Any GNs using the "3" network so-called wireless broadband with a plug-in dongle? I've had it for some months now and while it is cheap, it's also bloody useless. Drops out every 15-20 minutes, meaning I have to log out, close the whole computer down and wait 10 minutes and then reboot the whole system. It's also as slow as a wet week. Not happy, Jan. I live 14km from the Perth CBD and have been told that I cannot (and will probably never be able to) have a proper broadband connection through the phone line. If I lived in a remote Aboriginal community 750km from anywhere, I'd get a free superfast broadband connection with Kev's compliments. Anyone have experience with Optus or anyone else (NOT Telstra, which works, but it's priving systrem is just insulrtingly supid
tonyd said
10:54 PM Jan 21, 2010
That truncated message shows exactly what I mean! Useless connection. Telstra's broadband pricing borders on the criminal. Any suggestions for an alternative will be most welcome. Cheers, Tony
Peter_n_Margaret said
02:26 PM Jan 22, 2010
Telstra's (and Bigpond's) wireless broadband prices were slashed yesterday and Monday respectively.
They are still expensive compared to others, but IT WORKS!
Does not matter how cheap it is if it doesn't work.
Cheers,
Peter
tonyd said
03:45 PM Jan 22, 2010
Thanks for that. I shall investigate further. I agree Telstra works. I have a Telstra dongle for use on the road, but topping it up became an expensive exercise. Cheers, Tony
justcruisin01 said
07:16 PM Jan 22, 2010
We have family on thr G/Coast with the 3 system, like you say slow as . They are going to change to .
xina said
08:49 PM Jan 22, 2010
I'm having Westnet Satellite connected free on Monday, courtesy of the Government, as I'm in an area where I can't get Broadband normally. I'm only 20 minutes out of Rockhampton. Prices are good [I think] with a bundled Phone. Cheers, xina.
-- Edited by xina on Friday 22nd of January 2010 07:50:28 PM
Mick themungrel said
11:12 PM Jan 22, 2010
I tried Vodaphone 3G broadband in 2 Adelaide suburbs and it was useless slower than dial up and complained enough that they cancelled the contract , now use Telstra NextG again yes more expensive but a bloody sight more reliable
Hylda&Jon said
08:45 PM Jan 23, 2010
I might be getting old or senile but from what I read Telstra prices were not slashed they just added some new download limits between the old 4 & 10gig, the 10gig plan I'm on is the same price it always was I think
Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Telstra's (and Bigpond's) wireless broadband prices were slashed yesterday and Monday respectively. They are still expensive compared to others, but IT WORKS! Does not matter how cheap it is if it doesn't work.
Cheers, Peter
Peter_n_Margaret said
10:48 PM Jan 23, 2010
Hylda&Jon wrote:
I might be getting old or senile but from what I read Telstra prices were not slashed they just added some new download limits between the old 4 & 10gig, the 10gig plan I'm on is the same price it always was I think
Put it this way........... I was paying $59.95 for 1gb or $89.95 for 5gb. I am now paying $49.95 for 3gb.
-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Saturday 23rd of January 2010 09:56:23 PM
Palebushman said
03:53 PM Jan 24, 2010
tonyd wrote:
Thanks for that. I shall investigate further. I agree Telstra works. I have a Telstra dongle for use on the road, but topping it up became an expensive exercise. Cheers, Tony
Hi Tony,
Have to agree with Peter n Margaret concerning Telstra. "They are still expensive compared to others, but IT WORKS!"
On our 'Oz 360' trip last year, we were on the 1GB plan and found it a little tight for our needs, so we changed to the next option of a 5GB plan. Telstra have obviously realised the need for an in between plan now, and the 3GB will suite us just fine.
There were very few places, that we made camp on during our travels, that we could not use our Bigpond/Sierra wireless modem. If the signal was too weak with the aerial provided with the little Bigpond/Sierra modem, we just plugged in the gutter mounted 'High-Gain' antenna we purchased, and the signal gain was amazing.
Unfortunately at this present moment in time, we are unable to explore the deeper and more amazing places that Peter n Margaret can reach in their awesome RV, so until our dream OKA appears, Telstra is the most reliable and economical ISP available to us.
PeterD said
12:59 AM Jan 25, 2010
Is BigPond wireless broadband expensive compared to the others?
I think anything that does not work well is expensive at any price, no matter how cheap it is. BigPond generally gives the promised performance but as it has been reported in this thread others do not. The non Telstra suppliers promise the world, they have networks that may deliver good performance. However they seem to have oversold their services so that their performance is poor. This makes them expensive - even though their rates are much cheaper than BigPond..
Some time back APC Magazine did a comparison of wireless broadband ISPs. Here is a report an answer on the subject I prepared after reading that article:
Answer to Questions on Telstra Pricing
The Telstra net covers an area vastly bigger than any of the other networks. With each base site costing a few hundred thousand dollars you are going to pay significantly more for this wide area coverage. Too many people bleat away about the high cost of BigPond and do not take this into account - I think these members are expecting the service for nothing.
I have posted the above sentiments for a long time. Then the other day I got the October 2008 issue of APC magazine and there is a good comparison of the wireless broadband services. On page 56 they say:
But, in our testing, we can see why. Next G wireless broadband services really work well. We were able to playstreaming YouTube videos in high-quality mode with no buffering delays at all. And the fact that you can use it basically anywhere with full network speed makes it perennially useful.
Speed tests showed a download speed of over 4Mbit/s and an upload speed of 800Kbit/s. It was the only wireless broadband service we tested that provided enough performance to view ABC's TV-on-demand service, iView, consistently well.
They then rabit on a little about pricing and then finish off the Telstra bit with:
Telstra is maintaining its network quality by restricting demand with its high prices. But at least for the money you pay, you get a service that actually works reliably.
They finish off the comparison with some test results. Two of them describe downloading YouTube and ABC TV. None of the other networks went within a bulls roar of doing that properly. Whilst you are probably not wanting to do this on the road you will want to download some large files like pictures and not have to wait too long to do this.
The bottom line is do you want to pay for promises and get poor results or pay for performance and receive value.
I repeat again - anything that does not perforn to specification is expensive no matter how cheap it may be priced.
-- Edited by PeterD on Monday 25th of January 2010 12:00:13 AM
milo said
02:15 PM Jan 25, 2010
I got the 10gb is now $119.95 but when i Signed up I was lucky and got $69 for the first 12 months,
pricey43 said
06:51 PM Jan 25, 2010
With the Telstra mobile cards, can anyone tell me the difference between the 'Elite' and the 'Turbo' types (except for the price)?
Disco Duck said
06:53 PM Jan 29, 2010
Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Hylda&Jon wrote:
I might be getting old or senile but from what I read Telstra prices were not slashed they just added some new download limits between the old 4 & 10gig, the 10gig plan I'm on is the same price it always was I think
Put it this way........... I was paying $59.95 for 1gb or $89.95 for 5gb. I am now paying $49.95 for 3gb.
-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Saturday 23rd of January 2010 09:56:23 PM
Ned Kelly was a gentleman in comparison to these mongrels.
I pay $80.00 for 50gb of ADSL2 and that includes the greatest email spam deleter in the world!!
What's more is my 50gb is all download. Whatever I upload doesn't count in that amount. With Telstra your Gb limit includes uploads and downloads. So all emails or anything else you send comes off your limit.
I also have no contract and can cancel anytime I like and have no such thing as peak or off peak times to operate!!
I get this thru a mate and he deals with Internode.
TonyD.......if I was you and in your situation......I would be speaking to my local member of parliament and the government may put a dish up for you (if you are retired) particularly seeing as how your prospects of never getting it are so high...?? Worth a try!!
Cruising Granny said
08:11 PM Jan 29, 2010
I have a 7.2 Bigpond mobile wireless USB device for my broadband connection.
The last device lasted 3 months, and I only replaced it on Monday, fortunately for free.
So far it's been a very good little USB device, but give it time.
I can't say the same for their accounting practices - and I mean practices! They need more training because they just can't get it right.
I had a couple of verbal duels with the Philipino Parrots today. They haven't got a clue what I'm complaining about, therefore they haven't got a clue how to fix it.
My paddock French got a fluent work out this arvo.
To calm down I got the sheets off the line and made the bed. Now that's frustration.
If there was a better service I'd get it, but unfortunately Telstra Bigpond win there, because all the others lease their space from Telstra, and they won't let anyone have more coverage than they do, will they now.
I think a long chat to the Telstra Ombudsman is probably long overdue, but I keep giving Telstra the benefit of the doubt, hoping they'll get it right this month, or the next month, or the next, or the next..................
DeBe said
09:56 PM Jan 29, 2010
I use Internode, 10G / month For $50 also internode phone $5 month, the phone part alows me to phone any where in Aust any time of day for upto 4Hrs for about 20c. This is Broadband over phonelines, But the catch is we only live 3Ks from the Exchange so it works well, been told if we lived 6Ks or more away it would nt work togood. Here localy if you are further away from town you can get Internode by Wireless. Daryl
william the third said
12:49 AM Jan 30, 2010
Pricey 43, I can answer your question from the 25th jan. The elite dongle has a theoretical speed of 21mb/s and the turbo 7mb/s.The realistic speeds would be 8mb/s and 3mb/s.
Cheers
william the third.
pricey43 said
06:36 PM Jan 30, 2010
Thanks William,
So we're better to pay the extra for the elite dongle. Will have to do something soon before we head off.
Smokeydk said
08:53 PM Jan 30, 2010
Am with Internode .ADSL+2.....$49.95 for 10gig month
I've had it for some months now and while it is cheap, it's also bloody useless. Drops out every 15-20 minutes, meaning I have to log out, close the whole computer down and wait 10 minutes and then reboot the whole system. It's also as slow as a wet week.
Not happy, Jan.
I live 14km from the Perth CBD and have been told that I cannot (and will probably never be able to) have a proper broadband connection through the phone line.
If I lived in a remote Aboriginal community 750km from anywhere, I'd get a free superfast broadband connection with Kev's compliments.
Anyone have experience with Optus or anyone else (NOT Telstra, which works, but it's priving systrem is just insulrtingly supid
Telstra's broadband pricing borders on the criminal. Any suggestions for an alternative will be most welcome.
Cheers, Tony
Cheers, Tony
They are going to change to .
Prices are good [I think] with a bundled Phone.
Cheers,
xina.
-- Edited by xina on Friday 22nd of January 2010 07:50:28 PM
-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Saturday 23rd of January 2010 09:56:23 PM
Have to agree with Peter n Margaret concerning Telstra.
"They are still expensive compared to others, but IT WORKS!"
On our 'Oz 360' trip last year, we were on the 1GB plan and found it a little tight for our needs, so we changed to the next option of a 5GB plan. Telstra have obviously realised the need for an in between plan now, and the 3GB will suite us just fine.
There were very few places, that we made camp on during our travels, that we could not use our Bigpond/Sierra wireless modem. If the signal was too weak with the aerial provided with the little Bigpond/Sierra modem, we just plugged in the gutter mounted 'High-Gain' antenna we purchased, and the signal gain was amazing.
Unfortunately at this present moment in time, we are unable to explore the deeper and more amazing places that Peter n Margaret can reach in their awesome RV, so until our dream OKA appears, Telstra is the most reliable and economical ISP available to us.
I think anything that does not work well is expensive at any price, no matter how cheap it is. BigPond generally gives the promised performance but as it has been reported in this thread others do not. The non Telstra suppliers promise the world, they have networks that may deliver good performance. However they seem to have oversold their services so that their performance is poor. This makes them expensive - even though their rates are much cheaper than BigPond..
Some time back APC Magazine did a comparison of wireless broadband ISPs. Here is a report an answer on the subject I prepared after reading that article:
Answer to Questions on Telstra Pricing
The Telstra net covers an area vastly bigger than any of the other networks. With each base site costing a few hundred thousand dollars you are going to pay significantly more for this wide area coverage. Too many people bleat away about the high cost of BigPond and do not take this into account - I think these members are expecting the service for nothing.
I have posted the above sentiments for a long time. Then the other day I got the October 2008 issue of APC magazine and there is a good comparison of the wireless broadband services. On page 56 they say:
But, in our testing, we can see why. Next G wireless broadband services really work well. We were able to playstreaming YouTube videos in high-quality mode with no buffering delays at all. And the fact that you can use it basically anywhere with full network speed makes it perennially useful.
Speed tests showed a download speed of over 4Mbit/s and an upload speed of 800Kbit/s. It was the only wireless broadband service we tested that provided enough performance to view ABC's TV-on-demand service, iView, consistently well.
They then rabit on a little about pricing and then finish off the Telstra bit with:
Telstra is maintaining its network quality by restricting demand with its high prices. But at least for the money you pay, you get a service that actually works reliably.
They finish off the comparison with some test results. Two of them describe downloading YouTube and ABC TV. None of the other networks went within a bulls roar of doing that properly. Whilst you are probably not wanting to do this on the road you will want to download some large files like pictures and not have to wait too long to do this.
The bottom line is do you want to pay for promises and get poor results or pay for performance and receive value.
....................................................................................................................................................
I repeat again - anything that does not perforn to specification is expensive no matter how cheap it may be priced.
-- Edited by PeterD on Monday 25th of January 2010 12:00:13 AM
I pay $80.00 for 50gb of ADSL2 and that includes the greatest email spam deleter in the world!!
What's more is my 50gb is all download. Whatever I upload doesn't count in that amount. With Telstra your Gb limit includes uploads and downloads. So all emails or anything else you send comes off your limit.
I also have no contract and can cancel anytime I like and have no such thing as peak or off peak times to operate!!
I get this thru a mate and he deals with Internode.
TonyD.......if I was you and in your situation......I would be speaking to my local member of parliament and the government may put a dish up for you (if you are retired) particularly seeing as how your prospects of never getting it are so high...?? Worth a try!!