Optus

GaryKelly · Guru

Optus

Dougwe · Chief one feather

What is an Optus Garry? Sounds like something out of the ocean.

Does that pass for a comment?

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Dazren made me say that and wombat told him.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Sorry Gary - don't think you will get too much positive response, unless you are going to stay primarily in highly populated areas - that is our observation anyway.

pauline · Guru

we were with Optus from the beginning, but once we started to travel, especially hubby for work, it had to be Telstra..............no contest I'm afraid. Hope this helps.

Grams · Guru

My son, who lives in the city was with Optus, when he came to visit us in the country his mobile never worked here. He ended up changing to Telstra and hasn't had a problem since.

Sorry Gary, the only service that works everywhere, well almost, is Telstra. They have the monopoly over other services.

barrie · Guru

Telstra way ahead of the rest for coverage

billeeeeeee · Guru

Howdyeeee guys and girls, in towns ,cities, optus is the best , AS,!! they do better deals than Telstra, but out of the cities, optus, is rat sh-t,, a friend of mine has Dodo, they even have probs in the cities, stay excited, ppl, PS, I still think SMOKE SIGNALS is the best communication between ppl, hehehe.................... Billeeee

-- Edited by billeeeeeee on Sunday 30th of June 2013 09:05:14 AM

herbie · Guru

Hi Gary, regarding your question Optus, ask Yeoeleven (John ) what he nick named Optus while in Tassie , I think from memory it was FLOPTUS. From reading his blogs from his travels over there he had to end up buying Telstra service to get any kind of service in a lot of places. If you are planning on Optus to service your communication away from the bigger towns and cities,you will be out of service range...If there was any other provider other than Telstra who could give the same coverage as Telstra I would be switched to their service in a flash.That is why Telstra has no competition once you get out away from the big smoke and can charge like a wounded bull for the privilege.

bill12 · Guru

I have tried Kogan,who use the 3g Telstra carrier and it works fine, but they are an internet based comp, and if you have trouble, they are just aboutimpossible to contact. Still, $29.95 for 6 gig, and unlimited calls is pretty good. Bill

chrisnchris · Senior Member

Hi Gary
We were with Optus for many years both business and private . When we started travelling it was totally useless
outside major coastal cities . We changed to Aldi (slightly dearer than Kogan) who use Telstra 3G and so far have had no
problems . $35 per mth for 5gig data and unlimited calls . I tethered the phone to lap top for data use and haven't even come close to
running out . I'm a happy little Aldi user
Cheers

Gerty Dancer · Guru

We had Optus when we went to Tassie. We had a signal in Hobart and Launceston, at a couple of lighthouses, and on the Bruny Island ferry! At Strachan we had no signal but saw others using their mobiles and asked "How come you have a signal and we don't?" Answer: "We're with Telstra CDMA". So I changed to Telstra soon after.
Well they don't do CDMA anymore, and I'm not convinced the new system is better, but its better than Optus.
Sorry Gary, its an inconvenient truth.

GaryKelly · Guru

Thanks for the awesome response, boils and goils. I must say I don't know how any newbie could cope with the GN lifestyle without these forums to provide tips and info about all the things one needs to know. So Telstra it will be. I'm not a subscriber to Optus per se, it's just that my ISP uses Optus. I'm happy to remain with my ISP for hosting purposes, etc, but it seems I'll be swapping my dongle for a Telstra dongle (or service that uses Telstra) and accessing/updating my web site that way. I'll talk with my ISP about it. Updating the web site from fairly remote places on a regular basis is important to me because I'll be writing a journal, taking pics, etc., and my followers don't like to be kept waiting. I'm like Days of Our Lives to them hehe. And thanks again for your input.

GaryKelly · Guru

Oh, and about smoke signals: a WWII vet told me his story about crash landing his plane in the PNG highlands. His plane was a wreck and the radio was out. He was found by a group of fuzzy wuzzies who used their drums to send a message to the next village, who on-sent the message to the next, etc, until it reached Port Moresby. A rescue party was organized and he was picked up the next day. So there ya go. Good old fashioned communications saved the day.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Just to add to the mix Garry and will probably start another debate all together. I have heard from a friend in Telstra that If you use a supplier that only uses the Telstra network and not a Telstra customer then the Telstra customer gets priority on the network.

Confused, sorry but now you are like me then.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

If you are only doing shortish trips Gary, its possible to use a Telstra dongle but still access your usual ISP if you keep on paying them. If you are travelling permanently that's a waste of money.

VKPORTABLE · Senior Member

GaryKelly wrote:
Lot's of GNs have posted praise for Telstra's mobile coverage, especially in fairly remote areas where a decent signal is difficult to receive. So I'm hoping to hear from Optus users who are happy with the service Optus provides. My ISP uses Optus, and my mobile phone and laptop dongle are part of my wireless package with my ISP (whom I've been with since '98, and who host my web site). Any Optus comments?

Telstra do have the largest service area - I'd doubt anyone could seriously challenge this, considering they own so much infrastructure.

Although I use the Optus network myself. Whilst there are areas that you will not get coverage in, there are also areas you won't get coverage with Telstra.
I have a Huawei Modem/WiFi Router, which allows me to connect an external antenna to, I use a Yagi and point it towards the nearest cell (or town), and in most cases I get an acceptable signal level.

One warning here on aerials, whether they be verticals (sticks) or Yagis (Like your tv antenna), ensure they are suitable for the bands you are using.
Optus currently uses 2100/950 for it's 3G service, so you need to ensure your antenna is capable of working on these frequencies, or damage to your modem can result.

Most of the yagis available are the log-periodic variety, to cover such a large frequency range. Although there are some specifically designed to work on 950/2100, these are the better of the two, as they will provide higher gain (equals better signal) then a log periodic.

Also using good quality coax cable is a definite must to ensure minimal loss in the line (coax), as the modem only has an output power in the milli-watt range the more that reaches the antenna the better your transmitted signal will be. At the end of the day, a wireless modem is a radio transceiver.

Most of the antennas come with RG-58 coax, which at 950 MHz is pretty damn lossy, for example if you have 5 meters of RG-58C/U coax at 950 MHz, your loss is 3.3dB.
So if you have 5 Watts at transmitter output and are using the coax described above the power at the antenna will be about 2.8 Watts.

Now, consider that most 3/4g modems have an output power of 23dBm, or just under 200 Milli-watts, you can see from the above your going to loss most of this 200 MW in the feed-line.

Having said all this, the antenna I have on the vehicle is a vertical, so I use the coax that came with it. I think it is RG-58C/U or similar. It works okay in reasonable signal areas, and of course the gain of the antenna itself helps.

Enough of technical stuff - I have personally found that I get a better connection in country areas then I do in city areas, I am not talking about signal strength here, I am talking about actual Internet use. In city areas, especially large cities/towns where there is a large number of users I've found that at times, even though I have a full scale connection I cannot load pages etc. Yet in country areas I don't experience this problem.

What causes it?
Overselling of the network - There are many many re-sellers of Optus 3G services, including the O itself. So in city areas you have a lot of people using the available infrastructure and bandwidth. I have found that from around 3PM weekdays (when kids are getting out of school) until around 12 at night the service can experience drop-outs and severe packet loss in cities.

In the end would I recommend Optus as an alternative to Telstra for Internet access to travellers.
YES without a doubt, as I said earlier you won't get access everywhere, but you won't get this with Telstra either - it's simply not possible. Distance and terrain play a big factor in determining availability of signal. Even Satellite won't provide you with 100% coverage everywhere. It comes down to how much you want to spend.

At the end of the day - your travelling, enjoying the country we live in. If you can't survive without Internet for a few days or weeks now and then, travelling probably isn't for you.

bill12 · Guru

Hey, Gary, that,s where the Phantom lives,you know the ghost who porks, wooop, walks.He use the jungle drums,and seems to get out to the local pygmies.Send in the Jungle Patrol.........Bill

Popeye · Senior Member

Do get a Blue Tick mobile phone

GaryKelly · Guru

Thanks for your detailed suggestion Stewart. I've just sent a note off to my ISP to discuss the use of a wifi modem and aerial to improve the performance of Optus. Years ago, I had an altercation with a pompous officious young Telstra employee and swore I would never have anything to do with Telstra again. But I'm open to changing my attitude about that depending on what's best for me. Meanwhile I'll check out the Optus potential before I make any decision. I'm in no hurry.

It's also worth mentioning that my ISP has a very good 7-day technical help service which I've used often over the years.

Weedy Pigeon · Senior Member

In my previous life as a driver of a breakdown recovery truck in some remote places it was all too common to come across people who had been sold mobiles and told that they would work anywhere. One couple had bought their non-Telstra phone in Sydney and were told it would work all the way on their trip through western NSW, the Tanami Track and the Kimberleys. They hadn't had any signal since mid NSW when we picked them up south of Kununurra.
The only phone that works everywhere is a sat phone. Next best is Telstra but will not work everywhere. Behind that comes daylight and then the other mobile networks a long last.
Did you ever wonder Gary, how we managed to travel around Australia BEFORE MOBILES?
No substitute for maintenance on your vehicle, even with T you won't be covered everywhere. Live dangerously, no mobile, no spares, just water, careful driving and maintenance. Just how we used to do it.

GaryKelly · Guru

You can't write a journal, take digital photos and update a website regularly by rubbing two sticks together, Weedy. I'm not going for the view, I'm going because I'll be writing a journal. John Steinbeck who wrote Travels with Charley back in the '60s, took notes on a portable typewriter, returned home after 3 months, and wrote the book. That's not the way I'll be doing it. In fact, if it weren't for the internet, mate, I wouldn't be doing it.

Weedy Pigeon · Senior Member

GaryKelly wrote:
You can't write a journal, take digital photos and update a website regularly by rubbing two sticks together, Weedy. I'm not going for the view, I'm going because I'll be writing a journal. John Steinbeck who wrote Travels with Charley back in the '60s, took notes on a portable typewriter, returned home after 3 months, and wrote the book. That's not the way I'll be doing it. In fact, if it weren't for the internet, mate, I wouldn't be doing it.

Sorry Gary, I assumed you were asking about mobile phone coverage. I've just this afternoon returned from the Daintree, not far from Mossman FNQ and we had to drive around to try to find a signal to download some emails. The Daintree is not in the least bit remote, in fact it's practically a suburb of Cairns so I can't imagine how it will be when you get out into the sticks.

I have an aerial on the Cruiser and there was only one place between Brisbane and Cairns where we could NOT get signal, across the range it's a different story entirely.

Poppy sore eye · Senior Member

I am sorry, I have tried but I cannot restrain myself any longer. Mobile coverage Is important, yes I have found that the T coverage is better than than the O coverage, I have also found that at the moment Kogan offer the the best deal, but come on... Does It really matter, I agree with Weedy and can still remember life without mobile coverage. 10 years ago we were on the west coast of tassie for three months, no analogue no CDMA, VERY little radio, the world did not end.
Gary I can understand how writing the journal is important, I fully intent to do the same as something the grand kids and friends can read understand and latch onto as our life experience but fair go, I don't think the world will end if it has to wait a few days for me to get mobile data coverage!
Gary, a journal of our experience is valuable, the Internet will still be there even if you can't access it for a couple of days. Sorry if I offend, but I (we) are doing this for us, not what others may think of the communication we have with them.

herbie · Guru

vkportabe excellent post regarding coverage Optus/Telstra ..

I have satellite and also the 950/2100 Yagis antenna and am more than happy with it, had a lot more coverage this trip using the Yagis out to you

I brought mine through a Telstra shop,the Telstra shop where I brought mine from will not send them out to you they told me they used to but too many were getting damaged during transit.(for around the $200 price ) I recon it is money well spent.

GaryKelly · Guru

Offended? Jeez, I'm not that precious, Weedy and Poppy. I do realize that the world doesn't end if there's no signal for a few days or a week or whatever. I can still write the journal off line and take pics, and then update the web site when I'm back on line. No biggie. As to camping in the old days and roughing it, been there, done that. In any case, the journal will feature the stories of other people I meet - backpackers, nomads, locals, townsfolk, miners and whoever I happen to bump into. It's not gonna be about me, me, me. How boring would that be?

Human beings are creatures of habit, and if my web site is not updated on a regular basis, I know what will happen - the audience will get out of the habit of logging in regularly to check the latest. How often have you seen web sites sitting there for months with nothing happening? Makes you wonder whether the person running the show has lost interest. I guess most people don't understand writers. It's been said that writers write because they can't help themselves. And in my case it's true. I'm an old song and dance man from way back - can't resist doing the old soft shoe shuffle if there's more than one person watching hehe.

Changing from Optus to Telstra will mean buggerizing around with my ISP in some respects, and I'd rather keep things as they are if I can. If that means following vkportable's suggestions about aerials and modems then I'd rather go with that. Otherwise it wouldn't matter to me what service I was using.

Are we all clear now? Good.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Gary - send a PM to Yeoeleven - he has two chips for his phone (which he uses for internet as well) - one Floptus and the other Telstra - uses them as he needs them. He had to do it in Tassy as he had extremely limited connections with the O chip.

Can't wait for you to be on the road - should be interesting - but I hope you ARE going to be looking around, some of this countries sights are amazing!!!

Take care!

GaryKelly · Guru

Thanks Jules. But it's not the phone I'm concerned about - it's the laptop. I work with a full size keyboard and HTML. And yes, I fully intend to see as much of Oz as I can. This ain't gonna be a quick trip around the block. I expect to be on the road for quite some years taking it all in and snapping away with my Nikon. :) I'm really looking forward to experiencing the greatest adventure of my life. Then I'll be able to do the rocking chair and reminiscing trick knowing that I've not wasted my time on this planet.

bill12 · Guru

Don,t forget the highlands in Bangala, you could meet the Phantom!Sorry, Gary, just a joke.Telecoma is the way to go, and Kogan the cheapest Telstra Carrier. I get good reception in most places with a 20 db gain aerial on the Bigpond ultimate dongle Espesially on the east coast of OZ. See you on the track, Bill

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Gary - what I was trying to say was that the phone can be used as a modem - or hot spot - to get internet on your computer. You can get a Telstra dongle - think Coles had them for $10 with $30 of purchase - pre paid - it is a wi-fi usb dongle. Only till 3 July I think.