OPTUS WIRELESS BROADBAND ADVICE NEEDED

Thanks Doug Any ideas on progress of this.

I rang them yesterday but couldnt get a sensible answer if and when they were actually doing it.

The gits they have on the phone know nothing other that whats written in front of them I reckon.

Said they just use their coverage map for reference.

Told them thats a fat lot of good unless it has a date for latest update..
That was a bit beyond that operator.

My friends here on Bribie have the Optus Fusion plan of Wireless internet and wireless home phone as well.

The modem speeds are reasonable but the home phone is rather crappy Sounds like the old international satellite feeds hollow and noisy and gives beeps now and again.

Here on Bribie the internet is a bit slow probaly because the DSlams in the exchange are pretty full.

Is really bad after school and at nights. Is fine at 4 in the morning so must be user driven slowness.

MY son is on iinet at Bulimba and gets lightning fast speeds at 24,000k Can d/load a movie in no time at all.
This is only available where iinet have their own gear in exchanges. Costs him about $60 for 20 gig a month

Had similar startup problems using Zone Alarm as a firewall.

You can however configure a firewall to exclude this and have it work.

Havent tried it on my lappy yet.

Usual way with Zonealarm is turn on laptop.

Turn off Zone alarm attach and connect with modem then turn

ON Zonealarm and it will recognize and remember the modem

from then on.

We are not going bush bashing but intend doing the round trip mainly using the blacktop and doing side trips in just the car. for day trips so is not necessary "offroad " as such.

Unfortunately with Testra you DONT get what you pay for.

In reality coverage is of no use when you run out of, in Telstras Case, Megabytes.

We anticipate getting a Gigabyte plan is uneconomic for what it is

Jees $60 for 1 Gig

Optus gives you that for $30. Maybe not everywhere but it may have to do.

Even the home plans

I get 20gig for $59 including a Voip connection on iinet and no over limit charges

Telstra want $89 for 12 gig and they dont know what Voip is.

Just a point, we were in the west last august with friends and I had Next G and they had Optus , I had really good coverage even on the Nullabour but their Optus stopped at Pt Augusta and only worked in the centre of the bigger towns . Esperence Albany etc nothing aonce you were out of the main street.
Cheers Des.

Can you point me to where I find that on theTelstra site as the

only browsing packs for a plan phone are $59 for a gig


And prepay is even dearer at $60 for 750mb

$30 gets you 225mb

I have all the gear for the phone and even have a USB modem

but am reluctant to pay Telstras exorbitant prices

On the prepaid page there is no $10 option except when you buy the modem and it says its equiv to 75mb

$29 for 300mb I used this on my last trip and found it quite adequate for emailing and banking, but it is only available on certain handsets, which are listed on the provided link.

Hi First I must apologise about the $50.00 pack when I looked to see where the packs were I found the $59.00 pack and when I rang him he said he was only generalising when he said $50.
But all tha plans are on the telstra home page , Open the Home page then click "Mobiles " then " Mobile Plans" , then Brousing Packs, the first one has the $5 for 5meg, $10 for 150meg, $29 for 300 meg.
The Modem brousing packs are next $59.00 for 1 gig.
I just rang 125111 and they connect you up and if you want more you can ring and get another pack put on,
Sorry about getting your hopes up, But seems to work a treat.
Cheers Des.

Hi, I am using a Nokia 6120 , as said lots of other Telstra phones do not have the range of the 6120.
Very happy with mine. Cheers Des.

The Telstra data packs are about the same price as Optus. One is $89 for 5 GB. The big advantage is there is no contract. Switch it on when you want it. Switch it off when you don't. When you switch it off, you even get a pro rata refund for any part of a billing month unused.

So if you travel and use wireless for less than 8 or 9 months per year, it is probably cheaper than Optus (assuming you need a contract with Optus) and you get the benefit of Next G coverage.

Also no modem required.

Worth a thought if you are not travelling full time.

Norm C

Thats not cheap I get 20 gig at home for $59

It also says on the pricing page in two places

Quote:- Unused data expires each month and cannot be used for some services.

Can you point me to where it says no contract and unused rolls over or turn it on turn it off at will.

Telstra have recently changed a lot of plans and conditions and not for the better either I might say.
Cheers

Yes it's not cheap, but you don't have a contract so do the sums and you'll find that if you use it for say three months it's a lot cheaper than a two year contract and it works every where you get Next G.

You can't really compare it with a home service , we get 12gig for $29.50 on Tadaust at home , I think you have to expect to pay a little more for the conveinience of have it mobile, . but its your choice , Cheers Des.

Graham, I didn't say it was cheap. I also get 20GB for $59 at home.
I said it might be as cheap as Optus (wireless) if you only use it for 8 months or so per year, compared to an Optus contract.

I also did not say unused amounts form one month roll to the next month. They do not. It is $89 for 5GB per month. Same as pretty much all broadband plans.

You just ring Telstra and say I want a 5GB browsing pack on this phone number. They attach the pack to the number and the $89 appears on your phone bill each month, whether you use the 5GB (or any) or not.

When you don't want it any more, ring the same number and ask for it to be removed.

I last activated this in Feb this year (at that time I only got 3GB for $89, but you now get 5 GB). I cancelled the service in early August. Following month I was not charged the $89 and got about $40 credit on the pro rata part of month I dis not use.

This is our standard way of getting broadband access when travelling. Works very well for us.

Yeah see what you mean now Thought you meant you got a time credit to use later. $89 is a bit rich for me.
The Optus was an altrenative cos if it was on a 12 month contract we would just use it at home if we are back within that time but wouldnt want to use the $89 pack at home.

Will just have to decide between price and coverage I guess.
It not the end of the world if we dont get any I guess
Thanks Guys

Thank you for that. Just what I wanted to know but not what I wanted to hear.

I guess I will just connect to the $59 plan for 12 months with the Telstra USB modem I have.
At least it saves me buying an Optus one and probably a new mobile to go with it.
We set off in early Feb so have a little whie to sort it out.
Cheers