Bandwidth compatibility

[DeeJay]

Most probably a dumb question but Google has no direct answer & this is a follow on from my Tracker question in another thread.


My tracker uses the 900 Mhz frequency so would this be the reason it wont work on Telstra or Aldi networks?

IE is 850 MHz not compatible with 900? It seems I would be committed to Optus? I'm 99% sure I need an Optus Sim, just don't want to commit without knowing.

Below are the frequencies used by providers.


Australian Network Frequencies





2G
3G
4G


Telstra (https://www.whistleout.com.au/mobilephones/carriers/telstra)
N/A
850MHz (B5)
2100MHz (B1)
700MHz (B28)
900MHz (B8)
1800MHz (B3)
2100MHz (B1)
2600MHz (B7)


Optus (https://www.whistleout.com.au/mobilephones/carriers/optus) & Virgin Mobile (https://www.whistleout.com.au/mobilephones/carriers/virgin-mobile)
N/A
900MHz (B8)
2100MHz (B1)
700MHz (B28)
1800MHz (B3)
2100MHz B1)
2300MHz (B40)
2600MHz (B7)


Vodafone (https://www.whistleout.com.au/mobilephones/carriers/vodafone)
N/A
900MHz (B8)
2100MHz (B1)
850MHz (B5)
1800MHz (B3)
21000MHz (B1)

[incisor]

how much data does it consume ?

vodafone 365 plus plans can be way cheaper than Optus and use the same network etc

[DeeJay]

how much data does it consume ?

vodafone 365 plus plans can be way cheaper than Optus and use the same network etc

Hi Inc,
The tracker only uses data when you contact it. - I think 6c per SMS to reply to request, so I would only use it in case of theft anyway.
Thanks for the info, at this stage I have only bought a $5.00 Optus PAYG sim but they want another $30 for 186 days & so I will check out Vodaphone. Still uncertain if the tracker will work on what the tech sheets say -900Mhz as it wont work on Telstra's 850 Mhz.
David

[p38arover]

Does Voda have the same coverage as Optus? When we went to Longreach last year, my wife's mobile service with Voda died pretty much after leaving Rockhampton where my Aldi (Telstra) service had no issues. She didn't get service back until we got back to Rocky.

There's still no coverage out there.

If you want a tracker, you need coverage which pretty much says Telstra. My tracker (with an Aldi 12 month SIM) stopped working when Telstra closed the 2G network. I carried mine when I rode. That way my wife could locate me - I guess by the same method yours uses, call the tracker, hang up, and it sends a text back giving coordinates which can be used with Google Maps to show location. I bought it after our son died on a motorcycle ride and couldn't be found by his fellow riders. He was found some hours later, purely by accident, by a passing ambulance crew who saw the tracks into the bush.

I've been thinking about another tracker but now 3G.

[DiscoMick]

Know what you mean. We gave up on both Vodaphone and Optus because of the gaps in their coverage and now both use Woolworths Telstra pre-paids in phones we own outright, which only costs $20 a month.

[DeeJay]

I will answer my own question here in case someone refers to it in future.
Despite being advertised as 850 Mhz compatible, my tracker works well with an Optus Sim (900 Mhz) & not at all with a Telstra Sim (850 Mhz)

[p38arover]

Know what you mean. We gave up on both Vodaphone and Optus because of the gaps in their coverage and now both use Woolworths Telstra pre-paids in phones we own outright, which only costs $20 a month.

Yep. I dropped Optus within a month of trying it owing to far too many dead spots around here. Even at home (western Sydney) I had to go outside to make a call.

My wife has moved from Vodafone to a 12 month $99 ALDI SIM (Telstra) which gives unlimited calls to national and 1300 nos. and unlimited texts, plus 12GB of data. My home phone provider (Optus) charges like a wounded bull for 13 nos. so we use our mobiles for everything now (I've been on ALDI 12 month plans for the past couple of years). Come the NBN and we'll drop the landline altogether.

[DiscoMick]

Yes, know what you mean. We have the NBN and never use the home phone.

[DiscoMick]

When the NBN drops out the home phone is dead anyway.

[p38arover]

When the NBN drops out the home phone is dead anyway.

That's already happening with our Optus Broadband cable connection. Owing to equipment failure, they moved our phone "landline" to a VoIP connection on our cable modem some months back.