Prepaid Broadband question. Which one is best.

[TroyGFC]

I have noticed that a few providers now offer prepaid broadband (wireless). Telstra, Optus and Dodo I have seen advertised so far. Does anyone know which ones are good and ones to stay away from, I would prefer to pi55 Telstra off for good finally.
With usage bytes how many do you use while going on forum sites, AdelaideNow and similar sites?

[Dutchy]

Troy I saw one of those IT mags has a review of all of them this month when I was in the newsagent the other day, might be worth a purchase, cause they are all so new to the market Im not sure many in the public would be across all of them

Im also interested in them for use when we go away, but need it to work in Port Hughes which Im not so sure it will

[Wedgie]

Three have prepaid, $29 for 2gb, not sure how that shapes up against the rest but here's a link:
http://www.three.com.au/cs/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=Three%2FPage%2FThreeLayout&cid=1221530699083

Just remember not to look for just the cheapest one but which one has the best service/coverage/etc.
I know three used to be ordinary, early in the year I had crap coverage in the middle of Canberra! But have improved immenseley as my 3 coverage works very well now everywhere, Im not prepaid, I just use my mobile phone and have a $10 extras package with them that allows me 200mb every month.

Another thing to consider is if you're looking at a prepaid merely from a budget point of view there might be normal plans that may suit you, my friend who's an IT freak recently signed with iprimus wireless as they have a "shaped" plan which just limits your speed when you go over your quota for a month instead of charging you more (or cutting out like prepaid would). Something to consider. He had to get it as he couldn't get ADSL at Golden Grove! Can you believe it!

PS Dutchy, I don't think you'll be in luck at Pt Hughes mate.

[Dutchy]

But have improved immenseley as my 3 coverage works very well now everywhere,

PS Dutchy, I don't think you'll be in luck at Pt Hughes mate.

Dont you contradict yourself there Wedgie? Have you used your 3 coverage in the country?

I know Telstra works in Port Hughes as that is what I have had previously, but I dont want to go down the Telstra path

[Wedgie]

But have improved immenseley as my 3 coverage works very well now everywhere,

PS Dutchy, I don't think you'll be in luck at Pt Hughes mate.

Dont you contradict yourself there Wedgie? Have you used your 3 coverage in the country?

I know Telstra works in Port Hughes as that is what I have had previously, but I dont want to go down the Telstra path

Sorry mate, I meant everywhere in the metropolitan area.
I know Telstra have the best "phone" coverage in the country but that's a lot different to 3g coverage.
I think you'll find 3g which is used for wireless broadband wont work anywhere in country areas no matter what the company.

EDIT: Just did a search of the Telstra site and confirmed my thoughts, only metro Adelaide.

[TroyGFC]

i mainly want prepaid as hate being locked into contracts

[Wedgie]

i mainly want prepaid as hate being locked into contracts

Fair enough, but just remember with prepaid you usually have to fork out a bit initially for the modem where on a contract you can get it for free, depending on how long you need it for it can quite often work out cheaper being on a contract.

[Wedgie]

But have improved immenseley as my 3 coverage works very well now everywhere,

PS Dutchy, I don't think you'll be in luck at Pt Hughes mate.

Dont you contradict yourself there Wedgie? Have you used your 3 coverage in the country?

I know Telstra works in Port Hughes as that is what I have had previously, but I dont want to go down the Telstra path

Sorry mate, I meant everywhere in the metropolitan area.
I know Telstra have the best "phone" coverage in the country but that's a lot different to 3g coverage.
I think you'll find 3g which is used for wireless broadband wont work anywhere in country areas no matter what the company.

EDIT: Just did a search of the Telstra site and confirmed my thoughts, only metro Adelaide.

UPDATE:
My mate Wessie from the Roost advises that 3g wireless will roll out for the country from next year and eventually will be updated to 7mbps!

That'll be great news for people that want to use it in the country!

[mick]

I'm with Telstra on a 150mb $10/month plan, I am only interested in accessing e-mail and a little bit of web surfing. I get 7Mps in Morgan (160km from Adelaide) and almost anywhere where it is possible to get telstra nextg (850Mhz) coverage. The carriers other than telstra are not worth a damn outside the major metro/capital areas, but if you don't travel much they offer better deals than Telstra.

[Dutchy]

I'm with Telstra on a 150mb $10/month plan, I am only interested in accessing e-mail and a little bit of web surfing. I get 7Mps in Morgan (160km from Adelaide) and almost anywhere where it is possible to get telstra nextg (850Mhz) coverage. The carriers other than telstra are not worth a damn outside the major metro/capital areas, but if you don't travel much they offer better deals than Telstra.

thanks Mick that confirms my thoughts...I was hoping the other carriers might have gotten better but sounds as if they havent

[Dog_ger]

Telstra Big Pond

$59.90? odd per month.

No Problems....

[Hondo]

My issue with Big Pond is the pricing options (for ADSL). Either:

- 400MB $39.95 + $0.15/MB for excess usage
- 12GB $69.95

We use about 1.7GB per month so it's up to $200 if we take the 400MB plan. Instead we pay for 10GB we don't use We were on a contract with 50% discount for first 12 months, now the 2nd 12 months have passed so I'm shopping around. I have been recommended to look at Internode and they at least have pricing plans for 2GB or 5GB.
---------------------
PS/UPDATE: Rang Telstra and they gave me $20 per month off as long as I signed a new 12 month contract No need to buy any new equipment or pay any transfer fees so I stayed as is. We save about $15 per month on free SMS as part of the bundling deal so it's come back to $35 per month and I can live with that for 12GB.

[Dirko]

My issue with Big Pond is the pricing options (for ADSL). Either:

- 400MB $39.95 + $0.15/MB for excess usage
- 12GB $69.95

We use about 1.7GB per month so it's up to $200 if we take the 400MB plan. Instead we pay for 10GB we don't use

We were on a contract with 50% discount for first 12 months, now the 2nd 12 months have passed so I'm shopping around. I have been recommended to look at Internode and they at least have pricing plans for 2GB or 5GB.

Telstra are shocking. I recommend Adam Hondo ! Never had a problem with the service...ADSL 2. Very quick. I just get the 5GB plan for $39.95, and always have some left over, even after one or two "backups".

Struth for $69.95 with Adam you'd get 40GB !!

No excess EVER, they just shape it if you go over (roughly twice the speed of dial up). Has never happened to me yet !!

[Wedgie]

Yep, Telstra are disgraceful especially the way they count uploads as well as downloads in traffic.
I'd hate to think of the amount of unwary people they've caught with that especially disadvantaged.
I think I'd give up on the internet if I could only choose them.

[RoosterMarty]

I work in this area and yes Telstra are terrible (I don't work for them). Counting uploads is poor form, especially if you like your torrents, and charging ridiculous amounts for a 400Mb limit. I mean seriously, what the hell are you meant to do with that?

Charging when you go over also presents customers with huge, unexpected bills. Shaping is the way to go.

If you want to travel and remain connected then of course wireless is your only option, but if it's for home use and you want to ditch landline rental with Telstra then you can maybe look into Naked ADSL2+.

[Dissident]

I've been looking around as well. I'd prefer prepaid I think as I don't think I'll be using it every month. I want to know I can just get rid of it need be.

I saw the similar plan you did Wedgie;

http://store.three.com.au/BroadbandPrep ... sHomePage2

Those prices are quite good! When I'm at home I connect through Internode anyway. At work I can use the connection here, so really it's on the road, and things like that, when I'd like it to be used.

I like the idea of the 12GB idea - gives me a year to use it whenever, and then recharge when I feel like it.

[Wedgie]

I've been looking around as well. I'd prefer prepaid I think as I don't think I'll be using it every month. I want to know I can just get rid of it need be.

I saw the similar plan you did Wedgie;

http://store.three.com.au/BroadbandPrep ... sHomePage2

Those prices are quite good! When I'm at home I connect through Internode anyway. At work I can use the connection here, so really it's on the road, and things like that, when I'd like it to be used.

I like the idea of the 12GB idea - gives me a year to use it whenever, and then recharge when I feel like it.

Yeah I actually considered it myself over the last couple of days but I ended up just upping my mobile to the X Series Essentials 20 pack which gives me a gb per month for $20 (along with other things) and I can up it, down it or cancel it anytime.
(I was previously on the Essentials 8 and 12 packs but dont find this enough if I use it on my laptop, its plenty if I just browse on my phone though)
Not everyone's mobiles work as modems though so that wouldn't be an option for a lot.

[Dissident]

What exactly do you have Wedgie?
It's a phone combo thing - can you plug the phone into the laptop and use it as a modem (same as the USB sticks you get?)

I bought the 12GB deal Friday evening in town, so I'm done now - but I think when I use it up, I'll get a new phone that can be the modem instead, and get rid of the current phone.

[Wedgie]

What exactly do you have Wedgie?
It's a phone combo thing - can you plug the phone into the laptop and use it as a modem (same as the USB sticks you get?)

Yeah basically mate, its a part of the Xseries with 3. Ive got a cord that plugs into the bottom of my phone (Palm Treo 750) and the other end of the cord plugs into my usb port of my laptop, press connect on my phone and away I go, its great as you can up it and down it every month depending on your usage. Im usually on the Xseries 12 plan which gives me 200mb for a month but I needed more this month so upped it to the $20 pack which gives me 2 gb.
There's heaps of other things included in the pack such as 4000 Skype minutes (which I never use), ORB (which is great, means I can transfer files from my pc to phone when out and about), and free use of google, messenger, email, ebay, etc and free live video coverage of the cricket, etc.
Heaps of different phones can use the X Series packs too, I know my missus and daughter's LG Viewtys can do it too.

[Dissident]

What does it cost you all up?