Internet Provider?

[matti]

I have been with Telstra for a long time and only this year I went with Optus fusion $99 because No one could beta the deal.

They offered 20GB per month @ 256kb/sec.
Phone anywhere In Australia to any phone at any time at no extra cost.

I though I couldn't go wrong.

It is all good when everything is working but painful to get any help when things go wrong.

Shit load of trouble buffering overseas clips especially us.

I have had to turn the modem off many time as something seem to interfeer with the speed.

I have Googled the net work and heaps of complains regarding Optus slowing down and causing problems.We run Mozilla so that help a little and at the moment it is working well again.

Yadidadadada

your thoughts! if any....

 

[Adamt]

My thoughts? I don't know a lot about internet+phone bundles, but I do know that 256kbps is shithouse.

256kbps is about the bitrate youtube uses for their low quality videos. As you won't get full speed all the time, you won't be able to stream youtube videos well at all.

 

[brettprevans]

had optus cable internet for 5 years. best price, speed around i could find. have occational had it bundled with other services such as home phone and mobiles.

if your download speed is 256kb/s thats shite. thats terrible. its only 4times faster than dial up. where as cable should be at a bare minumum 3MB/s which is 11 times faster than your getting

 

[Pennywise]

I have been with Telstra for a long time and only this year I went with Optus fusion $99 because No one could beta the deal.

They offered 20GB per month @ 256kb/sec.
Phone anywhere In Australia to any phone at any time at no extra cost.

I though I couldn't go wrong.

It is all good when everything is working but painful to get any help when things go wrong.

Shit load of trouble buffering overseas clips especially us.

I have had to turn the modem off many time as something seem to interfeer with the speed.

I have Googled the net work and heaps of complains regarding Optus slowing down and causing problems.We run Mozilla so that help a little and at the moment it is working well again.

Yadidadadada

your thoughts! if any....

Is it a wireless network, if so we are in the same position. I'm with Virgin and apparently they use optus towers or whatever it is they use. I still can't be on the phone and the net at the same time, shits me cause on weekend when I want to brouse AHB it take like 5 mins for a page to load (that when the internet is even working).

If your on a contract like I am (or was ), and they aren't helping you, write a letter to the telecomunications ombudsman, consumer affairs and any other relative bodies explaining their lack of providing the service you are paying for. That'll get you out of the contract without their exit fees.

Be carefull though, my landline is now completely disconnected since moving to Virgin. I have called several other phone/internet providers (including Telstra), and they all say there is no phone line connected to my house at all and I'll need to get a tech out from Telstra to come and hook the line up in the pits again.

 

[tcraig20]

I have a now nonexistant plan from Dodo. 512kb, unlimited downloads, $50 a month.

Its OK, but you need a PhD in Sindlish if you want to call billing/tech support.

I see that they now have a 1.5mb, 20,000mb plan for $50 - I'd probably consider migrating across to that if I wasnt moving.

 

[brettprevans]

i notice the optus bastards have made their cable internet plans impossible to find. but beleive me they are there and offer great value.

 

[MarkBastard]

Internode or iiNet

 

[bum]

No complaints with TPG. Fast, reliable, cheap.

 

[komodo]

no complaints with aaNet.

Been with them 7 years and counting.
Good aDSL 1 pricing and fantastic aDSL2+ pricing if its available at your exchange.

Only downside is the reported not so good technical support. Having said that I've never had troubles with their tech support.

 

[Pollux]

I previously dealt with iiNet, as a source of high speed high usage internet they are great.....

But start having to deal with tech support and organise for them to fix something that isn't working and it ends with the ombudsman being involved.....

 

[thanme]

Been with iiNet for a long time. Using their ADSL2+/Phone Bundle and have no dramas at all.

 

[MarkBastard]

I previously dealt with iiNet, as a source of high speed high usage internet they are great.....

But start having to deal with tech support and organise for them to fix something that isn't working and it ends with the ombudsman being involved.....

If that sort of thing is your concern, Internode are the best by far. Best support, best network quality. Not the cheapest price, but they don't count uploads or have peak / offpeak bullshit so the value is better than it looks.

 

[Pollux]

I currently have wireless with 3, $39 per month for 6gig. More than enough for general browsing and the occasional download.

Wouldn't be using it for torrents however.

 

[Digger11]

To the OP,

I have read about the Optus complaints - but as they have probably millions of customers you do tend to here more complainers (Telstra has the same problem).

You could have an exchange specific problem - as all of the DSLAM equipment is brand new and similar to the other Tier 1 carriers (Telstra/Primus/AAPT etc.), however the smaller guys like iiNet use the cheaper Chinese Equipment Huaweii but it still seems to work o.k.

The good providers (I know iPrimus does this) will check your line and lock the modem speed so you don't get dropouts etc. (iPrimus did this for me soon after I signed up about 2 years ago and I have never had a problem since - absolutely rock solid ADSL2+). Look for Aussie tech support as well - iiNet is in Sth Africa, Optus god knows where, TPG and Dodo it is non-existent.

West-Net are the best known for AA+ grade tech support - a bit more expensive but GOOD if you need this type of thing (however I think iiNet just bought them so the customer care may drop)

I would change provider to one that has actual DSLAM equipment in your local exchange - you can google this to find who. and avoid Telstra or Telstra resellers when it comes to ADSL2+ as you will get absolutely reemed on price and terms.

p.s. you could always wait for NBN Co to rollout the 100mps+ Fibre to your area !!!! I bet that will work properly - and amazingly quick.

 

[MarkBastard]

Actually Optus are the ones with the cheap and nasty DSLAM's, I believe iiNet use the good ones (Ericsson)

 

[pdilley]

I'm an Optus Cable complainer, never go back again after moving suburb to a PRE-WIRED OPTUS HOUSE they told me they could not transfer my plan, said it was discontinued and wanted to charge me disconnect rates, reconnect rates at a new plan with 1/2 the downloads and $20 extra price on top of what I was paying per month.

I've spent years researching all the providers. I've gone with Internode, not a cheap bargain provider but I've never had down time and my quota is anytime of the day I want to use it not between 2am and 3:30am and the rest of the time you only get 5% of your quoted quota to use. I liked TPG but steered clear as they abuse this scheme the most, quoting huge quotas which you can not use in gods normal hours.

You get what you pay for but avoid all the big telco names and you won't go wrong with most providers. I got naked ADSL2+ and dropped the phone line. VOIP is too immature to rely on 100%, I would avoid Skype Home Phone Number plans like the plague, only about 10% of the time I call the house does it ring, the other 90% is a mix of system down and I get some pre-recorded not available message by some chick with a pommy accent. And the other is actually getting my answer service recorded message but then my wife is home all the time and says the phone never rings.


I use my mobile and wife has mobile, there is no need to have a land line or VOIP so I'm not renewing any VOIP contracts.

Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[brettprevans]

you got screwed BP. ive had to disconnect my optus cable plan twice in just over 12 months (moved house twice) and both times they have offered me a deal on installation etc and given me basicly a similar contract with no exit fees, or having to pay out the contract. actually i think they even gave me a credit becuase we have been with them so long.

 

[pdilley]

Yes I did, and it even ended up at the separate complaints resolution department. I got a small refund back but nothing close to recover the fees of charges and forced yanking off my plan. Hence I have never gone back and vowed never to use them for internet again. I have a brain so Telstra was never in the equation as being used as an internet provider

In the house I moved to I lived with just Mobile phone as I flat out refused Optus phone land line connection after the internet fiasco and had used Telstra and no real complaints except high price and never used the phone except for once or twice the month to dial out, most of the time it was others dialing in.

That land line free period set me up to where I am today. Landline free and Optus and Telstra free and knowing its not a hassle and fits my calling and lifestyle easily. So there is a silver lining in that dark story


Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[razz]

Big ups for TPG also, I wish they would hurry up and upgrade their DSLAM out here to ADSL2+.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

HAH...most DSLAMS are owned by you know who


I really should stay out of industry talk....

Creat's to much shit


BP liberty plan for $50 ( unlimited ) for us is damn good...

Unfortunatly , we are restricted to ADSL 1 due to distance from the DSLAM

BUT, when we complained, we actually had Telstra techs attend every time....

And we are rural... :icon_cheers: