Who to choose for internet, and possibly phone

Forums › New Zealand Broadband › Who to choose for internet, and possibly phone

raratoez

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

Topic # 29810 20-Jan-2009 12:13

Hi everyone, I'm new here, this is my first post.
I'm not that onto it when it comes to this stuff so excuse my ignorance some times

We have moved into our new place and would like to get internet, and possibly phone. We are in the rural, in Paterangi, which is near Ohaupo, between Hamilton and Te Awamutu.

We would really like to get broadband, and I have been looking at quite a few different options, and went on the nzconnection.net website and had a look - now I am even more confused haha.

We will be a Te Awamutu phone number, rather than a Cambridge/Hamilton, which is where all our friends and family are - so it will be a toll call to call them, so we figure why pay around $45 per month to then have to pay toll calls on top, when we could just use cell phones (our neighbour gets a Cambridge number, but we don't

)
We would look at package deals with phone line and broadband if the price was good, I see telecom is doing one for around $110/month which includes unlimited calls to national land lines, but is quite expensive between 2 people with a new mortgage haha.

I have a Mac Ibook laptop, so we would like wireless broadband, or mobile broadband. I don't think I could use the Woosh mobile broadband data card thing with my laptop, so that leaves Telecom and Vodafone. I have looked at their plans but it is hard to know if will actually work at our house (reception/signal wise).

The other thing I have thought about is using Skype to talk to my parents on their computer, and also get set up to be able to make phone calls with them (costs around $10/month) so then we can make calls to other family, and friends. Or we could get broadband from an ISP that also does VoIP, then we could make calls (however VoIP works haha).

What I also don't know is how much data we would need, and I also don't understand about download/upload speeds. I email (including attachments), browse a few websites (incl facebook, bebo), watch some videos on youtube (not 1000s). Then also if we didn't get a landline I may try Skype, which would use more internet. I also download a few songs. I see telecom mobile broadband does 1GB and vodafone does 1GB and 3GB, and I have no idea how much that actually is in terms of what I do.

Has anyone got any ideas or suggestions on who they would use, or know of any deals, or plans that would suit us? After looking at nzconnection.net I see that there are even more providers that I hadn't yet looked at. Xnet looks ok, but I haven't read much into it yet, hard to know what you are specifically looking for when you don't know what you need haha.

Anyway, any suggestions and ideas would be much appreciated

Look forward to any replys

Thanks

Tarah

nzbnw

2366 posts

Uber Geek
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Spark

Reply # 190779 20-Jan-2009 13:25

Hi Tarah, and Welcome to Geekzone.

Mobile Broadband could be a good solution for you, but the first thing you need to do is to check what sort of coverage (i.e. Telecom 1XRTT (up to 153kbps) or EVDO Rev A (up to 3.1mbits) or Vodafone 2G (GPRS 40kps?) / Vodafone 3G (unsure of speeds sorry).

Telecom offers your first 6 months access on the 1GB plan at half price, with a $49 Tstick modem and a 30 day money back guarantee, which would be nice in your situation. Telecom also includes an Xtra email address and a subscription to the Telecom Security Suite (anti virus and firewall) included in your month fee (however this is not compatible with your Mac!).

As to usage, I guess it depends on exactly what you plan to do on the internet? You have mentioned Skype, what about downloading, if so what? Surfing (news sites, internet banking??).

nzbnw

lonney

85 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 190782 20-Jan-2009 13:27

If you want something that just works with out hassles get either a Telecom or TelstraClear phone and ADSL package. If you’re an average net user – email + web browsing, a < 5gb plan should do it, otherwise a 10gb will cover it.

I compared prices for packages a few weeks ago, Telecom and TelstraClear are about the same at the end of the day. I think you can shave a few $ off with the same type of package from TelstraClear.

At the end of the day you’ll be hard pressed to get phone and data for under $100. It’s a fact of life. Whats a tank of petrol cost these days? $70~$80, so its not that bad is it?

For availability see:

http://www.telecomwholesale.co.nz/maps

http://www.telecom.co.nz/broadband/speed/adsl2

I’m on Telecom and Xtra, with a 10gb plan (FS/FS) does the job.

You can get cheaper with xnet with a VoIP setup, but then your phone doesn’t work when the power is off, and xnet have had months of bad press in these forums for being rubbish – read you get what you pay for.

Anarkist

206 posts

Master Geek
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Reply # 190808 20-Jan-2009 14:56

As lonney said, take a look here first of all:
http://www.telecomwholesale.co.nz/maps

This will show you if you're in range for an ADSL connection.

It is most likely in your best interest to stick with ADSL as opposed to Telecom/Vodafone wireless data cards as they have a rather low limit on how much you can download, and tend to be expensive should you go over it.

Please note: Any posts, comments, or contributions in this forum are posted by me as an individual acting in my own right and do not necessarily reflect the views of any company I work for, clients I've consulted for or anyone else.

raratoez

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 190824 20-Jan-2009 16:17

Said my session timed out/logged out, so unsure if my last message sent:

Hey, thanks for the fast replies :)

nzbnz, both vodafone and telecom are doing the first 6 months half price, and with vodafone you get the vodem/usb stick thing free. The 30 day money back guarantee is good with telecom though. Internet useage would be emails (hotmail and yahoo, including sending and receiving attachments), trademe, facebook, bebo, internet banking, occasional MSN chatting, youtube videos... hard to think of what else I use it for to be more specific. Probably the more the better, but I don't want to be paying for heaps more than I use.

lonney, you are probably right about going with telstraclear or telecom, when I first saw the companies that I hadnt thought of I thought they mustn't be that popular, and maybe not that good. Does anyone know if Slingshot is any good? Although they say they will beat other companies prices, but their phone line about the most expensive out of a few I was comparing prices with.

lonney and anarkist, I looked at that telecom website and it said:

This address is in an exchange area where the exchange is scheduled to be upgraded with faster broadband equipment by Mar 2011.

Please note that even when this upgrade is completed, this address is outside the optimum coverage area for faster broadband (ADSL2+ technology) - which will affect broadband performance at this address.

A pre-qualification check is required to determine what broadband services, if any, are available at this address.

Does that mean that standard ADSL should work there? This may be a stupid question, but whats the different between ADSL and Broadband? Are they the same thing?
Telstra Clear has this:
Connect to PDQ Broadband and get the following superb offers:
Join before 27th March 2009, and receive a FREE Modem (Model RTA1320)
2 Months FREE Usage (up to 10 gigabytes per month)
$99 Connection credit until 27th March 2009 (if connection charge applies)
Please note: the free modem offer is not available to customers transferring from TelstraClear HighSpeed Internet (ADSL) to PDQ Broadband.
So what is the different bettwen the ADSL and PDQ Broadband here then? - Thats what made me ask the question haha

And, is the modem (Dynalink Modem/Router (RTA 1320)) something that needs to be plugged into a computer? So I wouldn't need a modem, I would need some sort of wireless thing, that plugs into the wall (phone/internet) rather than into a computer, is that right?

Anarkist

206 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 1

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Reply # 190825 20-Jan-2009 16:27

raratoez: Does anyone know if Slingshot is any good? Although
they say they will beat other companies prices, but their phone line
about the most expensive out of a few I was comparing prices with.\

They may be better price wise, but I have heard the quality (i.e. speeds) of their Internet connection are crap.

raratoez: lonney and anarkist, I looked at that telecom website and it said:
This address is in an exchange area where the exchange is scheduled to be upgraded with faster broadband equipment by Mar 2011.
Please note that even when this upgrade is completed, this address is outside
the optimum coverage area for faster broadband (ADSL2+ technology) -
which will affect broadband performance at this address.
A pre-qualification check is required to determine what broadband services, if any, are available at this address.

Does that mean that standard ADSL should work there?

It generally means you're a fair distance from the exchange. As you get
further from the exchange the distance the singal has to travel to you
over copper increases. This has the effect of decreasing overall speed,
but if you're just doing thinks like browsing/streaming and emailing it
shouldn't make a huge amount of difference.

raratoez: whats the different between ADSL and Broadband? Are they the same thing?

Broadband is a category, ADSL is a type of technology that is classed as a 'broadband Internet connection'.

raratoez:

And, is the modem (Dynalink Modem/Router (RTA 1320)) something that
needs to be plugged into a computer? So I wouldn't need a modem,
I would need some sort of wireless thing, that plugs into the wall
(phone/internet) rather than into a computer, is that right?

The modem is the device that connects you to the Internet. Described
very basically a modem turns the analogue signals recieved from the
copper on the line in to digital information readable by your computer.

You can have a modem/router (the terms are used interchangably most
often) that has a wireless access point built in. The RTA1320 is not
one of these. Most broadband companies can supply you a wireless modem
(at additional cost) or you can visit a store like Harvey Norman, Dick
Smith, Bond & Bond .etc or, your local computer store.

I personally use the Linksys WAG200G
and have found it good. It has everything the Telecom Thomson modems do
and only costs $120 (as opposed to the $199 Telecom will charge you for
the Thomson modem). I'm unsure as to what TelstraClear offer in this
sense however.

raratoez

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 190827 20-Jan-2009 16:42

Hi again
I keep loosing the messages I write... so I have to start again.

I found that Vodafone has an "ideal pack", phone line + 5GB (maximum download/128kbps upload) for $80 per month.

Telecom currently has a free wireless modem with broadband plans of 3GB or more per month. They have a "Go" plan, 3GB (maximum download/128kbps upload) for $39.95 per month + landline $44.85 = $84.80 per month. So 2GB less for $4.80 more.

Telstra Clear is $44.49 for landline + $47.95 for 10GB (maximum download/128kbps upload) = $92.44.

So out of these 3 ISPs, Vodafone looks to be the best value (although Testra is twice as many GB), but I really just don't know how much we would use. Don't think we would go over 5GB though.

Will post this before I loose it :)
Tarah

Anarkist

206 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 1

Trusted

Reply # 190833 20-Jan-2009 16:49

Before you submit (especially with longer posts), always select all the text you've written and copy it to the clipboard. That way you can repost should the page time out or error .etc

Any of those providers should see you right, and all will provide around the same quality of service I believe. Best of luck.

raratoez

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 190838 20-Jan-2009 16:55

Thanks heaps Anarkist :)

I have learnt to copy what I have written incase it doesn't send now haha. Learn the hard way.

So would 128kbps maximum upload be ok?

I don't really know what that means in the scheme of things haha

Thanks :)

Anarkist

206 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 1

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Reply # 190852 20-Jan-2009 17:37

raratoez: So would 128kbps maximum upload be ok?

Yep, 128kbps upload is fine.

The only thing you'd need more for would be sending large attachments over email or similar or if you were closer to the exchange and it limited the speed at which you could recieve files.

lonney

85 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 190882 20-Jan-2009 19:37

Try this: http://www.xnet.co.nz/hsi/linecheck.shtml

Thats if you have an active line with dialtone on it.

Those dynalink routers are probably about the best, you can get them from pricespy for about $100 also.

You'll need to decide which telco you want to go with based on what they offer. /128 upstream is fine, beware it will limit your connection to around 4mbps downstream even if the sync rate is higher. but this wont be of any issue to the average net user :o)

Mobile Data delivered via Telecom or Vodafone over their cellphone networks = not cheap, but your connection goes with you where and will work most places, see the respective websites for coverage maps.

Broadband is a term that describes the technology or method used to place data on the wire. Google / wikipedia / howstuff works, are all good places to find out more :o)

Some people assume Broadband = fast, when actually it doesnt, even 56k dialup can be termed as 'broadband'.

raratoez

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 195285 11-Feb-2009 11:20

Hi again, I'm back, haha

So, we decided to go with Telstra Clear for landline and broadband. A check on the neighbours on both sides phone numbers said that we could get broadband so thought we were in luck.
We have our landline set up and have been waiting for our wireless modem to be delivered, so I phoned Telstra yesterday to see how far away it was and they said that the check had come back from Telecom and Broadband isn't available at the exchange!! They said something about Conklin and no ADSL customers at the exchange (I think). So I phoned Telecom and he couldn't tell me the exact reason but thought maybe the exchange was full and there can be no more broadband customers, and suggested we go on the broadband waiting list.

I think we are happy to keep the phone line (as we have big back yard, so no tolls in the Waikato). But we would still like internet - preferably broadband too! Dial up is $12.95/month for 150hours (on Telstra) - but thats only if we are REALLY REALLY desperate.

So I was thinking of things like Wireless Nation, that don't use landlines (I think) - are these any good? What other companies are there?

The annoying thing is that our neighbour (only about 2 paddocks away) has broadband!! Possibly because they are on a different exchange, we are (07) 870 and they are (07) 823 (toll call to phone each other haha).

Any suggestions??

Thanks heaps :)

Tarah

lonney

85 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 195304 11-Feb-2009 13:02

Hmm,,

The case is most likely there are no free ports in the exchange or nearest cabinet. You'll have to go on the waiting list. the more people on the list, the more likely Telecom will bump your area up the list of places that will get more ports! So go on the waiting list.

As for the wifi option, you'll need to research that. one possibility is to wifi link from your neighbour and work out a deal to share their adsl. You'll need to find someone in the know on this to check out the options, quote a price and install the gear for a point to point link.

Something to think about..