Initially faster speeds were welcomed, but they were followed with regular drop outs and poor service.

Ballarat Lawns and Gardens owner Wayne Anthony operates his business from his home, where he completes administration work.

Mr Anthony said the NBN had become slower and slower since he had it installed.

“At least once a week minimum it drops out,” he said.

“The experience has gotten worse as it has gone on, it is so frustrating, because I run my business out of home.

“When you have to get up in the middle of the night to check things are downloaded or things are done, when you have to keep turning the modem on and off all the time to reboot it, it is just so frustrating.”

The federal government scrapped the former Labor government’s plan to connect 93 per cent of homes directly to the network.

It was instead rolled out using a mix of technologies, including fibre to the node, fibre to the curb and using pay TV cables.

In the case of Mr Anthony and other Haddon residents, a fixed-wireless system was used.

Ballarat City Council revealed in April it was facing a huge bill after contractors who installed the network’s infrastructure left behind damaged roads, footpaths and property.

The NBN Co paid $99,600 in 2015 to compensate the municipality for the damage.

However council infrastructure and environment director Terry Demeo said the cost could be as high as $13 million.

Haddon home owner Tania Bannister said she lost her internet connection without warning from Telstra on Monday.

“On their website it just says it is scheduled maintenance, so clearly they knew about it,” she said.

“To me that means they knew, we certainly weren’t told, my neighbours weren’t told.

“It is quite disappointing, and frustrating especially when kids are doing university and VCE exams, coming towards the end of the year, they need to be studying.”

Mrs Bannister and her husband both run businesses from their home.

Despite a warning it would be down for five days of maintenance, the internet connection returned for the residents on Tuesday.

NBN Co spokesperson Kasey Ellison said the company was carrying out a planned upgrade to a fixed-wireless tower.

“NBN apologises for any inconvenience and thanks the community for their patience as we carry out these infrastructure upgrades,” she said.

“NBN informs retail service providers before there is a planned outage that may affect services.”

Telstra area general manager Steve Tinker said the company’s customers experiencing NBN service problems in the Haddon area should contact 13 22 00.