Which Network in Australia for using a T-Stick

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Which Network in Australia for using a T-Stick

trig42

5889 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2094

ID Verified

#62808 15-Jun-2010 10:03

Hi,

I am off to Aus for a couple of weeks shortly.
I am looking at taking my Notebook and T-Stick (A MF626). I will probably get an Australian SIM for it.

Questions:

Is this possible? (Telecom don't lock their devices do they?)

Which Network over there should I be using?

Thanks,

pageweon

393 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 8

#341817 15-Jun-2010 10:05

nah its not locked, id go with telstra as they use the same 850 frequency for their wcdma network

make sure you talk to someone over there who can tell you how to reprogram the apn

this is where a signature goes

astra

69 posts

Master Geek

#341851 15-Jun-2010 11:05

depends where go? I think Optus is alot better! Cheaper than Telstra!

Astra Web Hosting | Reliable Web Hosting | info@astra.net.nz | www.astra.net.nz | easy as blog!

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#341890 15-Jun-2010 12:26

It depends where you are going. If it's outside a major city you'll be stuck using Telstra if you want 3G or GPRS with every other network. In the major cities you can use 2100 on any other network.

Telstra Next G has the most expensive data in Australia by miles, all other networks offer far cheaper rates.

trig42

5889 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2094

ID Verified

#342532 17-Jun-2010 07:33

I'll be in Brisbane/Gold Coast.

If it's too much hassle, I'll just find some WiFi.

nitrotech

1285 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 168

#342544 17-Jun-2010 09:13

trig42: I'll be in Brisbane/Gold Coast.

If it's too much hassle, I'll just find some WiFi.

Shouldn't be too much of a problem, but there are a few things to remember about aussie mobile bb.

To buy a sim you need ID - take your passport with you to the shop.

Then you have to activate the sim giving your address, I had trouble with this when staying in OZ because unless you get the address completely right it won't let you activate the sim, if you can't get it done online you simply phone them and get them to activate it and you'll be away.

Then you just top up and away you go - you'll need to change the APN in the telecom dialler of the MF626.

Telstra has a best coverage and is best suited for your device, once you've got your card activated you can add pluspacks with data

http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/prepaid/pluspacks.html

When i'm in OZ I use virgin mobile for mobile bb because it's cheaper and i've found it very fast too - they run on the optus network

http://www.virginmobile.com.au/broadband/pre-paid-mobile-broadband/

Your device supports 2100mhz so should work fine in brisbane and gold coast on virgin

astra

69 posts

Master Geek

#342551 17-Jun-2010 09:27

I would still go with Optus. They have a good deal going at the moment.

http://personal.optus.com.au/web/ocaportal.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=Template_woRHS&FP=/personal/...

Astra Web Hosting | Reliable Web Hosting | info@astra.net.nz | www.astra.net.nz | easy as blog!

Dell

Shop now for Dell laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

inarush

31 posts

Geek

#342556 17-Jun-2010 09:39

I Highly agree with the above comment - If your in Brisbane/Gold Coast City areas then go with optus, they have great 2100 coverage in those areas and are very cheap.

I use an Optus Sim in my iPhone when visiting oz and it works great.

b9e31390a

28 posts

Geek
Inactive user

#343043 18-Jun-2010 15:20

My advice is to go with Telstra. Optus and Vodafone's network quite frankly suck, and using an 850mhz device venturing too far from the cities will result in falling back to GPRS (on vodafone and optus).

Telstra is expensive, but it's the only network that actually works.

trig42

5889 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2094

ID Verified

#344131 22-Jun-2010 12:53

Cool, thanks everyone.