bush broadband???

[tracker]

ok,to set the scene. Mate lives s/e toowoomba and has limited mobile coverage. The (new telstra) drops in and out,in fact optus and telstra gsm seems to work better(sometimes). He is on dialup now and so sloooowww. We are trying to find a mobile bb deal but ther is hundreds and most want you to sign up for life(or 2 years) and after the mobile phone bs he is a bit wary.
What he needs is something around a gig reas.price and simple. Is a date package on mob phone the way to go?
Having such a wide cross section of members here I ask the queston.is there such a thing?:eek:

[waynep]

You can apply for a subsidised satellite dish ( 2 Way Internet ) if you can't get any other broadband service.

Here's the detials for getting one via Optus

http://personal.optus.com.au/web/ocaportal.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=Template_wRHS&FP=/personal/internet/satellite/ruralbroadbandsubsidyhibis&site=personal

or Telstra Next G might work with an external high gain antenna - and yes you can buy a "datapack" for it, with various monthly download limits just like a normal ISP plan ( but more expensive )

[Xavie]

The new Telstra? I assume you mean the 3g service.... So, if that is the case there are some excellent external aerials that could be used. A company in Tassie make the best ones but I can't think of the weird name at this second. They are not to expensive either and some versions fold up so you can take them with you.

The other week whilst I was away I found out the biggest problem with the telstra 3g/nextG modem was telstra of course have their own connectors and they don't make an aerial and no one makes a connector that can work in its place so you need ot take it to someone who knows cables and can strip it and put a normal fme in the place of the old telstra connector so then an external aerial can be fitted.

No matter who you go with it will need to be a contract unless you get pre-paid. Telstra do offer pre-paid on their net I think but have an outrageous set up cost.

Xav

[dickyjoe]

Hi

My folks are in a "broadband connect". This means they can apply for satellite internet. The system runs through the "ipstar" satellite network which is a satellite that is dedicated to Internet services. There are a multitude of companies you can go through. Basically the subsidy from the government pays for the setup costs and leaves the subscriber to pay the monthly bills. If I remember correctly, my folks arnt actually on a contract at all. They go through wideband and pay 30 dollars a month.

Hope this helps.

Rich

[JDNSW]

I am in a somewhat similar position.

A few months ago I got a satellite system, subsidised by the Federal Government. Department of Communications will supply you with a list of approved providers (which changes regularly). Mine was provided with no upfront charge and only a three month contract, although most providers will want at least a year (check them all - they vary quite a bit - not so much the basic cost for X amount of data, but things like shaping when you go over, installation costs, length of contract etc). The Broadband Guarantee program seems to be the only guaranteed connection speed anywhere - not that they seem to meet the guarantee some of the time, and they are only required to 75% of the time anyway (from memory). Data allowance is not very good for the cost by metropolitan ADSL standards, and the latency makes some sites, including this one, which have many data exchanges, very slow considering the actual measured connection speed. But it sure is an improvement on dialup, not least because I don't have to deal with Telstra. If you want to consider this further, PM me for more details.

I could probably work NextG, as I have mobile coverage in the house, but the costs are out of this world (although likely to come down), there are the antenna problems mentioned, apparently you have to use Windows, and, of course, you have to deal with Telstra.

John

[PhilipA]

If you already have a Telstra Next g phone, you can buy data packs month by month with no contract and use the phone as modem. This is what I do while travelling. Its relatively expensive but better than nothing.
My ZTE has provision for an external aerial . I f your phone also has a direct antenna connection you can get a high gain yagi from .
Antennas 850MHz Next G : City Technology, Micro Beam Wireless Products (http://www.citytechnology.com.au/microbeam/index.php'main_page=index&cPath=36)
Regards Philip A

[tracker]

Thanks all,trying to work throu all this info.
It really makes me think how lucky we are in city's. My son has naked adsl and voip and pays around 49.00 a mth,I have aapt a bit dearer but quite good but try and work outside the city area and it gets really hard.
I'll post what we work out.
thanks again,Tracker

[Xavie]

depending what speeds your after. ISDN may be the next best option. It is twice as fast as normal phone but not very fast in reality.

Xav

[dickyjoe]

I'm pretty sure ISDN2 (128K) from telstra is being phased out this year. I think there were no more connections and the service (for home users) was being disabled at the end of this year.

[JDNSW]

I'm pretty sure ISDN2 (128K) from telstra is being phased out this year. I think there were no more connections and the service (for home users) was being disabled at the end of this year.

Pretty much the case - obsolete technology and being phased out. Also, not available from a lot of exchanges.

For example, the satellite plan I am on is 1024 / 512 kbps

1 GB data

1 GB bonus data usable from 11pm to 11am.

$44.95/month

You can buy extra data blocks for $10/250Mb and if you don't you are shaped to 56k when you reach your limit.


John

[robert42]

Good luck with this one Tracker, I have the same as PhilipA and it works a treat, cost with a Telstra 30 $ plan +10$ a month I get 150meg. @ 3.6 meg speed .no set plan on the data pack, ok for emails and a little look here and there...just month by month. have a 9db gain on the van.works most places. just got me one of them Eee10 AUSU, best thing with a phone..all runs of the comp. batt. even charges the phone while you surf..Better than at home on dial up..
robert42