Mobile Broadband - Oz

Feelgood

Hey chaps,

Are any of you using mobile broadband in Oz?. I went and bought a prepaid package from Vodafone the other day and it's unbelievably crap. I only went with them cause their network at home is decent but its connecting at 100kb I **** you not. I called Vodafone support and they got me to try my connection on GPRS instead of 3G and it was slightly faster so the guy says oh yeah just use GPRS then. :mad:


Have of ye used Telstra, Optus, iinet and the likes?. Any recommendations?.

Cheers.

Zambia

I use virgin its not bad. But as I have only used them I cant grade them.

mandrake04

I have 3 usb and have clocked it at about 7mb/s, I would use it all over Sydney and about 90% times its fine. Some areas are a bit of a hole but I reckon its more to do with certain buildings, outside the metro area and its pants so forget it..... Telstra is supposed to be better in the rural areas.

I thought 3 and Vodafone were one and the same tho, where bouts are you living or using it?

Feelgood

Cheers lads, I have full 3G signal but the connection is terrible. I'm down in the cbd at the minute on Pitt St. I actually bought it in a 3 shop and the guy recommended Vodafone, dunno why he just didn't sell me a 3 network one

Will drop it back tomorrow and give the 3 one a go so, thanks!.

mandrake04

have used 3 in CBD loads of time, no issues usually get around 2mb/s but have seen it as high as 7.

do this test

http://www.comparebroadband.com.au/SpeedTest.htm

Feelgood

mandrake04 wrote: »

have used 3 in CBD loads of time, no issues usually get around 2mb/s but have seen it as high as 7.

do this test

http://www.comparebroadband.com.au/SpeedTest.htm

302kb DL / 78kb UL

Jaysus thats brutal, welcome back to 1997

Im itching to watch the new episodes of south park but the fookers wont load! :mad:

mandrake04

Feelgood wrote: »

302kb DL / 78kb UL

Jaysus thats brutal, welcome back to 1997

Im itching to watch the new episodes of south park but the fookers wont load! :mad:

1892kb DL/ 934kb UL on 3


20037kb DL / 657kb UL on Optus ADSL2+

Feelgood

mandrake04 wrote: »

1892kb DL/ 934kb UL on 3


20037kb DL / 657kb UL on Optus ADSL2+

:eek:

Any chance of ya downloading south park for me, burning it to dvd and sending it to the wakeup?

mandrake04

Feelgood wrote: »

:eek:

Any chance of ya downloading south park for me, burning it to dvd and sending it to the wakeup?

Mate if I did and sent it by pigeon it would probably be faster.

ballooba

There's a thread on this somewhere already. 3G Modems are not a substitute for fixed broadband, they're an alternative and have relative pros and cons versus fixed broadband.

Timistry

Im using Vodafone in Melbs CBD and its going perfect so far. The connection can drop the odd time but thats to be expected from wireless

padrepio

ballooba wrote: »

There's a thread on this somewhere already. 3G Modems are not a substitute for fixed broadband, they're an alternative and have relative pros and cons versus fixed broadband.

Agree, they are terrible in truth. Had a 3 one here myself before getting in an ADSL line with iiNet. Telstra are the best for mobile broadband in Oz including 3G as they have the best network naturally but as a former monopoly have the standard diabolical customer service.

ballooba

The only time I had ADSL/Cable like performance from my 3G modem was when I had a GSM tower outside my window. I enjoyed the quality network connection but worried about being microwaved in my sleep.

Zambia

Virgin Mobile Upload 317 Download 1417

**** me Im on the information super Highway in a clapped out falcon with bogan Aussie Aerial and a dodgy gas kit

mandrake04

Crows Nest Sydney on 3

1208/582

Feelgood

Thank god for the work internet is all I can say

WopTittyPop

I started a thread about this a while ago!
I'm on the same boat, using Vodafone mobile broadband and I'm getting terrible connection! Living down on Enmore Road. Literally sometimes worse than dial-up!

Haven't gotten around to trying out a different provider yet, but if you've any luck with another one let me know!

Feelgood

Moved out to North Sydney this week and my vodafone dongle is working great, almost 3mb at times. Sydney CBD must be just a black hole or something, maybe it was the building I was staying in.

Diddler82

I would recommend Telstra around Sydney. It is probably the quickest mobile broadband regardless of where you are using it.

horse7

i know theres free wifi in mc donalds in melbourne and sydney,but its quite slow,is there anywhere else with free wifi. im paying $10 a day in a hostel in melbourne.

WopTittyPop

horse7 wrote: »

i know theres free wifi in mc donalds in melbourne and sydney,but its quite slow,is there anywhere else with free wifi. im paying $10 a day in a hostel in melbourne.

http://www.freewifi.com.au/

Stinicker

This is slightly off topic however; When I was in Australia during the summer for a month, I used my Irish Three Stick on roaming. However Three Ireland works on Three Australia same as at home without the typical extortionate roaming costs as long as you are a Bill pay customer longer than 3 months. Caveeat though, the speeds were absolute crap at about 50k and totally bad, only very late at night (like 2am) could you upload any photos to facebook or anything and Skyping was only really possible only with sound as it often did not have enough bandwidth to support the video.

McDonalds had free wifi so that worked out great as after about the 2nd week the three stick totally refused to connect anymore.

WopTittyPop

OP, like I was saying I was on the same boat as you, but since about 2 days ago my mobile broadband has just decided to work grand again!
It hits a few speed bumps every now and then, but not often enough to irritate me!
The funny thing is, my friend who lives in the same house as me, stays in the same room, and has the same broadband stick, still has the connection problem! I think Vodafone's playin a few tricks on us!

WopTittyPop

Just another update - Turns out they were only leading me on with the decent connection, and it has now returned to being shockingly bad!
It still doesn't make any sense though! Seems to be a "sometimes you'll get lucky with a good connection" scenario!

Feelgood

Just as an update, I would avoid Vodafone like the plague in Sydney particular for 3G Internet. They have the worst 3G network I ever experienced in my life.
Their standard phone network aint the best either, constantly dropping out calls. I apparently am not the only person to think so either...

http://www.vodafail.com/

Visa first give you a Vodafone sim when you sign up for a WHV, I would lash that in the bin and pick up an optus or Telsta one on arrival. Vodafone Aus is nothing like Vodafone in Europe...