[plug] Wireless Internet

[Benjamin J Keith]

My brother is using the Telstra EVDO/CDMA system on a trip around Oz.  He 
is on a $50/mth timed plan - 20 hours per month measured in 15 min blocks 
(that Telstra routinely miscounts).

When I got to play with it before he left in April this year, the claims 
Telstra was making about EVDO coverage in the city (Perth) were way 
exaggerted.

He reports ok coverage in major cities through EVDO and has been able to 
connect through CDMA, though he says this feels slower than a 33.6k modem.

So if you *have* to be connected, outside of a major centre without 
landline access and without lugging a satellite dish this might be the 
solution for you.  If you are looking for affordable, reliable wireless 
connectivity in Perth, give it a miss (at least until they improve their 
coverage).

Hope this helps,

Ben

On Wed, 5 Oct 2005, Ryan wrote:

>> Tel$tra do it - via the mobile network - but it's not 802.11x.
>>
>> I'd bet it's exxy too.
>>
>> It uses a special card.
>>
>>
>> I'd reckon
>> http://www.bigpond.com/internet-plans/broadband/wirelessbroadband/ might
>> be a start..
>
> A manager at work recently got us to roll the ball on this solution.  He
> lived in Duncraig, was assured he could get covered (via web form and
> phone), completed the application, assured again he had covered,
> received all the goods and could not get coverage.
>
> Supposedly outside of the 1xEV-DO you get standard CDMA connectivity at
> a reduced speed, we couldn't get even that.  The unit has '8 bars' of
> signal and the setup requires at least 1 to complete, needless to say,
> we didn't even get 1 bar.  The unit also does not work in Osborne Park
> with direct LoS to the CBD.  Haven't taken the unit for a drive around
> the city yet, maybe I'll do that tomorrow and report back.
>
> It's not all that expensive surprisingly, but then, they obviously
> haven't got much infrastructure setup for it, so they don't have much
> cost to recoup yet ;)
>
> Ryan
>
>
>