There are a few options, the Telstra 3g or 4g prepaid at $180 for 365 days for 12 Gig as suggested below or less for shorter time increments. Cost of the Modem varies around $150 for the 4g.
I have combined Mobile Phone unlimited prepaid with 6 Gig per month for $299 for the year and can use my phone as a hotspot. On the Telstra 3g network. Untried at the moment not sure how fast the connection will be for internet using the phone as modem but the internet through the phone is quite acceptable speed..
Also other plans available postpaid from Telstra, Vodafone, Optus and resellers.
-- Edited by jetj on Friday 15th of March 2013 11:44:09 PM
Grams said
04:23 AM Mar 16, 2013
Hi,
When my husband and I begin travelling I will need the Internet to keep in touch with our children (adults now). I have a Mac Book laptop and an iPad that I want to have Internet access for.
I have been looking through Telstras shop, as they seem to have the better coverage Australia wide. So my question here is:
What can I use to connect both the laptop and the iPad to the Internet? A USB is not an option for the iPad.
What would the costs be?
What is the coverage like?
Anything else I might need to know?
vk6tnc said
04:33 AM Mar 16, 2013
I use a Telstra Elite pre-paid Wifi access point. It allows up to five devices to connect at once and will take an external antenna......
Using a 4G wi-fi modem, will run multiple devices, has provision for external ant which is handy for travell.
After a lengthy discussion with telstra last night they informed me that they are trying to have all towers 4G by the end of the year.
JC.
brickies said
07:00 AM Mar 16, 2013
It all depends on how much download you need but Telstra is the way to go , We use wireless broadband 8 GB per month it is $50 a month if you take it by itself, but we have other telstra products and get the 8 GB a month for $40 a month . We have this set up so we use it when we are home and also when on the road . It will all depend on your useage and how much time you will be on the road and do you have internet on at home
Dougwe said
08:42 AM Mar 16, 2013
I use my iPone 4s as my Internet modem now, it has the blue tick so gets a little better coverage. I find it great so far and I use it out in the playground and at home for my iPad or Lap Top. The next 6 months will be the big test as I will be in the playground but I'm not expecting many or any problems.
Edit.....Sorry forget to mention, I'm with Telstra (Plan)
-- Edited by Dougwe on Saturday 16th of March 2013 08:43:44 AM
Clare46 said
09:42 AM Mar 16, 2013
I paid $99 for my pre paid wi-fi about 12mths ago.
It came with 5 gb good for 2 mths
-- Edited by Clare46 on Saturday 16th of March 2013 09:43:31 AM
hokianga said
03:06 PM Mar 16, 2013
I have a 4g wifi modem and paid $180 for 12 gig, back in November, I am still using it and so far haven't run out, and I have been browsing a lot!
brickies said
03:14 PM Mar 16, 2013
How much did you pay for the 4G wifi modem or do you get one with prepaid
Grams said
04:52 PM Mar 16, 2013
Thank you for the replies,
I plan on setting up a blog for our trip, and the usual surfing the Internet, so no downloads of movies or music etc., maybe a game or two at most. I will not have Internet at home as the van will be our permanent home when we start our journey.
I have the iPhone 4S too, but I didn't know you could use that as a hotspot. I was worried I'd have to wait until I got into a free wifi area each time. At least now I know I can have the internet as I travel, we won't be going into out of the way places, so this will be great.
Thank you again everybody :)
johnnz said
05:04 PM Mar 16, 2013
I use Telstra prepaid wireless broadband. I'm amazed at some of the remote areas I've had good strength service. Have just traveled from the Gold Coast to Melbourne using the New England and Newell Highways, I had good service everywhere I stopped, even more amazing was the lack of service in the Melbourne area!! figure that one.
Johnnz
Dougwe said
05:15 PM Mar 16, 2013
Grams wrote:
Thank you for the replies,
I plan on setting up a blog for our trip, and the usual surfing the Internet, so no downloads of movies or music etc., maybe a game or two at most. I will not have Internet at home as the van will be our permanent home when we start our journey.
I have the iPhone 4S too, but I didn't know you could use that as a hotspot. I was worried I'd have to wait until I got into a free wifi area each time. At least now I know I can have the internet as I travel, we won't be going into out of the way places, so this will be great.
Thank you again everybody :)
Just turn "Personal Hot Spot" and "Wifi" ON connect your Lap Top through settings, then set up to Auto connect.
Depending on your Data allowance on your iPhone you might need to buy a little more data. I get an extra GB making 2.5 GB in total anif have found that enough for the last two months now.
Cruising Cruze said
05:42 PM Mar 16, 2013
on what plan are you Doug ,if I may ask
John
Olley46 said
06:02 PM Mar 16, 2013
Well I am going to stick my neck out,we did a three month trip outback Queensland through to Normanton and across to cairns and back home to Geelong,over the three months we were without the Internet three nights and we are with Optus,great coverage and cheaper..
Lance C
Duh said
06:38 PM Mar 16, 2013
Ask Yeoeleven about Optus, he prefers that but in his full time travels around Oz had to buy a prepaid Telstra/Bigpond to get coverage in the areas that Optus didn't work.
Telstra/Bigpond has the best coverage around Oz and beats Optus in that department hands down.
I was in a coastal camping spot not so long back with two mates on a fishing trip. One had Virgin and the other Optus. I had Telstra.
Those who did not have Telstra were walking around looking for high spots trying to ring home without success. Me? Inside my caravan without an outside aerial making calls as normal. I was very popular with those wanting to borrow my phone.....
However, even Telstra don't have coverage everywhere. I found with bush camps going over the top that no coverage in a lot, so best waiting to get near a town within range, finding a nice parking spot and making your calls/internet use there. You can get maps showing the coverage of the different providers which are a great help.
Grams said
08:03 PM Mar 16, 2013
Thank you Doug for that :)
As to coverage, I too have found Telstra out shines the others. I live in a small town in the Mid North of SA, we have a tower on the hill which I can see from my house. My son had Optus and couldn't get coverage here, later he swapped to Virgin, still no coverage here. He now has Telstra with no problem.
Maybe in a few years when we start to travel the other companies will have better coverage...I won't hold my breath lol
herbie said
08:24 PM Mar 16, 2013
Telstra is about the pick of the whole lot..and that is not always reliable ,but more so than the others. Ithink John has a nick name for Optus ....He refered to it while in Tassie as Floptus.Melbourne has some real bad black spots regarding internet service. from any server. Some parts of WA if you are not with Telstra do not expect to have any service at all.....Telstra like to sing this motto of 98 % Oz coverage ..well that other 2% covers a hell of a big area ,as we have travelled all over and that %2 must have followed us.....If you have no Telstra service you can get a rebate from them.
Telstra is about the pick of the whole lot..and that is not always reliable ,but more so than the others. Ithink John has a nick name for Optus ....He refered to it while in Tassie as Floptus.Melbourne has some real bad black spots regarding internet service. from any server. Some parts of WA if you are not with Telstra do not expect to have any service at all.....Telstra like to sing this motto of 98 % Oz coverage ..well that other 2% covers a hell of a big area ,as we have travelled all over and that %2 must have followed us.....If you have no Telstra service you can get a rebate from them.
Why is it that every one reads it wrong ?? Its 98% of populated areas.
I have had a crapy service here over the last 3 weeks, complained & now getting a months credit.
After having a lengthy discussion with telstra I think the problem is the saturation of the market place with all these smart phones which is overloading the system. Think about it, dont need a home/office computor or laptop to access the nett.
Dougwe said
12:27 AM Mar 17, 2013
Cruising Cruze wrote:
on what plan are you Doug ,if I may ask
John
I pay $65.00 a month and more than happy with that. At this stage anyway.
way2gokev said
03:23 AM Mar 17, 2013
G'day. Justcruisin you are so right the smart phones saturate the bandwidth in a deal with FB, twitter etc and is especially bad after 5pm till about 10pm of a night. Sometimes it slows to the extent that it is just not worth the bother.
Cheers
Kev
Cruising Cruze said
08:20 AM Mar 17, 2013
Thanks Doug
justcruisin01 said
11:27 PM Mar 17, 2013
way2gokev wrote:
G'day. Justcruisin you are so right the smart phones saturate the bandwidth in a deal with FB, twitter etc and is especially bad after 5pm till about 10pm of a night. Sometimes it slows to the extent that it is just not worth the bother.
Cheers
Kev
Thats the exact problem that we have been experiencing of late.
During a conversation with telstra tech they showed me a way to check the connection speed, if that connection is too busy then disconnect for 10/15 sec & reconnect & check again.
There are a few options, the Telstra 3g or 4g prepaid at $180 for 365 days for 12 Gig as suggested below or less for shorter time increments. Cost of the Modem varies around $150 for the 4g.
I have combined Mobile Phone unlimited prepaid with 6 Gig per month for $299 for the year and can use my phone as a hotspot. On the Telstra 3g network. Untried at the moment not sure how fast the connection will be for internet using the phone as modem but the internet through the phone is quite acceptable speed..
Also other plans available postpaid from Telstra, Vodafone, Optus and resellers.
-- Edited by jetj on Friday 15th of March 2013 11:44:09 PM
Hi,
When my husband and I begin travelling I will need the Internet to keep in touch with our children (adults now). I have a Mac Book laptop and an iPad that I want to have Internet access for.
I have been looking through Telstras shop, as they seem to have the better coverage Australia wide. So my question here is:
What can I use to connect both the laptop and the iPad to the Internet? A USB is not an option for the iPad.
What would the costs be?
What is the coverage like?
Anything else I might need to know?
I use a Telstra Elite pre-paid Wifi access point. It allows up to five devices to connect at once and will take an external antenna......
http://www.cnet.com.au/telstra-elite-mobile-wi-fi-339313587.htm
Using a 4G wi-fi modem, will run multiple devices, has provision for external ant which is handy for travell.
After a lengthy discussion with telstra last night they informed me that they are trying to have all towers 4G by the end of the year.
JC.
I use my iPone 4s as my Internet modem now, it has the blue tick so gets a little better coverage. I find it great so far and I use it out in the playground and at home for my iPad or Lap Top. The next 6 months will be the big test as I will be in the playground but I'm not expecting many or any problems.
Edit.....Sorry forget to mention, I'm with Telstra (Plan)
-- Edited by Dougwe on Saturday 16th of March 2013 08:43:44 AM
I paid $99 for my pre paid wi-fi about 12mths ago.
It came with 5 gb good for 2 mths
-- Edited by Clare46 on Saturday 16th of March 2013 09:43:31 AM
I plan on setting up a blog for our trip, and the usual surfing the Internet, so no downloads of movies or music etc., maybe a game or two at most. I will not have Internet at home as the van will be our permanent home when we start our journey.
I have the iPhone 4S too, but I didn't know you could use that as a hotspot. I was worried I'd have to wait until I got into a free wifi area each time. At least now I know I can have the internet as I travel, we won't be going into out of the way places, so this will be great.
Thank you again everybody :)
I use Telstra prepaid wireless broadband. I'm amazed at some of the remote areas I've had good strength service. Have just traveled from the Gold Coast to Melbourne using the New England and Newell Highways, I had good service everywhere I stopped, even more amazing was the lack of service in the Melbourne area!! figure that one.
Johnnz
Just turn "Personal Hot Spot" and "Wifi" ON connect your Lap Top through settings, then set up to Auto connect.
Depending on your Data allowance on your iPhone you might need to buy a little more data. I get an extra GB making 2.5 GB in total anif have found that enough for the last two months now.
John
Well I am going to stick my neck out,we did a three month trip outback Queensland through to Normanton and across to cairns and back home to Geelong,over the three months we were without the Internet three nights and we are with Optus,great coverage and cheaper..
Lance C
Ask Yeoeleven about Optus, he prefers that but in his full time travels around Oz had to buy a prepaid Telstra/Bigpond to get coverage in the areas that Optus didn't work.
Telstra/Bigpond has the best coverage around Oz and beats Optus in that department hands down.
I was in a coastal camping spot not so long back with two mates on a fishing trip. One had Virgin and the other Optus. I had Telstra.
Those who did not have Telstra were walking around looking for high spots trying to ring home without success. Me? Inside my caravan without an outside aerial making calls as normal. I was very popular with those wanting to borrow my phone.....
However, even Telstra don't have coverage everywhere. I found with bush camps going over the top that no coverage in a lot, so best waiting to get near a town within range, finding a nice parking spot and making your calls/internet use there. You can get maps showing the coverage of the different providers which are a great help.
As to coverage, I too have found Telstra out shines the others. I live in a small town in the Mid North of SA, we have a tower on the hill which I can see from my house. My son had Optus and couldn't get coverage here, later he swapped to Virgin, still no coverage here. He now has Telstra with no problem.
Maybe in a few years when we start to travel the other companies will have better coverage...I won't hold my breath lol
Telstra is about the pick of the whole lot..and that is not always reliable ,but more so than the others. Ithink John has a nick name for Optus ....He refered to it while in Tassie as Floptus.Melbourne has some real bad black spots regarding internet service. from any server. Some parts of WA if you are not with Telstra do not expect to have any service at all.....Telstra like to sing this motto of 98 % Oz coverage ..well that other 2% covers a hell of a big area ,as we have travelled all over and that %2 must have followed us.....If you have no Telstra service you can get a rebate from them.
You may find the info on this link useful also;
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/
Why is it that every one reads it wrong ?? Its 98% of populated areas.
I have had a crapy service here over the last 3 weeks, complained & now getting a months credit.
After having a lengthy discussion with telstra I think the problem is the saturation of the market place with all these smart phones which is overloading the system. Think about it, dont need a home/office computor or laptop to access the nett.
I pay $65.00 a month and more than happy with that. At this stage anyway.
G'day. Justcruisin you are so right the smart phones saturate the bandwidth in a deal with FB, twitter etc and is especially bad after 5pm till about 10pm of a night. Sometimes it slows to the extent that it is just not worth the bother.
Cheers
Kev
Thats the exact problem that we have been experiencing of late.
During a conversation with telstra tech they showed me a way to check the connection speed, if that connection is too busy then disconnect for 10/15 sec & reconnect & check again.