Help-advice On Which Broadband Isp

[Termite]

As some of you may know the company I work for is about to fold.
One of my walk-away bonuses is the computer that I am now using, P4 2.4Gig 1Meg Ram with XP Pro and some good programs, Photoshop - Office 2000 etc.
Now the big question is which ISP do I go with at home. We are with Telstra for our phone.

[Bulli]

Termite

Assuming you want to go with broadband (always on and much faster) take a look at this site:

http://bc.whirlpool.net.au/

You can also check whether your phone number can take a ADSL connection.

I've recently looked into it for myself and others, and I reckon there's better deals around than Telstra. Just my opinion of course - the decision is yours.

Cheers

Bulli

Ps - sorry to hear about the firm closing.

[duckman]

As some of you may know the company I work for is about to fold.
One of my walk-away bonuses is the computer that I am now using, P4 2.4Gig 1Meg Ram with XP Pro and some good programs, Photoshop - Office 2000 etc.
Now the big question is which ISP do I go with at home. We are with Telstra for our phone.

Broadband Choice, a link to which Bulli provided is a great resource but be sure to read at least some of the threads in the forums on Whirlpool so you can get a feel for the suitability of a particular ISP for your needs. There is a lot more to consider than just price.

HTH,

Mark.

[Grunt]

I would get something with at least 512kbit download speed and preferably 1.5mb. Faster is better. The iiNet prices for the 1.5mbit (1500kbit) look pretty good.
I use Internode and I'm happy with there service and price.

[Wood Butcher]

I personally use iiNet and have rarely had a problem, but when I do, They have tech support 24/7 and most problems have been fixed on the spot. Prices are comparable to almost everyone and the speed is great, 1.5mb.

[kiwigeo]

I would get something with at least 512kbit download speed and preferably 1.5mb. Faster is better. The iiNet prices for the 1.5mbit (1500kbit) look pretty good.
I use Internode and I'm happy with there service and price.

Also with Internode in Adelaide and cant speak highly enough of them.....support desk is excellent.

What ever you do DONT go with Telstra.....

Cheers Martin

[Zed]

Go Optus, young termite, go Optus.

[Daddles]

Well, the members of this forum seem supremely against Telstra - that's not something I understand. I've had broadband with them for some time now. It has never caused me a problem. Their price at the time was very competitive. I can't see any reason to advise against them.

BTW, I went for the 256 speed, on cost grounds alone. I don't actually see the need for any faster because the biggest delays are still with the website servers. Occasionally I'll have problems with live streaming, but that's about it. Naturally though, if I could afford the faster, I'd go for it - it's like buying tools, you buy the best you can afford.

Richard

[Zed]

I got the floptus BB package - up to 15G bit transfer rate (you never get to go that fast tho)...

they got nice flexi packages and the more you spend the better the deal. If you get the $60 a month its 12G per month and the hours of 00:00 - 07:00 are unmetered. fantastic.

you can change your rate at a moments notice and they change it within a couple of hours - next month you can change back and forth back and forth. I do it all the time - for instance If I want something on limewire I go up to the $60, go ballistic on the downloads for he month then go back to the base rate the following month. remember that in order to minimise the spend ytou need to change your rate before the 1st of each month!!~!

ccant comment on Profit-stra as ive never used thier service for BB or Inet !

cheers

[Grunt]

BTW, I went for the 256 speed, on cost grounds alone. I don't actually see the need for any faster because the biggest delays are still with the website servers.

This isn't true. Sometimes sites are slow including this one but generally the faster connection you have the faster things will go.

I've had Telstra Cable, Optus Cable, Telstra ADSL, Bordernet Satellite and Internode ADSL. If it was available in Romsey, I would get Optus Cable. It is faster than everything else and it is very noticable.

Telstra, at least last time I looked, charged you per mb if you exceeded your download limit. Most others throttle your download speed if you exceed the limit. If you want anything above the very basic package Telstra is more expensive and you are forced into a contract.

[Deems36]

Optus Cable, have had it for 4 years now and cant remember ever having any downtime.

[Daddles]

This isn't true. Sometimes sites are slow including this one but generally the faster connection you have the faster things will go.

I disagree on that one Grunt. I'm talking about the delay before anything happens. Once it starts happening, not a problem - I can't fault the speed except for something like live streaming or big downloads eg software. But that delay before anything happens, which is where nearly all your waiting comes from, is at their end or the delays inbetween, it's not the connection speed.

As for Zed's BB - I'm paying less than he is for unlimited downloads and uploads. Admitedly at a lower speed, but for the same speed, it wouldn't have been much more for unlimited (commenting on Zed's package, not Zed). That's right Grunt, UNLIMITED. I get charged the same flat rate every month and I really hammer the internet.

I've seen a lot of plans pushed on this forum, and it's not often they are significantly better than what I have, though I have seen significantly worse. And service? It's never been a hassle, neither has the billing, and yes, I did have to use their help desk to get the bugger to work in the first place (dumb installer's syndrome as it turned out dammit).

I'm not trying to say that Telstra is the duck's guts, I'm just fed up with the needless panning it gets (referring to other threads more than this one).

It certainly pays to shop around though, particularly with connection fees - I bought mine at a time when everyone was charging them - if I'd waited only two weeks I could have got free connection with at least two providers, one of which was Telstra (serves me right for being in a hurry). The other thing to ask if you get webspace - a lot of plans DIDN'T offer it when I was looking. Telstra were very coy about it (hoping no-one bothers to look perhaps) but again, that has never given me any grief and it gets used a lot. Remember, even if you don't have a website, you can use that place to store images seeing a lot of forums don't upload the images themselves (and you can use photobucket and the like as well).

Richard

[Bulli]

This discussion highlights that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to ISPs, and that people tend to think the decision they made is the right one (I do! ).

Termite, as I said above, the decision is up to you. You've got ask yourself a few questions:

• What do you want to use it for (web browsing/web hosting/email/downloading big files like movies/games/chat/video conferencing with family o/s or interstate)?
• How much do you want to pay?
• How much to you value good customer service?

Given you're outside the CBD, you're classed as 'regional 2', and this could limit* your choices.

As for speed and download limits, my advice is start on the light side, and change up if you find you need to - it's usually easier* than downsizing your plan. Keep a close eye on your usage.

These are typical entry level plans for your region, at about $30 a month, with 512kb download speed - enough for general internet use. For some reason, the search didn't throw up Telstra - not sure why.

*Sweeping generalisations

Cheers,

Bulli

[NewLou]

Gidday Termite!!!!

Go internode!!!...........you won't be disappointed!!!!

PM me if ya want more info!!!!

Regards Lou

[MajorPanic]

Forget ADSL! go cable!!!!! & if you do go OPTUS!!!!!!!

I was one of the first in Bris to get cable when Helstra brought it in YEARS ago. I stayed with them for a couple of years & then switched to Optus when Helstra brought in speed & download caps. THE BEST MOVE I EVER MADE!!!
Unfortunately we moved to a place with underground power which means only Helstra has access to the properties for cable.
I'd switch back to Optus cable in a hartbeat if I could!