[plug] Wireless Broadband - USB Modem

[Leon Brooks]

On Wed, 13 Jan 2010 01:40:00 pm Peter wrote:
> I'm planning to purchase a new pre-paid wireless
> broadband modem (for Laptop) and while I am familiar
> with a few models (having helped other people set
> them up on Linux), I was wondering if any of you have
> had particularly good experiences with any particular
> modems and/or providers.

Currently using a Huawei E620 with Virgin (real carrier
Optus) for $34 per month, 5GB quota, 3G (equals NextG,
CDMA).

It works fine here in Albany, all of the way up the
highway to Kojonup (ie Narrikup, Mt Barker, Tenterden,
Cranbrook), reasonably well about 2/3 of the way to
Williams (Beaufort), at Williams (seated in the Woolshed
with one of their excellent coffees, for example) big gap
from the grain depot north of town to the Yule Du
Roadhouse (but same with 'phones).

It works (just) in Tambellup, so I guess Katanning would
be OK. Works in Cuthbert, Kalgan, Redmond, Chorkerup,
Bakers Junction.

At end of quota, you are clamped to about 160kb for 300MB
then chopped (can only access VirginMobile websites). $15
buys you another 500MB, clamped, which annoys me since
when I first joined the plan (early 2009) it simply
clamped to 128kb (which was bearable as long as you're
not a YouTube addict) & stayed clamped until end of month
(which happens to be the 20th for me).

I think is nominally 1Mb but in Real Life about 1.5-2.5Mb.

Cheers; Leon