My wife and I are setting out on our first caravan tour next winter, depart April 2007.
Sydney to Port Douglas, across the gulf and back down the middle. Five months. We run a small B&B at Avoca Beach and we wish to regularly access our emails to organize our summer bookings. We have bought a laptop computer and can tap into wireless access at various van parks etc. Can anyone assist with info on the latest mobile phone technology with a view to connecting our phone to our computer to download emails and to send from more remote areas. Is the next G network OK for this?
Looking forward to some help.
Chizyonthe move said
10:53 AM Dec 26, 2006
G'day Q Riley,
First, let me tell you that we are almost neighbours as we come from Erina.
Just sold the house and are planning to leave in the first days of March. I find myself in the same situation with the "E-mail" issue and the information I have got is that all McDonalds stores have "Hot Spots" where you can connect and send e-mails. I don't know exactly how that works but I understand that the laptop has to have a wireless card inbuilt. The alternative is very expensive: I am talking Telstra's Next G which cost about $ 300.- + a monthly plan. How good is that? No one could tell me as the "Next G" is still very new.
I guess it is a matter of trying first, sitting at a McDonalds and connecting, and watch what happens next! If that doesn't work, then I shall start looking at the alternatives.
Neety said
01:07 PM Jan 8, 2007
We're also planning the big trip in May 2007. I've got the laptop and connected with Telstra's NextG mobile card and as we're not very close to a mobile tower (we live in Dawesville, 16kms south of Mandurah in WA), had to buy an aerial which attaches to the laptop lid. There is an inbuilt aerial with the card. It costs $250 for the card and $49 month but I got a half price deal in December, so connected for $125 and $25 per month for 12 months then it's $49 a month for the 2nd year (2 year contract). It works from the mobile phone towers.
Hope this helps.
Neety
Skipncaz said
11:32 PM Mar 2, 2007
Hi Q Riley,
I have just done a bit of run as I put it from Vic to Perth last Nov.
I took my wireless notebook (Laptop) and a new Next G phone, just to give it all a try.
Well the Mackers set up is the best thing, I order a coffee and pay $5 for internet use, sit down and read the emails, and relax.
Now to the next part, the New Next G service and phone, it was fantastic coverage.
Just imagin your at the top of Wave Rock 600k's inland from Perth, the peace and quite, sun shining. Just beautiful.
Then the mobile rings?????? Bugger, it was my local council calling to tell me my dog was in the pound as she got out from our gate, the kids 22, 20 and 19 had left it open.
Well to say i wasnt very happy is being polite.
So my friend in your quest for coverage the above is the way to go.
Telstra have it sorted, McDonalds use Telsta for the intenet, then you have Next G.
Hope this helps everyone in this lttle matter of coms.
Skip
Peter_n_Margaret said
04:35 PM May 4, 2007
We use a NextG wireless internet USB devise from Telstra.
$50 per month, 24 month contract, includes the hardware plus 200mb of data per month (or 20 hours connection if you prefer). It is very fast and works anywhere there is NextG mobile coverage (similar coverage to CDMA).
We have added a 5db gain (850mhz) external antennae and it is brilliant in marginal areas and from inside our motorhome.
Tony LEE said
06:22 PM Jan 17, 2023
Not for everyone, but Starlink covers all our needs all over Australia. Very fast internet, WiFi calling phone and all the normal TV and video streaming services
RickJ said
06:29 PM Jan 17, 2023
I think the OP might have found an internet provider by now.
That Starlink service looks good for our more modern times. Attractive pricing as well.
Hylife said
05:32 PM Jan 18, 2023
To use your phone as an access point for your laptop just go into Wi-Fi settings and turn on the hotspot feature, simple.
Unfortunately, Australia is geographically a very large land mass with a very small population, so once you are away from the east coast cities there is really no such thing as internet unless you are in a major town.
It just isn't commercially viable for Telstra or Optus to install a million dollar phone tower where no-one lives.
There are only 3 mobile carriers in Australia, Telstra and Optus, plus Vodaphone for Brisbane, Sydney & Melbourne.
All other brands are reselling or roaming on these 3 networks and not always on a carriers entire network, so cheap resellers like ALDI may work in the heart of major towns and cities but not in smaller towns or remote communities.
5km down the road out of town often means no mobile coverage at all, no calls, no texts, and certainly no Internet, for the next 100+km until you reach the next town.
Telstra has ever so slightly more coverage than Optus but Optus has way faster Internet.
4G phones perform better away from major cities as 5G phones are superior in major cities.
Hope that helps somewhat.
Possum3 said
08:40 PM Jan 18, 2023
Welcome to the Forum Chizy and Griley.
The only input I can confidently say is - Telstra Blue Tick phone has the best remote coverage of all providers. There are many areas, about 95% of the land mass, of the great outdoors in this country with absolutely no coverage other than with Satellite.
landy said
09:29 PM Jan 18, 2023
If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to the regular Telstra 4G connection, take a look at Boost mobile. They are the only Telstra reseller using the complete Telstra 4G network. If you are not a big mobile data user they will supply 5 Gig of Data and unlimited text and calls for $20.00 month. Landy
TimTim said
08:49 AM Jan 19, 2023
You should have gone to Spec Savers! The OP was posted November 2006
landy said
02:35 PM Jan 19, 2023
TimTim wrote:
You should have gone to Spec Savers! The OP was posted November 2006
Dear All,
My wife and I are setting out on our first caravan tour next winter, depart April 2007.
Sydney to Port Douglas, across the gulf and back down the middle. Five months. We run a small B&B at Avoca Beach and we wish to regularly access our emails to organize our summer bookings. We have bought a laptop computer and can tap into wireless access at various van parks etc. Can anyone assist with info on the latest mobile phone technology with a view to connecting our phone to our computer to download emails and to send from more remote areas. Is the next G network OK for this?
Looking forward to some help.
G'day Q Riley,
First, let me tell you that we are almost neighbours as we come from Erina.
Just sold the house and are planning to leave in the first days of March. I find myself in the same situation with the "E-mail" issue and the information I have got is that all McDonalds stores have "Hot Spots" where you can connect and send e-mails. I don't know exactly how that works but I understand that the laptop has to have a wireless card inbuilt. The alternative is very expensive: I am talking Telstra's Next G which cost about $ 300.- + a monthly plan. How good is that? No one could tell me as the "Next G" is still very new.
I guess it is a matter of trying first, sitting at a McDonalds and connecting, and watch what happens next! If that doesn't work, then I shall start looking at the alternatives.
We're also planning the big trip in May 2007. I've got the laptop and connected with Telstra's NextG mobile card and as we're not very close to a mobile tower (we live in Dawesville, 16kms south of Mandurah in WA), had to buy an aerial which attaches to the laptop lid. There is an inbuilt aerial with the card. It costs $250 for the card and $49 month but I got a half price deal in December, so connected for $125 and $25 per month for 12 months then it's $49 a month for the 2nd year (2 year contract). It works from the mobile phone towers.
Hope this helps.
Neety
That Starlink service looks good for our more modern times. Attractive pricing as well.
To use your phone as an access point for your laptop just go into Wi-Fi settings and turn on the hotspot feature, simple.
Unfortunately, Australia is geographically a very large land mass with a very small population, so once you are away from the east coast cities there is really no such thing as internet unless you are in a major town.
It just isn't commercially viable for Telstra or Optus to install a million dollar phone tower where no-one lives.
There are only 3 mobile carriers in Australia, Telstra and Optus, plus Vodaphone for Brisbane, Sydney & Melbourne.
All other brands are reselling or roaming on these 3 networks and not always on a carriers entire network, so cheap resellers like ALDI may work in the heart of major towns and cities but not in smaller towns or remote communities.
5km down the road out of town often means no mobile coverage at all, no calls, no texts, and certainly no Internet, for the next 100+km until you reach the next town.
Telstra has ever so slightly more coverage than Optus but Optus has way faster Internet.
4G phones perform better away from major cities as 5G phones are superior in major cities.
Hope that helps somewhat.
The only input I can confidently say is - Telstra Blue Tick phone has the best remote coverage of all providers. There are many areas, about 95% of the land mass, of the great outdoors in this country with absolutely no coverage other than with Satellite.
the complete Telstra 4G network. If you are not a big mobile data user they will supply 5 Gig of Data and unlimited text and calls for $20.00
month.
Landy
You should have gone to Spec Savers! The OP was posted November 2006