Which Mobile Broadband service?

[byronpaul]

Hi all,

I'm think about getting Mobile Broadband so I can get internet coverage when away from home.

I have ADSL at home (ADSL2+ is not available in my area), but when out and about at work (in Melb Metro area), or even travelling around in the caravan (mainly south east corner of Aust), I would like to be able to use mobile broadband.

I'm only looking for a light plan (say 1GB) per month - mainly for email and a bit of internet usage.

I'm hearing mixed messages about Optus, Vodafone, Virgin, etc. I get the sense Telstra is the best, but also the most expensive. I'm also getting a sense that Dodo isn't too flash.

Would like to hear what others use, particularly when out and about in either the Metro area, or at Darksky sites?

Pre-Paid or Post-Paid could also be options.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

:thanx::thanx::thanx:.

[Barrykgerdes]

Much as I hate to recommend bigpond they are the only one that provide coverage in most places. Prepaid is expensive when you read the small print. The other providers have some good cheap plans for city areas but once out of the city coverage is poor. Mobile 3g broadband is available at Wiruna but none of the other telcos get coverage there as far as I can find out

Do not get the cheapest plan it will end up costing you more than the most expensive because of the cost of exceeding you quota. The cheapest safe plan is 5GB liberty at $90 and if you have all the rest with bigpond you will probably get a discount.

be warned

Barry

[acropolite]

I used pre paid Dodo on my last trip (August 2009), I have nothing but compliments, the performance was good to excellent, the value second to none. Dodo uses the Optus network, I think youll find the Optus network has improved dramatically over the past couple of years.

Obviously performance takes a but of a hit at kiddie time, but my home accounts with both Netspace and Bogpond take a similar hit just after school ends.


I paid around $150 for the dongle and the first two months use. I bought mine on line and paid for delivery, had I realised I could have bought from Officeworks and saved the delivery charges.

Dodo allows selection of either hourly of data quantity, I chose 1Gb which I have 2 months to use for $20, during the first month they also gave me 3Gb bonus which I didn't use. On the road we used it every day, I only managed to get through .5Gb over the month.

I did find it necessary to turn on the XP firewall as I was getting some attacks which were crashing IE. Once I had enabled the firewall performance was rock solid.

In Tasmania despite advertising that there was no coverage apart from Hobart, I have been able to get coverage in Launceston and Deloriane, I assume coverage will also extend to Devonport and Burnie. Whilst away we used the Dodo service all the way up the east coast, at Kilkoy on a day trip away from Astrofest and pretty well all large towns on the way down the Newell Highway, e.g. Moree, Hay, Swan Hill, even Pukapunyal.

In my experience, the only places I was unable to get coverage was where I had no mobile coverage (I have a Telstra Mobile BTW).

Personally I wouldn't go with anyone else, the value simply isn't there with the other ISP's and the performance even from Bogpond is no better and Bogponds charges are obscene.
My kids have Bogpond 3G and at 20Km's from Bundaberg my service was as fast as theirs and just as reliable.

I should add that I wouldn't contemplate anything other than pre-paid with Dodo, I had a dial up account directly debited from my credit card, cancelling the dial up account was almost impossible.

I was told by Dodo that the Pre paid can be let expire and topped up at any time.

Dodo also have a 15Gb (a fair amount when you're on the road) 12 month prepaid plan for $139.

I bought my package for my holiday travels, I'm so impressed with the coverage I'm going to pay the $20 each 2 months for work related use.

Plans here (https://secure.dodo.com.au/prepaid-wireless/PlanSelection.aspx?)

Regarding Bigpond service, since re-locating their Call centres to the Philipines, in my experience (we do a lot of DSL installs for customers) it has been almost impossible to get DSL problems resolved.

[Wavytone]

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au

It's focus is broadband and mobiles.

[GeoffW1]

Also has tools for plan search and comparison

Cheers

[dpastern]

Avoid Dodo like the plague - horrible service. I work in the ISP industry, just trust me. Run as far away as possible from them. Avoid Vodaphone as well - their customer service (ISP side) is shocking - I've heard many customers complaining of 2-3 hour waits for someone to answer the technical support phones and then some.

My ISP (ECN Internet - www.ecn.net.au) offers Wireless 3G (Optus back end). If you get good mobile phone reception with Optus, the chances are that Wireless will be fine. I can't remember the pricing to be honest (I'm a techie, not a salesperson). It seems that there's no PDF up on our website (must fix on Monday) for our Wireless plans. I'll provide a link when I've fixed it, so you can check out prices etc.

Dave

[saturn c]

telstra is excellent! very fast... but is a rip off!!!

[DavidU]

My Optus USB internet seems quite good. I use it in the car, never had a problem.

[dpastern]

Well, what do you expect with a government sanctioned monopoly? We need a real government that deals with Telstra, and its monopoly, in a cut throat manner. All infrasctructure should immediately become owned by the government, with it equally doling it out to any ISP. I hate Telstra with a passion.

Dave

[mithrandir]

I've no problems with Optus 2.1GHz in and around Sydney. Anyone have any comments on their 900MHz in the country?

[faulteh]

I got Telstra NextG pre-paid, since I have ADSL2+ at home and only need <1Gb every month or so of mobile access. Coverage is excellent, I've used it at Border Stargaze, eastern Tasmania and at Wiruna. Price is hight, but since I prefer prepaid since I don't necessarily need it EVERY month. $40 for 620Mb is steep but it's there if I need it and I get a fast connection when I want it. Optus and most other 3G coverage is pretty poor in regional Australia, and if they have reception it may only be 2G so 50kbps ugly.

[dpastern]

Ok - link to PDF application form for ECN's wireless product is now up:

http://www.ecn.net.au/forms_v2/Wireless.pdf

Dave

[White Rabbit]

I have the telstra next G, and if your going bush it's the only one that will work practically anywhere. I've had zero service on the 3G service and had a good strong signal with the Next G.

It's the only one I'd consider.

[Omaroo]

Hi Paul - I'm with Barry here. As much as I dislike Telstra I've found their mobile broadband on 3G to be the best by a long shot.

I was down as BSG in August and used it there extensively every day to catch up on business and personal email and browse the web on my iPhone 3GS. Humayun (Octane) also had the same phone and he was on Optus. We compared the general speed performance side by side by downloading apps and browsing the web to the same URLs. The Telstra service was easily twice as fast if not better. The difference was astonishing. Reading BOMradar for the area loaded on mine in 5 seconds whereas on Humayuns it was taking 10 or 15.

[dannat]

i'm with virgin which uses optus - at home its fine in regional VIC but in some towns coverage can be dodgy..its cheap though -about 25 for 1gb on prepaid - much less thna telstra - which does have by far the best coverage & sligthly better speed, depending on where you are.

[mswhin63]

I use both 3 and Bigpond, even though 3 use Telstra it is still roaming and hence very exensive as i found out when in Busselton. Telstra is the only one that will cover the country.

I am actually hoping the splitting of Telstra wholesale and retail will provide 3 or others with the opportunity to cover more outer metro areas.

[asterisk]

I also have ADSL2+ at home, but need a connection when travelling (especially to Broken Hill). I initially tried Optus prepaid wireless - min 20meg connection, numerous dropouts (when connection could be achieved, but a 20meg fee each attempt), min 45 minute wait to speak to a person trying to resolve issues at their end.

As with others who recommended them,Telstra has no dropouts, fast connection, no fee for connection, no issues to be resolved, but more expensive.

I am still using the Telstra USB connection when travelling.

[scarper]

for coverage telstra is by far the best...........