Wireless coverage: Arthurs Pass, Queenstown and Wanaka.

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pajago

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#11785 11-Feb-2007 18:07

Hi Geeks,

I have a simple; is there an wireless service providers within the areas mentioned -Arthurs Pass, Queenstown and Wanaka?

I'll be in NZ from March to April and need to have constant access to my businesses back in Australia and will be staying in Backpacker type accomodation.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,

Paul

www.itsreal.com.au & www.itsreal.co.nz

tonyhughes

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#60449 11-Feb-2007 18:42

Best advice is phone ahead and ask "Is there 021 and/or 027 phone coverage?".

021 is Vodafones GPRS coverage (UMTS/HSDPA in some places)
027 is Telecoms CDMA1X coverage (EVDO rev0/revA in some places)

Both networks offer PCMCIA data cards or USB modems, generally with or without a 1, 2 or 3 year contract. Casual rates are $8 - $10 a megabyte (very dangerous if you have a data 'whoops'), or around $50 for 1GB.

The CDMA 1X network should generally be up to twice as fast as GPRS (or more), but if its a 3G coverage area, speeds
will be pretty similar across the networks.

sbiddle

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#60450 11-Feb-2007 18:44

Your best option in Queenstown would probably be a Telecom WiFi hotspot. There are plenty in Queenstown listed here but none anywhere else. Your only option outside Queenstown would probably be a Vodafone or Telecom data plan. Since Vodafone 3G coverage is pretty non existant in the area Telecom's CDMA network would probably be a better choice.

freitasm

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#60454 11-Feb-2007 19:08

However note that being a visitor you might not have access to a data plan, since these are available on contract. If you have an account in Australia with a GSM/GPRS/WCDMA operator you will be able to use data here, but data roaming is very expensive.

Again your best option is to use Hotspots in Queenstown. Also most cyber cafes allow you to connect to their network using your own laptop - good if yo don't want to use their own PCs and risk having a keylooger capturing your things...

tonyhughes

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#60459 11-Feb-2007 19:21

freitasm: However note that being a visitor you might not have access to a data plan, since these are available on contract.

You can get an account, and a data plan without a 'contract'.

In cellphone plan terms, postpaid/account != contract (i.e. 'contract' generally refers to fixed term).

Just to clarify....

freitasm

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#60460 11-Feb-2007 19:23

You are quite right. It just happens that it's not easy to get an account without living here, with credit history and fixed address.

johnr

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#60472 11-Feb-2007 21:47

3G (WCDMA/HSDPA) in Queenstown and Wanaka

GPRS arthurs pass (much slower but Ok for web browsing and downloading small Emails

bradstewart

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#60473 11-Feb-2007 22:01

Wanaka and Queenstown both have excellent CDMA EVDO coverage. The West Coast has 1XRTT.

There are wireless hotspots in Wanaka and Queenstown also.

When driving from Wanaka to the coast at Haast there is little coverage for the 2 to 3 hour drive. But there is decent coverage all the way from there up to Arthurs.

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freitasm

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#60475 11-Feb-2007 23:16

johnr: GPRS arthurs pass (much slower but Ok for web browsing and downloading small Emails

GPRS is excellent for e-mail where a single connection to a single server is used, but web browsing is just not possible with its latency and speeds. It's worst than dial-up.

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#60487 12-Feb-2007 08:01

freitasm:
johnr: GPRS arthurs pass (much slower but Ok for web browsing and downloading small Emails

GPRS is excellent for e-mail where a single connection to a single server is used, but web browsing is just not possible with its latency and speeds. It's worst than dial-up.

GC75 back here works fine 4 slots up and 4 slots down!!

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#60488 12-Feb-2007 08:05

I won't compare number of slots up and down. I know for experience since day one of GPRS in New Zealand that the service is just not worth it when it comes to web browsing. Sometimes for anything else. Check my blog posts about it not working during the Foo Camp, or when I had to spend a weekend in the Wairarapa.

If only Vdafone NZ had the guts to deploy EDGE here for all those places where 3G is not coming anytime soon... But this is going OT.