Internet

http://www.telstra.com.au/shop/Consumer/CategoryDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&categoryId=16126&parent_category_rn=16123&s_kwcid=TC|10546|telstra%20prepaid%20wireless%20broadband||S||5924556755&SMIDENTITY=NO

Vodapone won't be much good to you once you leave major cities. We have just come back from NT via Queensland and our optus phone and internet was not really much good unless near major towns ie 20lkm. When my contract runs out in 5 months i intend to talk to telstra as they were the only phones working in the areas that we travelled. Remember though they don't work in all areas.

Dick

Telstra is the best coverage and leaves the rest a long way behind. Just need a NextG phone and NextG card. This combination will maximise your coverage.

If you have unlimited funds and need to be contactable 24/7 then the Sat phone would be the answer. Just remember the calls are very expensive

Thomo

I'll be different Bigpond have reduced prices on their data plans and if I was going around the country again I would buy a prepaid Bigpond sim.

I used an old Maxon BP 3 home modem on my last trip and it connected anywhere there was a signal. Far better than the USB stick I started out with.

The modem is now on its second round trip with friends and they reckon its great.
You can buy them on Ebay for about $80

You can use a Telstra 3G phone for a modem but may be more expensive.

A bullbar aerial is about $125 for an RFI 1925 multiband and if the phone doesnt have an aerial connection an inductive car kit usually fixes that.

A good cheap phone at the moment is Telstras Nokia 6120 for $99 Prepaid

However you can use a plan sim card in it.

You can buy a car holder for the phone with aerial connection for $75

I had great coverage with this setup over the last 15 months and the 6120 has far better reception then my new Iphone even with the ext aerial.

MM me if you like

Hi travel bug,
I have just came back from the corner country, Darling river and Innaminka and needed internet access as well. (not critical though, maybe different if contact is a priority)

I previously had a telstra branded ZTE phone (F156 I think) for going west.

I had it all set up to use as a modem on a laptop, and had the phone connected through a aerial (bull bar mounted)and patch lead that plugged into the back of the phone.

2 days before the trip I brought a new laptop that came with windows 7 on it.
The software that came with the phone did not work under win 7, so off to telstra buy a new prepaid phone, T100, $69.00.
I brought a data package for the internet as well.

It all worked well, when you have telstra coverage on the phone you can dial up the internet connection.
Generally I was pretty happy with the setup and speed.
Browsing web pages consumed a lot of data but for emails it works a treat.

Hope I haven't clouded things for you,
William

The best system is Bigpond , this also allows you to use Outlook or Windows Mail , check it out HERE

.

next G is the only option really and with the eternal aerial it really improves your range. I'm not sure what your doing about a mobile phone but some can be used as the modem so you don;t need to buy a second device. Best pop into a T-Shop and see what model phones can be used as the modem if your in a position to get a new phone. just a thought. In any case we used our NEXT-G through out Aus and found it quite good. We cold even hold skype call with family and friends some time