[TelstraClear] Cable vs ADSL?

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › [TelstraClear] Cable vs ADSL?

casewindow

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#65300 2-Aug-2010 11:15

My parents live in area where TC cable is available.

I have always used ADSL and find it to be of average reliability - I think where we live in a new subdivision we're subject to more disruptions than where they live which is an established suburb.

What are people's experiences with TelstraClear cable? Would my parents just be better off going with ADSL but staying with TC as an ISP?

BlakJak

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#361460 2-Aug-2010 11:49

If you're going to use ADSL the whole point would be to set yourself up so that you have an ISP choice. The fun with cable is the inability to choose your ISP.

I caved after many many years as an ADSL customer (in Auckland, but also in Wellington; I figured I owned ADSL hardware, and thus wouldn't go out of my way to get Cable) but when I moved into a place alreawdy set up for it, I connected to TCL Cable in October last year. By early 2010 I was fuming at TCL's performance with Youtube just like many others were - see http://www.geekzone.co.nz/freitasm/7202

As a cable customer I had no choice but to be on TCL's network and suffer their issues.

As an ADSL user I can at least move between DSL ISPs, the common issues are in the Layer 1 and 2 (Physical / Datalink Layers) but not the Layer 3 (TCP/IP) layer so I can at least be flexible there.

If you're not worried about the A in ADSL (asynchronous; == slow upload speeds relative to your download rate) and you're not in a love affair with TelstraClear then I would recommend ADSL (and not with TCL).

If you intend to use other TCL services (most notably Cable TV) then there's probably value in getting your phone, Internet and TV on the same bill. The rates are about the same in the end. Just bear in mind your reliance on TCL's network as regards your Internet performance.

There's nothing stopping you from disconnecting TCL and getting ADSL (etc) later on, and there's an advantage in a place being wired for TCL in that it's easier to get connected later on. So take whichever offers you the best deal. New subdivision is presumably wired for Telecom or Unbundled Copper as well.

No signature to see here, move along...

casewindow

310 posts

Ultimate Geek

#361582 2-Aug-2010 14:15

Cheers for that.

I think I will advise them to go with Telstraclear as an ISP but stick with ADSL. They can get a phone+ADSL package and still keep their email address (I hope - it's a paradise email address - I've asked the paradise postmaster if it can be retained if they move to broadband).

Ragnor

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#361623 2-Aug-2010 14:52

It's unlikely Telstraclear will sell you an adsl connection if the address is in a cable area and connected via cable, they will want to sell you cable.

You should also take the opportunity to ween them off an isp supplied email address and instead go with a provider independent service like gmail/hotmail/yahoo at the least.

If you're fairly tech savvy registering a domain for your family is ~$20/year, eg: yourdomain.co.nz

Setting up google apps for domains standard/free to provide the email service for your own domain is a good option, giving you total control and avoiding isp lock-in.

quickymart

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#361640 2-Aug-2010 15:07

I think Paradise is on the way out anyway - you can't sign up for them anymore, and as per the dialup thread on here, everyone is probably going to be moved to Clear in the near future.

I've had both cable and ADSL (admittedly I had cable last almost 10 years ago now, when there were far fewer users) and I found cable to be much better back then, pricing-wise; performance was pretty similar, but I've got no idea what it's like these days.

raab

262 posts

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Inactive user

#361653 2-Aug-2010 15:19

If your parents live in an area serviced by a new roadside cabinet then there's absolutely no reason not to go with ADSL.

I will never go back to Cable, ever, thanks to Telstra's lack of investment.

michaeln

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#362532 3-Aug-2010 17:28

I will never go back to Cable, ever, thanks to Telstra's lack of investment.

What lack of investment do you mean? Are you saying that TelstraClear is not investing in Cable? As opposed to not building out to new areas---or is that what you mean?

casewindow

310 posts

Ultimate Geek

#362577 3-Aug-2010 18:57

I think I will get them to go with TC ADSL - initially a 3gb per month plan and increase that if necessary. I want them to start using the internet more - they've had dialup for about 7 years now and really need to make the move.

TC said that we could keep the paradise addresses if they went to broadband. I do want to move them to something independent but will do things one step at a time.

Thanks for your advice - I don't think it's worth the risk of cable.

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sbiddle

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#362603 3-Aug-2010 19:52

BlakJak: If you're going to use ADSL the whole point would be to set yourself up so that you have an ISP choice. The fun with cable is the inability to choose your ISP. later on. So take whichever offers you the best deal. New subdivision is presumably wired for Telecom or Unbundled Copper as well.

There are other ISP's who offer cable services and include features such as unlimited national traffic and peering at WIX. The problem is their pricing structure is different to TCL (ie costs more).

BlakJak

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#362638 3-Aug-2010 21:02

Last I checked there was one (yes, 1) outfit reselling TCL Cable as a retail product - and yes, it was more expensive. Who are you aware of that resell it?

No signature to see here, move along...

daman88

81 posts

Master Geek

#362647 3-Aug-2010 21:13

Try this site
http://www.internetchoice.co.nz/

Have you tried to see if your parent place can have ADSL 2+ or maybe VDSL?

In theory cable connection should be reliable but somehow TC screwed it up.....

mindoka

62 posts

Master Geek

#364631 7-Aug-2010 13:04

after getting sick of telstra's incapability and unwillingness to offer faster than 10Mbps i went for ADSL2+ keeping also 20GB Telstra plan on the side namely because of faster uploads (my web services are overseas).

For typical downloading my ADSL2+ (Snap) is faster than Telstra.

If user lives close to a exchange or cabinet and can get ADSL2+ i think it'd be much better choice than cable speed-wise.

Quinny

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#366181 11-Aug-2010 12:16

As a long time cable user until the last year or two I would have said hands down go with cable. I am on the 80gig plan which once was fantastic but has seem nothing other than upward price changes in years.

Once cable was rock solid. As a gamer it was the best latency you could get. Now we have spikes, disconnects and unexplained issues that we struggle to get fixed.

Telstra Australia have now agreed to decommission their cable network so I wonder if its technology TC are probably going to continue investing in here in NZ when our government have started the journey to a NBN equivalent.

Dont even get me started on the delays to Homedia MySky equivalent.

So despite being on cable and once being a huge supporter I could not at the moment say cable was a better choice but maybe an equivalent one. Be guided by final cost a cable/tv combo package may save them money which as seniors is a better final decision than anything else.