Wireless Broadband at Home

Hi Forum peeps,

I've kind of got used to my BT Home Hub here in the UK and just wondered if there was a similar Wireless Hub for Broadband in oz? From the various websites I've looked at, the best I can find is a wireless USB stick and I'm not sure if that will work as well.

Also, we plan to use Skype fairly regularly to call home and wondered what kind of data usage that would consist of and so how big a cap is best?

Anyone got any recommendations?

Thanks

Andy

Hey Andy

Welcome to poms in oz buddy.

I use a Telstra USB modem turbo which is almost true broadband speed through the mobile infrastructure/network. This was 500 dollars to buy but is the elite of the usb modems. I work all over queenland sometimes out in the bush and this baby works every time. Not sure of the monthly subscription as work pays that for me but it is the dogs.

Also i have a great deal with Telstra on my home internet package which is a bundle deal. Home phone, line rental, local free calls, wirless internet with all accessories (wireless router) and 25gb download each month for 88 bucks!

Best regards

Chris

We're in a holiday rental for 3 months so don't have a land line.

Our workaround is as follows:

PAYG mobile on Vodafone ($2 to buy SIM card, brought unlocked phone with us but you can get it done here but costs a good bit more for some reason). We top up $29 at a time (credit valid for 1 month) and this gives us $150 of credit plus $150 of Vodafone (Australia) to Vodafone credit too.

You don't get free minutes and texts here, just a financial value that you can use as you like.

Call costs are high by UK standards - 89c per minute to call within Oz plus a 35c connection fee but it all comes off tghe $150. Calling the UK is not that much more expensive and again is included in your main $150 of credit.

We also bought a Vodafone USB dongle for internet access as data plans on mobiles are very restrictive. Our dongle was $79 (maybe $99) then we bought a 12Gb top up that has a 12 month expiry date on it.

Experience is that it is "okay" but typically not much better than dial up speed when on GPRS but is faster if you get a mobile broadband connection - the network seems to decide what you get and it varies according to traffic on the mobile network.

We "use" Skype but it drops out frequently and frustrates us even on voice calls. Sometimes we can get a couple of minutes of video if we're lucky.

I reckon we used about 1.5Gb last month which was a good bit of emailing, surfing and checking out property websites but you can forget trying to stream anything if our experience is anything to go by.

The Aussies also take security seriously sp you need a credit card (minimum) to buy a SIM so they know who owns it - none of the UK buy one, commit your crime then dispose of the phone here (well done to them!) You may need your passport and an Australian address to get the SIM activated.

Hope this ramble helps.

I may be wrong here, but I think you are talking about home broadband with a wireless modem / phone as per the BT homehub

iinet have been recently advertising BOB

BoB Wireless Modem - Internet And Phone Package - iiNet Australia

I think this is similar type of thing (never had the BT Hub thing, so not sure if it is the same).

Also they do pretty good home phone and bband plans.

I would look at plans of 30GB and up to give you room for TV, music etc (make sure the plan is 30GB download plus 30GB upload, as they sometime count uploads separately)

iinet do a 30+30 for $50 a month.

We are with tpg who have some good data plans eg 70+60 for $50

ADSL Internet Broadband ISP - ADSL2 ADSL2+ Naked DSL Mobile VoIP

Part for the deal was $10 a month cap for a mobile with $300 of credit. I think this now costs $15 with a data plan now. Uses optus network, so no problems with coverage.

These are probably for ADSL2, so you need to be in an area covered by them (but some good ADSL deals also I suspect)

Telstra seem to have a new thing called T-hub

T-Hub - Telstra

seems quite clever, but as with most telstra offering probably quite expensive

i've got one of the telstra wireless things as well, its pay as you go, i regually see 1.30mbps which as they sell it is 13mbps.... its completely mobile so when i go fishing at the beach i can take the laptop and facebook my exploits to the dreary winter uk peps lol....... i spend around $80 per month on average. no contract though

Thanks people. That helps, anyone know about set up times. When ordered, how long till instillation and activation?

Thanks again

Thanks people. That helps, anyone know about set up times. When ordered, how long till instillation and activation?

 

Thanks again

Home phone was set up in two days, wireless router arrived after about 4 days, for self set up.

Think it will depend on where you live and availability of service . :biggrin: