Internet on the road

jbrinks · Senior Member

Internet on the road

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Hi JB, I have been using a Telstra WiFi device and a Smartphone for many moons now, including when I still had base camp. Now I am on the road full time I still use the same system only I uped the GB per month (21gb) not all used though and have a monthly 'plan' not pre-paid. If my finances change then I will have a re-think. All work extremely well for me.

banjo · Senior Member

We traveled full time for nearly 6 years and only used Telstra wifi modem, over the years we managed to get more data by haggling at contracts end, we ended up with 25gig each and free calls/sms on two mobiles and costs us $130 month.

We don't even bother with a home phone now we have a home again, just use our free calls on mobiles, maybe could do with a bit more data but don't really do heaps of downloads just the usual stuff so 25gig a piece gets us through fine.

Will maybe consider the NBN one day when the dust settles but for now we have no need, if we go away we just take modem with us as now it's all on a shared sim with phones.

brickies · Guru

www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/plans-and-rates

macka17 · Guru

We've done it for yrs too.
but. Unlike others. I'm not mentally linked to it.
I often have to go out to the car to get my phone and recharge it.
Leaving it in car or garage again.

When we go away.
Used to be Laptop. Now just a 10in Tablet.

When we near a signal we use it. No Signal. Watch movies
or play cards.

You don't die without it. Honestly.

PS Banjo.

Regarding NBN.

IF you not going to be "Fibre" all the way.
Don't bother.

Our ADSL2+ averaged, 7.2 to 8.4 on a good day. Fine.

This NBN.
Fibre to NODE. Copper from NODE to home.
25\5 Rural. Fastest avail on Copper.

Is WAAAAAAAY slower. Painfully so. and you can't change back.

if you can get 100 It's not too bad. But need to be within 2.5km of station.
we 4.2km from. in rural area.
And 43 km from Rocky towers.

Check on cabling Distances from both towers and nearest.
and if you terminate in copper, or Fibre.

VERY Disappointing here. Seemed good. At start.
Then it all slowed down.

TELSTRA Excuse given.

Conflict with ADSL. As long as that running. NO improvement possible.
Yea....

KJB · Guru

Jeenee 3G package - 30Gigs. for $45 / month - opt. out anytime. Uses Optus 3G Network . Just tether computer to your mobile . No need for landline. Works well. I believe Jeenee offers cheapest deals at the moment . Good to deal with , easy to understand,very helpful Call Desk operators. Also profits helping the disadvantaged .

Have a look at - Whistleout.com to find best deal for your situation.

KB

Greystone · Senior Member

Have been on mobile broadband for years. Refuse to connect to NBN due to pathetic speeds. We are now on Optus mobile broadband 4G+, 100 Gb for $70/ month, no contract. Speeds generally between 20-30 up and down. Better than ADSL and NBN. If you accept 12 month contract you can get 140 Gb. We prefer the flexibility of no contract. Previously we were on Telstra 4G and that was faster, between 30-50 up and down. But Telstra can't match current Optus offer. Maybe they will in the near future, so it pays not to be on contract. Next year Telstra may roll out 5G and that will be much faster than 4G.

RustyD · Guru

We both have a $50 / month mobile plan each. Because they are both in my name, we get a combined 20GB per month. We just tether out iPads to one of the mobiles. Have not run out of the 20GB yet when we've been away over a full month of billing. As we have ditched our landline, this deal suits us best. It was primarily for phone, SMS & MMS. The data inclusion was a bonus - and it keeps going up.

Desert Dweller · Guru

Telstra prepaid wifi dongle. $150 for 20 gig/12 months. What you don't use gets added to another 20 gig if you renew at or before the 12 months is up.

20 gig is more than enough for our 12 monthly usage needs. We spend a lot of time out in the bush where you can't get any phone or internet reception with any server.

Good to get away from civilization/politics sometimes. We have a small magnetic Telstra aerial that plugs into the side of the dongle which improves reception by at least one bar.

-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Friday 29th of September 2017 06:38:39 PM

Meredith · Senior Member

Get rid of the landphone and internet service at home and get a smartphone and a plan with enough data for your needs. You can then set up the smartphone for tethering with a password and connect your home computer, laptop or Ipad through it. If you travel remote at all you will probably want to stick to Telstra who aren't the cheapest, but it should still work out cheaper than what you have now and more suitable.

BTW we had a dongle for travel prior to getting a smartphone and were using both for a few months as the dongle had usage left on it. We found the smartphone invariably had considerably better reception than the dongle.

-- Edited by Meredith on Friday 29th of September 2017 02:17:05 PM

-- Edited by Meredith on Friday 29th of September 2017 02:19:24 PM

dabbler · Guru

As well as various phones and tablets (all 4G capable), I am using a Telstra 4G Ultimate wifi pocket Modem with an external 5dB antenna for increased range. Antenna and adaptor cost about $80 but I never shopped around. Unsure what range improvement I really get but connections are definitely more stable. Only drawback is my apps want to upgrade/update when connected with to the modem with wifi and this can chew data.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Yep just pay extra for the data . No wifi out there . We stopped whenever we got a signal . Learn to check when passing towers .

RustyD · Guru

I've now had NBN for 3 years. Had dial-up, ADSL etc. since 1982. There is no smartphone internet package that comes anywhere near the NBN service both in speed and download capacity. I know it depends on your requirements but I've been watching a lot of stuff on Youtube (docos, music videos) and wife had been using TelstraTV (got a free box last year) rather than recording on the Topfield. Never got anywhere near our NBN max capacity but speed of the NBN is a must.

My original device when all went belly-up at work en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_700

jules47 · The Happy Helper

We use a Telstra 4G dongle we have had for a couple of years now, thinking we may soon need to get another one, the battery on this one is not holding charge long. Gets a lot of use, we use the 16g that our prepay plan gives us for $140 - next time I will look for a bit more data, I see the 20g prepay is $150 - with the 4GX, might look at that.

What I will say is - Telstra is the ONLY network with maximum coverage in Australia - used to be crossing the Nullarbor, no internet at all - this year, new towers and access available at quite a lot of the more popular rest stops on the way West - as well as new loos. Have so many friends say they can't connect - they have other networks. In six years of travelling full time (plus much more part time), never had an issue with Telstra all over Australia.

ps - Forgot to say - we use this 16g in about 3 weeks, maybe 3-1/2weeks

-- Edited by jules47 on Friday 29th of September 2017 10:32:21 PM

jbrinks · Senior Member

Thanks for all the information, I think I now have a much better idea of how it all works

peter_s · Veteran Member

don't forget that with Telstra plans you can also get FREE AIR at the biggerv towns

Peter Rose · Veteran Member

When traveling we use our Samsung S5 Mini as a hot spot to connect to the internet via our lap top computer We have Foxtel GO so can watch Important programs like the footy
We each have a mobile at $40 a month which covers us for all calls and gives 9gig of data each which is combined so we get 18gig of data
Most modern phones can be used as a Hot Spot but the downside is battery life as it sucks the phone battery down.

-- Edited by Peter Rose on Sunday 1st of October 2017 07:55:12 AM

Sailor Hobart · Member

My understanding of 5G is that 4G is a wider bandwidth and is faster than 5G.

Cruising Cruze · Guru

Hi Lindsay (Sailor Hobart )

Sorry to say but that's not the case
By the time we get 5G we can say download a movie in just a few seconds
There is no way 4G can do that

Cheers John

PeterD · Guru

jules47 wrote:
We use a Telstra 4G dongle we have had for a couple of years now, thinking we may soon need to get another one, the battery on this one is not holding charge long.

Don't ditch it. Go to Battery World and see what they can do with a replacement. I use them for camera, phone and modem batteries.