[TelstraClear] Telstra cable with VoIP? (Xnet VFX?)

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Rhinosaur

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Topic # 87024 18-Jul-2011 11:08

I'm very happy with my current Xnet Fusion setup and with Xnet as a company, and extremely reluctant to consider Telstra after my last experience with them.....

However I'd like to get Freeview HD, and unfortunately we're in the shadow of a hill which is preventing a decent signal from getting through terrestrially. Our signal is intermittent, it works OK on some channels with a glitch every minute or two, but the TVNZ channels are at the point where they don't come in at all anymore. This is with a new UHF Freeview aerial and Sony Bravia with built in Freeview tuner. The Freeview website lists us as "unlikely" to receive terrestrial Freeview HD, even with a high aerial.

So that's where Telstra comes in. I've learned that Telstra delivers Freeview HD through their cable service. (We don't need any paid TV options).

Telstra have a broadband plus Freeview package for $69.95, including a free T-Box for 2 years.
Xnet has VFX VoIP for $11.50, which seems to be the same as the voice part of Fusion which I currently use.

Can anyone tell me if I can use these 2 services together (and without needing anything else, apart from the correct hardware)? Or is VFX (and other VoIP services) only compatible with regular copper phoneline broadband?

Is there a downside to this combination that I can't see?

Thanks in advance and excuse my ignorance. :)

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Reply # 494585 18-Jul-2011 11:23

Cable internet is just like any other internet, but faster and generally more reliable. TC suck at customer service, but once everything's set up and working it's generally really good. It's a relatively new infrastructure, my gut feel is significant outages are only once or twice a year, even then the worst i've seen is from evening till the next morning. Most are shorter. Reliability isn't an issue.

I use Skype over TC cable fine. Someone who uses xnet over TC might be able to let you know about how it works in practice. For example if there's no peering then packets going via the US might introduce a lot of latency.

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maverick

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Reply # 494595 18-Jul-2011 11:37

Should be no issues whatsover Rhinosaur, we have a large number of custys doing this now, including the headbean from here :)

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Reply # 494596 18-Jul-2011 11:39

Running VFX over TelstraClear cable here, for years now...

You will also find out cable Internet is a lot more reliable, and faster than DSL.

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zolteg

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Reply # 494626 18-Jul-2011 12:22

Ask yourself though - do you *really* need a landline? When I moved to cable I took the opportunity to drop the landline as I didn't need it; mobile with the right plan works just fine (and generally means you avoid telemarketers, scammers etc...)

timmmay

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Reply # 494636 18-Jul-2011 12:35

zolteg: Ask yourself though - do you *really* need a landline? When I moved to cable I took the opportunity to drop the landline as I didn't need it; mobile with the right plan works just fine (and generally means you avoid telemarketers, scammers etc...)

TC make it difficult to have internet and tv without a phone, at least last time I tried. I had to battle them to get it. I'd have just dropped TV, but my flatmate wants cable TV and pays for it himself.

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nutbugs

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Reply # 494663 18-Jul-2011 13:05

I use exactly the services and setup that you outline and have done for a number of years and am very happy with what I get (apart from the freeview via cable which was added a couple of months ago)

nutbugs

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Reply # 494697 18-Jul-2011 13:43

I should clarify that I am happy with the freeview cable service - my comment is meant to refer to the fact that it was added recently and has not bee part of my setup for a few years :)
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Reply # 494712 18-Jul-2011 13:52

timmmay: TC make it difficult to have internet and tv without a phone, at least last time I tried. I had to battle them to get it.

Looks like it's easier now as that's the third column on this page: http://www.telstraclear.co.nz/residential/inhome/packages/

geek4me

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Reply # 494718 18-Jul-2011 13:58

I dumped my fixed phone line and have used Xnet/Vfx since December 2007 on the TelstraClear cable network. It works really well and is much cheaper than a standard phone line.

You lose power on the cable during a power cut so it pays to have a mobile handy for when that happens.

nate

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Reply # 494763 18-Jul-2011 14:58

Rhinosaur:Xnet has VFX VoIP for $11.50, which seems to be the same as the voice part of Fusion which I currently use.)

Just a heads up, VoIP data won't be free on TelstraClear, unlike being free on Xnet.

Rhinosaur

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Reply # 494777 18-Jul-2011 15:06

Thanks for all the replies! I think I'll go ahead as planned.

Does anyone know if I can keep using my WAG310G as the phone adaptor and wireless router, connected to the Telstra box?

One of the great things about Xnet is they don't lock you into a contract period. So I'm not too excited about Telstra's 2 year contract... Hopefully Telstra will show a bit of understanding if we're red zoned (we're currently orange and waiting).

Are there any creative solutions for running a 2nd TV? I think I'll run an HDMI cable to the bedroom with an HDMI switch at the receiver. We couldn't have 2 TVs watching Freeview at once, but it's better than nothing?

timmmay

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Reply # 494778 18-Jul-2011 15:06

VoIP wouldn't use that much bandwidth would it?

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Rhinosaur

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Reply # 494797 18-Jul-2011 15:25

Thanks for the heads up Nate. Looks like we'll get 40gb of data with Telstra whereas we usually use <10. That should take care of the VoIP. :)

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Reply # 494811 18-Jul-2011 15:32

Rhinosaur: Thanks for all the replies! I think I'll go ahead as planned.

Does anyone know if I can keep using my WAG310G as the phone adaptor and wireless router, connected to the Telstra box?

Yes you can. The internal modem can be swtiched off and you can switch the wan port on (so, instead of having 5 lan ports, you will have 1 wan and 4 lan ports.
You need to ensure you enter the correct ip address when you set it up as the cable modems will only talk to the ip address that TelstraClear give you.

zolteg

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Reply # 494813 18-Jul-2011 15:35

Rhinosaur: Thanks for all the replies! I think I'll go ahead as planned.

Does anyone know if I can keep using my WAG310G as the phone adaptor and wireless router, connected to the Telstra box?

One of the great things about Xnet is they don't lock you into a contract period. So I'm not too excited about Telstra's 2 year contract... Hopefully Telstra will show a bit of understanding if we're red zoned (we're currently orange and waiting).

Are there any creative solutions for running a 2nd TV? I think I'll run an HDMI cable to the bedroom with an HDMI switch at the receiver. We couldn't have 2 TVs watching Freeview at once, but it's better than nothing?

As long as it has an ethernet WAN port that you can fix the IP address of. From lookin' at http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/video/ps8611/ps9520/ps9524/3415-00971-40.pdf it looks like it has one that'll do the bizzo.

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