Comments on: On Phone Plans & Wireless Data http://www.jackscott.id.au/2009/11/on-phone-plans-wireless-data/ Then, one day, I found myself all grown up with my own point of view... Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:56:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Jack Scott http://www.jackscott.id.au/2009/11/on-phone-plans-wireless-data/#comment-912 Jack Scott Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:56:13 +0000 http://www.jackscott.id.au/?p=548#comment-912 I don't have a lot of experience in these dongles, apart from owning a Telstra one about a year or so ago. So as far as my knowledge of the subject goes: There's actually two high-speed mobile networks in Australia; one run by Telstra on one frequency and the other is run on another frequency. I remember the frequencies being 850MHz and 900MHz, but I can't remember who owns what. This is a problem for you, mainly because the Telstra dongle you have will only run at 3G/HSPA speeds on the Telstra network, and not on the other network that Optus/Vodafone/3 use. It will work, but only at 2.5G/EDGE speeds. If all you want to do is check your email, this will be fine. But watching videos and so on will probably be painfully slow. The reason above is why Optus et. al. want you to use their dongles. Seeing as the dongle you have is unlocked, it will work on any network in Australia, just not at full speed. As for plans, I've been happy with Virgin for my phone, and they offer a BYO broadband service as well: http://www.virginmobile.com.au/broadband/pre-paid-mobile-broadband/ (I assume they do it in postpaid as well). Note that I'm not 100% confident in any of this, it's only what I've read and researched personally. Good luck! I don’t have a lot of experience in these dongles, apart from owning a Telstra one about a year or so ago. So as far as my knowledge of the subject goes:

There’s actually two high-speed mobile networks in Australia; one run by Telstra on one frequency and the other is run on another frequency. I remember the frequencies being 850MHz and 900MHz, but I can’t remember who owns what. This is a problem for you, mainly because the Telstra dongle you have will only run at 3G/HSPA speeds on the Telstra network, and not on the other network that Optus/Vodafone/3 use. It will work, but only at 2.5G/EDGE speeds. If all you want to do is check your email, this will be fine. But watching videos and so on will probably be painfully slow.

The reason above is why Optus et. al. want you to use their dongles. Seeing as the dongle you have is unlocked, it will work on any network in Australia, just not at full speed. As for plans, I’ve been happy with Virgin for my phone, and they offer a BYO broadband service as well: http://www.virginmobile.com.au/broadband/pre-paid-mobile-broadband/ (I assume they do it in postpaid as well).

Note that I’m not 100% confident in any of this, it’s only what I’ve read and researched personally. Good luck!

]]> By: FarawayMark http://www.jackscott.id.au/2009/11/on-phone-plans-wireless-data/#comment-911 FarawayMark Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:03:46 +0000 http://www.jackscott.id.au/?p=548#comment-911 Thanks for the info but I have a situation. I am posted out in beautiful Albany (WA) which is the southern most town and the closest we've got to Hobart (but not as scenic). Anyway, I bought a Telstra dongle turbo 7, and found it way expensive. It has cost me $149 for the dongle, then $170 of internet for just 3.5 weeks! Like your blog, I need to get in touch with the rest of the world. So I paid $100 to unlock my dongle (which until now I don't know if it was a right move but I figured it's cheaper to get out now than to be locked in this service for the next six months!) Do you know of any SIM only plans which can work with the Telstra dongle? I read that Optus and Vodafone require you use only their dongle. What's your experience? Thanks for the info but I have a situation. I am posted out in beautiful Albany (WA) which is the southern most town and the closest we’ve got to Hobart (but not as scenic). Anyway, I bought a Telstra dongle turbo 7, and found it way expensive. It has cost me $149 for the dongle, then $170 of internet for just 3.5 weeks! Like your blog, I need to get in touch with the rest of the world. So I paid $100 to unlock my dongle (which until now I don’t know if it was a right move but I figured it’s cheaper to get out now than to be locked in this service for the next six months!) Do you know of any SIM only plans which can work with the Telstra dongle? I read that Optus and Vodafone require you use only their dongle. What’s your experience?

]]> By: Jack Scott http://www.jackscott.id.au/2009/11/on-phone-plans-wireless-data/#comment-903 Jack Scott Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:11:23 +0000 http://www.jackscott.id.au/?p=548#comment-903 From my research on Whirlpool and Wikipedia, it seems TPG run off Optus' network, which is fairly decent in Tasmania. It is always nice to have a provider that actually operates where you want the service. Being able to walk into a shop is very underated. From my research on Whirlpool and Wikipedia, it seems TPG run off Optus’ network, which is fairly decent in Tasmania. It is always nice to have a provider that actually operates where you want the service. Being able to walk into a shop is very underated.

]]> By: Christopher Neugebauer http://www.jackscott.id.au/2009/11/on-phone-plans-wireless-data/#comment-902 Christopher Neugebauer Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:35:47 +0000 http://www.jackscott.id.au/?p=548#comment-902 Only observation I can make is that 3 aren't available properly in Tasmania (you piggyback with Voda. IIRC). TPG are in the same boat (or were, last time I checked). Only observation I can make is that 3 aren’t available properly in Tasmania (you piggyback with Voda. IIRC). TPG are in the same boat (or were, last time I checked).

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