XT datacards

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62 posts

Master Geek

#220856 2-Jun-2009 13:44

scottjpalmer: Compare it loosely to buying a Teac TV or a Panasonic one.

One costs twice as much but they have similar specs, similar warranty, blah blah blah.

You may get exactly the same performance, support, lifetime, etc from it, but if you don't you accept it has having got what you paid for.

That's not what the various acts of parliment governing fitness for purpose, say.

My rights in law are in no way invalidating by Telecom marketing a more expensive device.

I am entitled that the ZTE device meets all relevant specs it is marketed as, and is fit for purpose. Lifetime of the device is not guaranteed by any warranty offered in itself. That is down to what a resonable person would term reasonable.

scottjpalmer

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#220869 2-Jun-2009 13:58

zonky: You're not really familar with the various acts of parliment governing fitness for purpose, are you?

My rights in law are in no way invalidating by Telecom marketing a more expensive device.

I know exactly what you mean and to answer your question, I am more than familiar with the "various acts of parliament" you refer to.

You brought the cheaper device, you are happy with it, it does the job it is supposed to do, and if it doesn't the CGA will save your a$$. Cool. Just like the people that buy their no-name LCD TV from The Warehouse rather than Harvey Norman.

zonky

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Master Geek

#220877 2-Jun-2009 14:08

LCD is hardly a comparable concept, when taking factors like panel quality, into account is it?

Still, interesting attempt to try and turn a generic product line like Sierra Wireless's and premiumise them. Are they marketed direct to the public in any other regions?

As far as i can tell, in most other countries, they're just network branded.

scottjpalmer

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#220882 2-Jun-2009 14:15

zonky: LCD is hardly a comparable concept, when taking factors like panel quality, into account is it?

Maybe the internal antenna in the SierraWireless is better (maybe it isn't), maybe the SierraWireless utility offers better usability or configuration or stability (maybe it doesn't) - all similar comparisons as LCD panel quality.

Anyway this isn't going far..

Either device is obviously going to be fit for purpose - comes down to personal choice based on user feedback, known advantages (eg external antenna connector), preference for a name brand, etc.

Let's move on.

caldazar

459 posts

Ultimate Geek

#220899 2-Jun-2009 14:48

Hi Scott,

Had no luck with Mobilink but it didn't have an option to change band, so I tried with umtsmon which I had going in opensuse... still only able to find Vodafone.

The Telstra Mobilink software, is that the same as on the Bigpond download site? (Lets you download the Next G? wireless broadband connection software). I don't see the Merlin XU870 in the list of supported devices though...

scottjpalmer

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#220913 2-Jun-2009 15:06

Probably the same thing yeah. Give it a crack, the Novatel software seems to support all their recent devices.

caldazar

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Ultimate Geek

#220935 2-Jun-2009 15:31

No luck with the Telstra software, it doesn't appear to detect my device. Might be you have something different to what I downloaded.

I think I'll just go buy a Telecom sim now and give it a shot. If it doesn't work, I'll try applying some of the Novatel firmware.

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scottjpalmer

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#220943 2-Jun-2009 15:46

caldazar: No luck with the Telstra software, it doesn't appear to detect my device. Might be you have something different to what I downloaded.

I think I'll just go buy a Telecom sim now and give it a shot. If it doesn't work, I'll try applying some of the Novatel firmware.

Yeah good plan, only sure fire way to know if it works :-)

caldazar

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Ultimate Geek

#220991 2-Jun-2009 17:13

Thanks for sending the file through... it does have some more options than standard Mobilink provided by Novatel, including locking to 3G 850mhz. Once I did this I could see a network labelled 53005 - which I believe is XT. I was unable to connect (obviously as I had a VF sim).

Just went out and bought a prepay sim, still not able to connect... but will do some further testing tonight, seem to be getting close.

scottjpalmer

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#220998 2-Jun-2009 17:31

Yep 53005 is Telecom.

Your SIM may not be active yet? And you will have to have one of the Telecom APNs ( direct.telecom.co.nz or internet.telecom.co.nz ) set or else it won't connect.

w2krules

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Ultimate Geek

#221031 2-Jun-2009 18:50

I bought a Telecom R6 phone yesterday which is made by ZTE. I installed the software from the CD in the box, plugged in the supplied micro USB cable, and clicked on the connect to Internet option. Works fine.

I have been trying off and on for over 12 months to get Nokia PC Suite to do the same thing with a 6121. Despite downloading many hundreds of MBs worth of new versions of PC Suite and phone firmware updates, I cannot get it to connect using a USB cable, although it works fine over Bluetooth. I can also connect using the USB modem that shows up in Windows.

So, based on this experience, I can't see why the ZTE data stick won't work well. It might not be as robust, and probably won't be as well supported as a Sierra Wireless device, but I'd expect it will do the job.

I was a geek before the word was invented!

caldazar

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Ultimate Geek

#221090 2-Jun-2009 20:48

All works now, must have taken a few hours for the new sim to register.

So confirmed working, Vodafone / Merlin XU870 using Mobilink and Telecom XT. No need to modify firmware.

scottjpalmer

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#221099 2-Jun-2009 21:01

caldazar: All works now, must have taken a few hours for the new sim to register.

So confirmed working, Vodafone / Merlin XU870 using Mobilink and Telecom XT. No need to modify firmware.

Good work, enjoy

exportgoldman

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#221473 4-Jun-2009 01:56

so just to be clear, both data sticks for XT do the same speeds, and both are upgradable to the new speeds Telecom are rolling out at Christmas (21? Mbits)

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#221502 4-Jun-2009 08:20

@exportgoldman I was not aware that the two XT Network USB modems were software upgradable to HSPA+ (aka 21Mbps)

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