using internet while travelling

I use my Telstra Next G phone connected to the Notebook. Works fine but can get expensive if you surf the web. I use it mainly for email and pay around 30 dollars a month for 80 megabytes of data.

You can also buy a wireless broadband modem and connect with it.

Whatever you use telstra has by far the widest coverage.

Have a look at http://www.three.com.au/ , is a USB device that you use at home and also just plug it into your lap top.

Regards

i use a telstra next g modem [blue box]that plugs in via usb. needs 240v power[could use inverter] and costs 49.95mth for 1gig download. you have to purchase modem at i think $249. peter

Get a BIGPOND wireless modem NOT A TELSTRA ONE.


The Bigpond ones can be bought second hand on EBay and reconnected quite easily. The Telstra ones are a nightmare second hand.

Also you can connect to Bigpond for $34 a month on a 10 hour (Fair usage) plan which is much cheaper than ANY telstra plan.

I bought the Telstra one by mistake and when I saw the prices I sold it again and got a 7.2 Bigpond USB modem for $149 NEW and still sealed on Ebay.
For further info PM me if u like.
The 20 hour plan unfortunately has been discontinued as of a couple of months ago as I found out last week when I went to connect to it.

Bigpond USB on 3G network ,,1gig at 1/2 price for 1st 6mths then drop to lessor plan if cost is to much ,, gives coverage wherever u get phone signal = telstra ,, has an external arial port to increase range in minamalist coverage areas,,

The plans using a modem above are good if you will be travelling long term. They typically require that you sign up to a 2 year contract.

If (like us), you travel for 4 or 5 months of the year and have a good broadband plan at home, signing up for a second plan and buying a modem can be a bit expensive.

We simply use the phone as a modem connected to the laptop. We use Telstra Next G data packs, which can be bought on a casual basis; ie no contract. $89 per month for 1G or $59 per month for 200M. With no contract and no need to purchase a modem, it seems a good option for our circumstances.

We use a Samsung A412 phone on $20 plan (with my hour bonus) as our Next G phone. For broadband, we just use the supplied data cable to connect to the laptop (with supplied software loaded). For low signal areas, we have a 6.5db antenna and patch cable. It all works fine, but will get it's first real work out when we head for the NT in just over a week.

Norm C

Wallabyted



I use Telstra Wireless broadband. You get 10 hours use per month and unlimitied download.

If you go over the 10 hours there is an additional charge.

Reception is from the nextg network.

Ten hours over a month is not a lot of time but sufficient to check you emails and keep in touch.

There are discounts if you are already a Telstra customer.




Tjilpi

I just use the bluetooth connection from my PC to the phone and it works fine and fast enough for me.

'3' does use the telstra network when a '3' tower is not available but the per Meg fees & usage fees skyrocket. Telstra want their pound of flesh! Much cheaper to stick with telstra when travelling.

Coverage is the key. I have an Optusnet wireless modem that I now use at home. Special deal of $40 a month for 5Gig. Not a misprint - 5Gig. Will work in laptop too BUT the coverage is the thing. I am not too concerned about being in the middle of Woop Woop and not having emails. Will wait until I am closer to civilisation and get them then.

We are travelling around Australia at the moment. We got a new NextG phone before we left (Nokia 6120 on $30 month plan) and we use that as a modem; it works quite well. Initally we had the $29/200MB month casual data pack but quickly chewed through that even though we though we were limiting our use. So we just bit the bullet and are now using the $89/1Gig month plan. An absolute rip-off as back home we were paying $33month for 10Gig!!!

We are updating a website and keeping in contact with friends so we're just seeing it as another cost of the trip. We have travelled from Victoria around the coast of SA and are about a third of the way up the WA coast. To date we have had maybe 2 or 3 mights where we haven't had coverage in 2 months and that's just the phone itself. I have an external antenna & blue tooth kit in the car that I am going to fit when I get time.

Apart from the price we are very happy with our set-up. Remember, the data packs are a month to month basis, no joining fee and no contracts.

If you have Vista on yout laptop the LGTU550 will not work as a modem. There is no software available, only for XP and down.

Cheers,

Mark.