Hi Bill, My 5 cents! I'd definitely look at another plan!
I am also a regional customer (down in Albany) and left Bigpond dial-up to go to Internode ADSL. Internode have just increased their download quotas on most of their plans - including mine :) For their standard ADSL plans check out: <http://www.internode.on.net/residential/internet/home_adsl/standard/pricing /> I'm now on their $49.95 Home-1500-Explorer plan giving 10GB limit at 1500/256 - and at around 1km from the Albany exchange I get fairly close to the optimum speeds (quick test just showed 1325/216). Their ADSL2 service is not available in Albany :( - but if it is available in your area their Home-Extreme-Starter plan gives the same 10GB at ADSL Extreme 2 speeds for the same $49.95/month! For the Extreme ADSL2 plans (if available at your exchange) check out: <http://www.internode.on.net/residential/internet/home_adsl/extreme/pricing/ > I also saved by using VOIP for nearly all my outgoing phone calls which let me drop down Telstra's cheapest Homeline budget account (currently $19.94/month - but due to increase, I think) so my combined phone/internet monthly bill is $69.89 ($49.95 + $19.95). Although there are cheaper (for call prices) VOIP services around, I decided to stick with Internode for the VOIP service (no possibility of buck passing!) and just have their basic Nodephone 1 service which has a zero monthly fee - just a one off Establishment charge (currently $20). Phone call quality has been excellent (no one has noticed the difference so far). At the time, I was a bit nervous about going to VOIP (concerns about call quality) so I covered my bases by keeping both systems going. I got a combined ADSL2 modem/router with VOIP and wireless networking built-in. I chose the Billion BiPAC 7402VGP (which I imagine will now have been superceded by a better more modern model!) because it also had a LINE port, giving: > Lifeline Support (VoIP/802.11g ADSL Router with LINE port only) > The router integrates RJ-11 FXO port for inbound and outbound calls > transmitted through PSTN. Users can receive phone calls from PSTN while > enjoying VoIP call service at the same time. In addition, the device > automatically fallbacks to lifeline POTS to enable making normal phone calls > when there is power outage, or when the Internet connection is down. What this means is for me is that: - I have a 3 handset cordless phone baseset plugged into the VOIP router. - I keep my old Telstra phone number (with the minimum line rental). - If I pick up any handset and dial out it goes via VOIP (cheap calls) - If anyone calls me on my Telstra number, the same phones ring and I answer (I'm then talking on the normal Telstra network) - If my broadband service was to go down (it hasn't!) the phone would automatically switch back to the normal Telstra network (POTS) so the phone would just keep on working. I also have another phone (actually a 2 handset cordless phone baseset) just plugged into the phone line which is not used for outgoing calls (it would incur full Telstra rates) but gives the additional feature/advantage that if someone is on an outgoing (VOIP) call - tying up the VOIP phone set - a new incoming call will still ring the second phone and can be answered while the original call continues. It is vary rare for this to actually happen - but a couple of time it has been useful! The VOIP router actually has two phone jacks (in addition to the ADSL & line jacks) and I believe that if I were to sign up for an additional VOIP service, assign it to the second jack, plug in an additional phone (or cordless baseset) we would actually be able to make 2 separate outgoing VOIP calls and simultaneously receive a third incoming POTS call - but my old brain is getting confused just thinking about that - I'd have to colour code the 3 phone group sets and, besides, there are only two of us living here!!! Anyway, I'm straying off the original topic here - but the VOIP has certainly saved us some money: - mother-in-law is 400km away in Perth so untimed 18c national calls are good! - other half recently travelled in the USA (while I remained) so 5c/minute calls to the USA were very good! As I say, actual call rates are even less with some other VOIP providers but I like Internodes call quality and having the Broadband & VOIP with the same provider - and last months total call prices (all 5 mobile, 18 national and 9 special calls!) added up to $6.76 - so I don't have a lot of incentive to pare it back!! The VOIP has been very reliable and we really don't notice any difference from the pre-VOIP days (except for the bills!) - which is good as the other half was a bit dubious when I first suggested it! The VOIP system has only appeared to hang up a couple of times (in well over a year) and in each case just re-setting the Router got everything working again and, of course, this had no effect on getting incoming calls and if I really couldn't wait I could have always phoned out on the telstra line! Other than a couple of times when I first was setting things up I really haven't had the need to use Internode support - it has all just worked well. But I certainly got good support back then and Internode seems (from Whirlpool) to generally have very happy customers. Have fun! Neil -- Neil R. Houghton Albany, Western Australia Tel: +61 8 9841 6063 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on 26/8/08 8:08 AM, Daniel Kerr at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Hi Bill > > Wow,... > Yes, that all sounds pretty poor. Even the closed on Saturdays and Sundays > part! > Optus will work on Mac or Windows, it doesn't make any difference. > But yes, that page doesn't seem to be set up correctly for Mac. > It gives the following error when you right click and try to save the > download file to test the speed. > > ---quote > Forbidden > > You don't have permission to access /content/downloadtest/downloadtest.ram > on this server. > Apache/1.3.27 Server at download.optusnet.com.au Port 80 > ---end quote--- > > For the price that you are paying I would certainly start looking at some of > the other plans:- > > Iinet - > <http://www.iinet.net.au/products/broadband/plans.html) > Even for $49.95 you get 512k/128k with 2GB+2GB limit. (Onpeak + offpeak) > 24 hour, 7 day a week, 365 days a year support. > I've rung them at 3am in the morning to check some things, and always had > someone answer the phone and help with my query. > (And if you add $10 a month you get 1500k/256k with 4GB+8GB limit) > Bundle your phone and the prices and limits get better. > > Westnet - > <http://www.westnet.com.au/internet/broadband/> > $44.95 gets you 512/128k with 1GB+2GB > $59.95 gets you 1500/256k with 1GB+2GB > Bundle the phone and the price gets cheaper. > I believe Westnets support is the same as iinet. > > So yeh, for your price....I think you'd find someone better and definitely > the support would (Should) be better. > > Just my 5cents worth. > > Hope that helps. > > Kind Regards > Daniel > > > > On 26/8/08 7:12 AM, "bill parker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Folks, >> >> I have an Optusnet DSL account in a Regional 1 area. My plan gives >> me 2GB download limit and speed 512K. Because Optus hiked the >> telephone price ( fixed charge) to over $50/month last year I >> uncoupled the DSL account from the "bundle" and went back (again) to >> Telstra. The DSL is costing $51.95 a month. >> >> When the 2GB limit is reached, the speed drops to about dial -up modem pace. >> >> So, last weekend, well and truly inside the 2GB limit, I experience a >> very slow download speed. After a lot of frustrating web searching I >> tried the phone - more frustration with that inane "I am sorry, I am >> having trouble understanding you" voice. >> >> Then,,,,, I got there. Closed on Saturdays and Sundays. >> Yesterday I got a real person in India who least gave me some facts. >> My download speed is actually (and officlally) 45 - 512K. At first >> she said "up to 512". What? >> >> She offered my a download speed test: >> >> www.optuszoo.com.au/help/downloadtest >> >> Is the fact that Optus is set up for Windows, or is it me? Couldn't >> make any of that work. >> >> Westnet is looking better. Bugger Optus. >> >> Bill >> >> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> Unsubscribe - <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
