USB mobile modem for a lap around Oz

Submitted: Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 15:49

ThreadID: 82238 Views:4309 Replies:10 FollowUps:5

This Thread has been Archived

Staying in Touch when Travelling

With today's technology, staying in touch with our friends and family when travelling is relatively easy. Using the internet, sending email, mobile phones, satellite devices,

dazza0503

We have decided to go in February, leaving Sydney and heading south first. Will take the laptop so was wondering the best Telco coverage for a USB mobile modem or what other people have used.

thanks

Dazza

Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator Share

Reply By: Rodger - Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 16:01

Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 16:01

Dazza
Although I haven't used a usb mobile modem. I do know that the only telco that will give you the most coverage for a mobile phone is, like it or not, Telstra. I have been in places where friends that have been with other providers haven't been able to get reception but I have. I hope this is of some help. As a rule all other Telcos use Telstra wireless network but do not necessarily get the same reception.
Regards

AnswerID: 434769

Reply By: Member - Fred B (NT) - Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 16:11

Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 16:11

Dazza,
your only real option is Telstra NextG for usb mobile modem OR use a Next G phone as the modem with a data package. Both will function well for rural areas with Next G. There is very little coverage by other telco's in rural areas.
regards

Fred B
VKS 737: Mobile/Selcall 1334

Lifetime Member
My Profile My Blog Send Message

AnswerID: 434772

Reply By: Member - warren h (SA) - Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 16:14

Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 16:14

Hi dazza,

The best telco for when you are travelling is telstra, their coverage is a lot better than every other mob by a country mile, and some of their new mobile plans are quite reasonable. You can get a data plan and change it or discontinue it when ever you want.

I have an Iphone which can be used as a modem, where ever I have phone reception I have internet. I turn on internet tethering on the phone, plug it into the computer and with in 20secs have internet, works a treat.

Enjoy your trip,

All the best Warren.

AnswerID: 434774

Reply By: Motherhen - Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 17:02

Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 17:02

Hi Dazza

We have Next G wireless broadband with tiny USB modem. This works for us as it requires no outside power source, and even better, our daughter pays the bill because it is her connection we use when travelling while she uses ours at home.

Telstra Next G is really the only option for any sort of coverage when touring. Even then it is confined to towns and major highways and within about 20 kms if not too hilly. We have an antenna which plugs into the modem and can sit on the caravan roof for a better signal in marginal areas. Of course many of the places we camp when out touring still have no coverage.

Satellite internet is too expensive for us and we can cope with gaps between getting in touch with the world.

Motherhen

Motherhen

Red desert dreaming

Lifetime Member
My Profile My Blog Send Message

AnswerID: 434781

Reply By: guy007 - Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 17:09

Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 17:09

Hi Dazza,
We use Telstra Next G Wireless Broadband as our principal provider at our home in the bush and have a Yagi aerial on the roof servicing the wireless modem. It is a $29.95 monthly plan for 3gb. It works well and services multiple laptops at once without problems. When we travel we take the Wireless modem with us . It works on 12v. To ensure maximum range we have a Little Devil Omni antenna which mounts in a similar fashion to a UHF aerial either on the car or on top of the caravan. This ensures maximum range when camping in the bush and being a non directional antenna does not need to be tuned. By using different patch cords it also works well with the mobile phone even when driving.
Telstra are advertising a 7gb plan at the moment for 39.95 a month which is reasonable value in the bush. Our old satellite plan cost 34.95 for 600mb and was woeful.
We simply take our home broadband with us as we travel!
regards
Guy

AnswerID: 434782

Follow Up By: PeterInSa - Tuesday, Nov 02, 2010 at 16:13

Tuesday, Nov 02, 2010 at 16:13

Guy,
Is your Wireless Broadband modem the Telstra Elite Gateway Modem, and if so does it come with a cable that you can plug into a 12v socket, if not where did you purchase such a cable.

Also what is the current draw of the modem?

Thanks

Peter

FollowupID: 705951

Follow Up By: guy007 - Tuesday, Nov 02, 2010 at 17:30

Tuesday, Nov 02, 2010 at 17:30

Hi Peter,
The modem is the Bigpond 3g21wb elite network gateway made by Nettcom
It draws 1.5 amps on 12v.
It does not come with the 12v cable. It is supplied with a 240 to 12v plug type adaptor.
The 12v cable is a simple cigarette style plug with lead that plugs in to the modem.
Centre pin is active. Same sort of plug as used for 12v TV. Available from your Telstra shop, Jaycar ,JB Hifi, etc
Hope this helps. We are very happy with ours!
regards
Guy

FollowupID: 705962

Reply By: Member - joc45 (WA) - Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 17:47

Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 17:47

Hi Dazza,
Prepaid NextG is probably a good option if you're on the road intermittently, and certainly the only one which will give good country coverage.
Telstra BigPond have just increased their data allowance for Prepaid Mobile Internet. $30 now gets you 700MB, 30-day expiry. (about time, their previous offerings were very uncompetitive).
A Prepaid Turbo USB modem with 2GB included download will cost $79, and it takes a patch cord for an external antenna (a proper coaxial plug, not an inductive coupler).
If you don't want to connect an antenna, but still want to improve reception, you can get a usb extension cable, and string the modem up higher.
They also have a neat compact WiFi modem, which is battery operated (recharge from usb), for $149, 5GB for 90 days, but it has no external antenna connection.
Also, for $150 recharge, you can get 10GB download which will last 365 days, which could be more suitable for when you're using the modem for intermittent periods.
cheers
Gerry

AnswerID: 434787

Follow Up By: dazza0503 - Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 18:02

Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 18:02

Thanks everyone that helps heaps, just what we needed to know.

Dazza

FollowupID: 705881

Reply By: Mick O - Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 18:44

Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 18:44

Dazza, I have Optus Broadband. Don't touch it! Telstra is the only way to go outback( and I hate saying that).

That's two strikes for me, Optus and Globalstar. Do you want any tips for the stock market? ;-)

Cheers Mick

''We knew from the experience of well-known travelers that the
trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
Richard Maurice - 1903

Lifetime Member
My Profile My Blog My Position Send Message

AnswerID: 434800

Follow Up By: dazza0503 - Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 19:03

Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 19:03

Thanks for that Mick. How about a tip for Melbourne cup instead, I need to finance this trip some how?

Dazza

FollowupID: 705888

Reply By: Member Bushy 04(VIC) - Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 20:09

Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 20:09

Just got back after three months doing the big block, telstra is the one we used and it worked in places where others in our group could not get anything.
By the way that was pre-paid, hope this helps.
Bushy.

AnswerID: 434808

Reply By: Rob J - Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 21:04

Monday, Nov 01, 2010 at 21:04

As the others say, Telstra is the only one. get an aerial as well

AnswerID: 434810

Follow Up By: Member - Johny boy (NSW) - Tuesday, Nov 02, 2010 at 08:28

Tuesday, Nov 02, 2010 at 08:28

I will put up another vote for big pond next G,I have a tiny usb modem that reads 7.2 and bought a black UHF looking antenna from the Telstra shop ,I think it is about a 6 db it cost about $120 the 2 patch leads were $25 each one for modem one for mobile we did a lap around the block and just got back a few weeks ago and our 2 optus mobiles sat in the glove box (USELESS) they were only used in MAJOR towns and stoped working the moment you left them so our next G mob was a godsent I was in the T shop in broom and they had a larger version of my antenna that was a 9 db it was about 6 feet long and they said all the farmers used these cost about $220 so look into it as well if you need to,needless top say that you will still have times that you wont get Next G as well but I dont think you will be disapointed ,Im no big fan of Telstra but they do have the playing cards (at the moment) and I would have still stuck with optus now that we are back but Im dumping them after the way they treated us and avoided us when we asked why Im paying for both phones to sit in the glove box ??

Regards John.

FollowupID: 705931

Reply By: Sigmund - Tuesday, Nov 02, 2010 at 13:47

Tuesday, Nov 02, 2010 at 13:47

We went for a Telstra 'blue tick' phone to give us both comms and data when used as a modem. Works fine and the cost is reasonable with modest internet use.

AnswerID: 434854