gate meter – this ‘on market’ meter connects to the grid (much like a standalone house) and is controlled by Melbourne Square. It records the total energy consumed within the embedded network.
Tenant / Owner meters – every apartment in Melbourne Square’s EN has a market compliant meter that means customers only pay for the electricity they use. We call this an ‘off market’ meter.
Common Area meters – the extensive amenity at Melbourne Square is fitted separately to tenant meters and enables full reconciliation with the gate meter for building managers.
MSQ: How does pricing compare to a normal energy retailer?
WINconnect: Our billing systems are comparable to the major Australian electricity retailers.
Being in an EN also affords us added flexibility to respond quickly to market changes like the introduction of new tariffs or adjustments to the regulatory environment.
This is one of the key benefits of being on in embedded network as the Victorian electricity landscape is an ever evolving one!
MSQ: What if a resident wants to change provider?
WINconnect: WINconnect champions ‘Power of Choice’ and designs our ENs so that community benefits are maintained without lock-in contracts or cancellation fees for each participant - allowing access to all their options.
Before working with a resident at Melbourne Square to help them change energy providers, our multi-lingual Melbourne-based customer service team will touch base with them directly to discuss the issues they are experiencing and whether we can work together to find a solution.
If a customer does elect to change provider, they can do this at any point in their service and we will support them through the entire process at no cost.
MSQ: How does Melbourne Square get its hot water and how is it billed?
WINconnect: Residences and communal areas at Melbourne Square access steady hot water from a centralised hot water system. This takes away the need for each apartment to have their own bulky water heater, instead this one system generates enough hot water to meet the needs of all residents.
We calculate how much hot water is used by each apartment throughout each billing period by measuring the energy used to heat it from data collected from each apartments own meter, and bill residents on a monthly basis. This way, the community is able to “tap into” a hot water service that is convenient, energy-efficient and offers fairer billing – by only paying for what you use.
Once installed, this system is passed onto and managed by WINconnect, who is responsible for maintaining the heaters.
Internet Network
Never has it been more important to stay connected with your loved ones and friends.
Having access to a fast and secure internet connection at home enables you to do just this, and our partners at UNITI Wireless offer Melbourne Square residents a selection of versatile internet packages suitable for a range of requirements including great new voice plans.
To give you more background about the wireless network options available at Melbourne Square, we spoke with the team who ran us through how to get online in your new home and the support network in place to assist you with any queries.
MSQ: Can you tell us about UNITI and the services it provides?
UNITI Wireless: UNITI internet uses LBNCo FTTP (fibre to the premise) delivering speeds up to 250Mbps. For premium service and ease of connection, UNITI has provisioned a router in every apartment for your convenience. This means that you can get connected within 15 mins during office hours simply by connecting to the device in the apartment and following the prompts, or by calling 1300 923 217.
You can also select a market leading VOIP (voice over internet protocol) service with unlimited fixed and mobile calls for $7 per month, or all calls including overseas calls to mobiles in 18 countries for just $9 per month with any internet service.
MSQ: What is the best way for residents at Melbourne Square to get online?
UNITI Wireless: Getting online at Melbourne Square is simple. All residents need to do is call our Australian-based customer service team on 1300 923 217 and we will work with them to identify the right internet plan for their needs.
Customers can also sign up online, or by connecting to the device in the apartment and following the prompts.
MSQ: How long does it take to be connected to a new internet plan?
UNITI Wireless: Residents can connect to the device in the apartment and be online within 15 mins.
MSQ: What are internet and download speeds like?
UNITI Wireless: Through the combination of FTTP and the routers in the apartments, speeds of up to 250MBs are available which is faster than typical NBN speeds.
MSQ: Can I connect to the NBN at Melbourne Square?
UNITI Wireless: Whilst NBN is not available at Melbourne Square, faster plan speeds are, along with competitive plans across retailers on the LBNCo network, or simply run with the great service offering we have provided though our premium partner UNITI.
MSQ: What is next for UNITI Wireless?
UNITI Wireless: UNITI plans to keep developing market leading connectivity solutions to support today’s internet and communication needs. We are also looking forward to working closely with OSK Property to deliver premium internet solutions at its future local developments.
