ISPs for UFB in Palmerston North

Forums › New Zealand Broadband › ISPs for UFB in Palmerston North

Lizard1977

2133 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 624

ID Verified

#114160 10-Feb-2013 19:10

So UFB has gone live on my street in Palmerston North, and I've been looking at my options for an ISP (currently Xnet). Whichever provider I go with, I'll be looking for a data plan of about 100GB+. As far as I can work out, these are my options:

Xnet - no public UFB plans (yet)
Telecom - no UFB plans (yet)
Orcon - UFB plans
Snap - UFB plans, but not in Palmerston North.

So if I want to go with UFB right now, it will have to be Orcon. I'm hesistant about this because the 60GB data plan will be too small, and I suspect the Unlimited plan will experience speed slowdowns, especially at peak times. Would this be as noticeable on UFB as would be on ADSL? I'm currently getting about 5Mbits on Xnet ADSL. UFB at either 30Mbits or 100Mbits would be a big improvement, but kind of pointless if the speeds are throttled to near ADSL levels.

So what do people think - make the leap to Orcon UFB now, or hold out for more ISPs to announce plans? If I know that more plans are about to be released, then I can be patient for another month or so, but if we're talking six months or more, then it might be worth it to sign up for a 12 months Orcon plan and then switch in a year's time if it's no longer the best deal...

1 | 2

4962 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2638
Inactive user

#759158 10-Feb-2013 20:04

Yea we aren't spoilt for choice here yet. I want an ISP to recommend to customers but there is no way I am recommending Orcon. Bad support and there throughput results weren't amazing. Although I think the throughput thing was actually am issue with the network rather than the ISP.

For me I need to recommend someone with good support which I know Snap can provide. I am hanging out for Telecom's plans because there business support is amazing and they arent going to put out a product that doesn't work. For me it will be a toss up between Snap and Telecom depending on Telecoms pricing.

Lizard1977

2133 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 624

ID Verified

#759159 10-Feb-2013 20:07

Thanks Chevrolux, that pretty much sums up my gut reaction. I just wanted to check that I wasn't being irrational.

I've heard mostly good things about Snap, and they would be my first choice - just a shame they don't have equipment in place in Palmerston North. Hopefully Telecom enters the market soon...

Zeon

3926 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 759

Trusted

#759169 10-Feb-2013 20:19

Talking to Unleash they will be ready in about 5 weeks for Auckland. They are more business focussed with very good support but not as cheap.

Speedtest 2019-10-14

RalphFromSnap

776 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 168

Trusted

Snap Internet

#759178 10-Feb-2013 20:34

Hi All,

Palmerston North is on our plans, and we are hoping to have service available there within the next 2 months, both our Business and Residential help-desk are available 24/7 - in fact a significant amount of Snap's clients are business, including some of the largest Company's in the Country! For example one of our major corporate customers over 8000 employees! We are certainly very experienced in the Business market and have many competitive business offerings (specifically when it comes to Fibre)

Snap

0800 BROADBAND (276 232)
www.snap.net.nz

@SnapInternet on Twitter
Snap Internet on Facebook

Our Social Media Team:
^RO Ricky - Technical Lead
^AT Ashleigh - Retail Marketing Coordinator

chevrolux

4962 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2638
Inactive user

#759182 10-Feb-2013 20:39

Arent the Telecom plans out in March?

Unleash would be a good option. Small company and very helpful. One day I will remember to ring One Fibre and find out if they can serve Palmy. They are completely business customers only so not helpful for you.

DarthKermit

5346 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3317

Trusted

#759187 10-Feb-2013 20:54

Interesting thread Lizard1977

Me and my partner live in PN also and are in no hurry to move over to UFB. Sounds like it could be a few months before there are any decent UFB options available in this neck of the woods even if it's desired.

Whatifthespacekeyhadneverbeeninvented?

Geekzone support

Support Geekzone with one-off or recurring donations Donate via PressPatron.

Lizard1977

2133 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 624

ID Verified

#759189 10-Feb-2013 20:59

Thanks Ralph - if I understand you correctly, it sounds like Snap might have a residential UFB offering in Palmerston North in a few months time. If that's correct, that's great news, and I would probably hold off until then...

Lizard1977

2133 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 624

ID Verified

#759192 10-Feb-2013 21:01

DarthKermit: Interesting thread Lizard1977

Me and my partner live in PN also and are in no hurry to move over to UFB. Sounds like it could be a few months before there are any decent UFB options available in this neck of the woods even if it's desired.

Yeah, I'm itching to get connected to UFB, especially considering so many people don't have the opportunity yet. But I'd rather wait for the right ISP, rather than be impatient and sign up with the wrong one. It's just a shame there's so few options at the moment (though I understand why - the focus isn't on residential yet, it's a 10 year infrastructure build, etc etc)

Kraven

738 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 190

#759208 10-Feb-2013 21:22

chevrolux: One day I will remember to ring One Fibre and find out if they can serve Palmy. They are completely business customers only so not helpful for you.

Looked into One Fibre a few months back as they are one of the few providers that can offer connections on pretty much any fibre network in the country. Really helpful however at that point they were charging a $150 premium for any connection outside of Auckland, which I can only assume was to help cover backhaul costs.

I know Inspire have been actively testing UFB connections and they already have a number of schools connected on UFB/RBI fibre. While they haven't released plans/prices they might be one to contact if you haven't already.

jonathan18

7415 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2850

ID Verified

Trusted

#762147 14-Feb-2013 11:37

I asked a similar question re PN the other month, and really not much has changed since then.

Especially in that Orcon's still the only option for UFB in PN. Our street was one of the first in PN to have access to UFB but I'm still refusing to sign up to Orcon after the diabolical service we (and my parents) got from them when we had our phones and ADSL with them.

I too am waiting to see what else comes up over the next couple of months; I've signed up to get notified of the likely players' moves (Telecom, Slingshot, Vodafone - no such ability on TC's website, but I guess their prices/plans may be similar to Vodafone's) but not a word yet. Will be interested in seeing Snap's plans when they're announced.

Lizard1977

2133 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 624

ID Verified

#762150 14-Feb-2013 11:41

Did you ever give Inspire a call? Someone also suggested to me that Xnet may be looking for UFB trialists - I PMd Maverick to see if he knew anything, but no response yet...

HP

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

jonathan18

7415 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2850

ID Verified

Trusted

#762184 14-Feb-2013 12:15

Lizard1977: Did you ever give Inspire a call? Someone also suggested to me that Xnet may be looking for UFB trialists - I PMd Maverick to see if he knew anything, but no response yet...

Yep, I did call Inspire, and while I don't remember exactly what they said they didn't have plans for the near future.

chevrolux

4962 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2638
Inactive user

#762205 14-Feb-2013 12:34

I know Inspire have done a few UFB installs but no retail plans from them yet.

Inspire already have a fairly extensive P2P fibre network around town. Pricing isn't too crazy either -probably in line with what you would pay for chorus p2p. They have a lot of customers on that.

I like Inspire because they have always been helpful but I have never been very impressed with their pricing. Always seems a tad over priced, especially their wireless.

jonathan18

7415 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2850

ID Verified

Trusted

#762321 14-Feb-2013 14:17

chevrolux: I like Inspire because they have always been helpful but I have never been very impressed with their pricing. Always seems a tad over priced, especially their wireless.

Quite agree - despite their excellent reputation (I think they topped Consumer's survey again recently) I'm too much of a price slut to pay what they charge.

A friend of mine is paying more for just naked broadband through Inspire than I am for both phone and ADSL through TC (eg, 50GB naked on Inspire is $95; we pay about $80sh for 40GB and phone from TC).

Jaxson

8172 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1332

Trusted

#762384 14-Feb-2013 15:25

Not that this is specifically PN related, but I went through something similar just recently for my parents in Wanganui. Fibre appears to be being installed in their street as we speak, (or is this just an empty conduit etc?):

https://myaccount.snap.net.nz/signup/home
Now despite these guys not being available in our areas, (Wanganui/Palmerston North), am I reading this right that cost wise the:

Fibre plan is directly comparable to the ADSL option?
And VDSL is a $25 a month premium over ADSL?

(As an intermediate step, I'm disappointed at how much more VDSL is. I'm sure there is a reason, but it's disappointing all the same.).

I guess you could technically have both services if for any reason you desperately wanted an older analogue line as well. Just I expect the calling plans a lot of people have with telecom for instance couldn't be used if you're running fibre? So I hope the voice plans as VOIP bundled with the internet provider are still realistically priced. I use a cellphone or skype for all calls but some people, parents, do still use the actual land line phone.

1 | 2