Thread: Prepaid Wireless Broadband query.

Originally Posted by abaddonxi

Looks like a world of horror....

like a world of horror; a world of horror; of horror; horror; horror; horror!

i dont have to deal with their support area directly, thankfully

That's the main reason we ditched them when we were using BP.
It was as though the persons were only given about 10 seconds to sort the problem & then started to give one the bum's rush.

For such a huge communications company, they were certainly lacking in many respects.
I suspected they employed students on their Support Desk. Or idiots.

Not sure if I'm happy or angry.

Gave up on the process this morning, came back to it this evening and another 3 wait queues and 3 operators the final one a technician was able to solve the issue. Now its all working.

The angry bit, the technician "was required to inform me" that the Telstra NextG Turbo Modem is not supported by Telstra PrePay because it's a Telstra Post Pay device. What the heck???? Telstra does not support Telstra products, it's not even a BigPond device it's a Telstra device. Are they trying to tell me that they are not the same company? I'm a Telstra (T1) shareholder and I only get one dividend from Telstra, not a dividend from each of the subsidiaries. Get real if the product was sold by a Telstra division and is used on a Telstra service it should be supported by Telstra.

It sounds as though that policy was drafted by one of my idiots.

I ended up with optus p/paid.Where I was working (s/w toowoomba )telstra kept dropping out.Optus comes in 7.2 and quick.I have also slipped a virgin card in and it works so I guess they are unlocked.

My suggestions is that you start with where you intend to use it and which provider has decent coverage.

I have both Telstra and an Optus postpaid access ( c/o work). While I agree with Inc that the speed winner hands down is Telstra... if I am in an area like most of Melbourne where I can get full 7.2 meg speed out of Optus, the speed difference really makes bugger all difference for what I do.

When you look at the cost of prepaid data between Optus and Telstra , frankly Telstra should be ashamed...

If you spend $60 with Telstra you will get 750meg... Optus give you 4 Gig! ( 4.6 if you buy it online)... how do they justify that! And as others have mentioned you can get it cheaper again via Virgin using Optus's network. (Yes both Telstra and Optus give you 6 gig foir $100... but Telstra force you to use it all in 30 days.)

That said if the coverage area is slightly marginal.. there is no question Telstra is by far your best and only real choice.

One other minor thing to be aware of, Optus meter their prepaid in 10 blocks... so if you hop on and off a lot to check small emails - you will use data far faster than you would think.

Anyway that's why I always start with where will be it be used.... cheap is useless if there is no cover... super fast is nice... but at over 5 times the cost... I'll go a little slower thanks..

Just my thougts....

Mark

I did the research on coverage more then a plan.
Telstra is the only one with real coverage...

I work in the Yarra Valley. Vodaphone, Optus and 3 could not give me coverage in my areas i work. I i bought a Telstra Prepaid USB stick.

$149 and i bought a $20 prepaid top up...
The $10 included in the $149 was enough, so the $20 was a waste of $$$
so next time i'll just buy the $10 top up...

Its perfect for me to get online while at work to download manuals and log into my auctions..... hehe

I have Next G wireless ( not prepaid - I'm on a plan - but coverage /speed is the same.)
Currently I'm in Cloncurry sitting outside my tent online and it's as fast if not faster than my ADSL at home.
I'm no fan of Telstra but have to admit Next G is pretty good if you're touring like us.

Oh ... travellers ... get the PC card version rather than the USB stick, as you can fit an external antenna to the PC/Express cards ...not so the USB.