Like Ian, I'm also about to move to NL & am wondering about what the various  ISP's can deliver. We're coming from the US & currently use cable delivered intenet & TV. Here's it's cheap & very fast.. albiet the TV CONTENT is wanting given we have 400+ channels of mostly [in my opinion] rubbish.    

However it's the ISP's I'm obsessing over:

 From what I can tell, it's dependant on the line. I hear that some areas in NL still do not receive ADSL. - yikes!!! Tel me this is not so...

I'm going to be looking for an internet plan roughly as follows:

Download limit 20GB+

Download speed 20,000kpps+

Upload speed 820kpbs +

This looks to me like I'd need more than the standard ADSL. I did contact iiNET & they advised that the Kallangur Exchange was equipped for their verions of ADSL2 but they'd need to test my line to tell if it was up to scratch. So we'll see. If anyone can tell me what my prospects are, by all means do so.

I too have heard negative things about bigpond ...but I really have no clue.

Garry

Hi Garry,

Here's the word :-)  There are / were some patchy areas of North Lakes that couldn't get ADSL. From what I have seen it is only selected houses mostly in Freshwater Village (where I live) that have had issues. There could have been some issues with how the copper was laid and split off when it was done 'all those years ago' . I have heard from two residents that a call to Teresa Gambaro, our Federal MP got it fixed for them - there's another two votes at the next election

I have connected up ADSL for a family who live at the back of North Lakes in a new area and they had no problems getting it. What you will find is that there are RIMS (green cabinets) in the parks around North Lakes. These are basically mini exchanges where the ADSL splits from fibre to copper etc. In theory most homes should be within 500m or less of one of these RIMS.

I use Westnet and have everything bundled. The maximum speed you can get at this stage is 1500 / 256 . This is what Telstra set everything at and I suspect it will be a little while before we get anything faster. Yes Kallangur does have ADSL2 but I have applied and couldn't get it and I would suggest that everyone in North Lakes is in the same boat.

All ADSL in our area use Telstra equipment, just wholesaled out to other providers e.g. Westnet etc etc.

It's easy to say this now but it would have been great to have some forward thinking like in Victoria were a new development is being cabled with fibre optic providing even faster access for residents. There's an obvious cost issue etc and North Lakes starting developing a number of years ago.

I hope that answers your questions.

Scott

Hi Scott

Thanks for so much for the explanation. This is JUST the stuff I've been trying find out. I'm confident that our new place will be wired up fine for the ADSL. We're in the Woodside area, directly across from a park. Telstra said we should be fine for ADSL when I applied for the phone connection..but they did qualify that by saying that a line test would be required to confirm this.

What I've done is scheduled Telstra to connect up my line after our turnover date [Oct 30] I wanted to know what our new land line number would be before we leave the US.. So I have that & now just need to be hooked once I'm there. I have selected a phone only plan from Telstra but there's no contract on that. What I'd planned to do was shop the variuos ISP's once there & then bundle my phone & net as you have done [And give Telstra the flick]

Telstra are charging $299.00 to hook up the phone + $150.00 for a second line for a fax. Does this sound abut right?

I will definitely check out Westnet. Their plans look good. I especially want a plan that allows cheap calls to the US.

And fingers crossed that we'll eventually be delivered ADSL2.. You'd think that if it's available in Kallangur, we'd have to eventually receive it in NL. I'm sure the standard ADSL will be more than adequate for my personal net requirements. It's just that I'll be hooking up to my office network here in Philadelphia. Our company computer geek has advised that the 256 speed may run things a little sloooow on my end.. So.. that'll give me time to do some gardening !

Thanks again.. As always your input is extremely helpful

Garry

Always happy to help

Just check the second line though. There is a system you can get for $4 / month call Duet ... basically they attach a second number onto your telephone line and the fax can detect the tone and answer the call. Don't know if it conflicts with ADSL on the same line though - you'd need to check that.

Alternatively I have a fax number 0733190919 - a fax service answers it, converts it to PDF and emails it to me. $9 / mth I think - I lot cheaper than a second line. You can send faxes from a web interface - bit expensive or send it using a fax / modem in your pc ... http://www.mbox.com.au/

Regards, Scott

You should be able to go directly to a company like Westnet and order a phone line - I think. They then organise it through Telstra. For the record Telstra / Bigpond I think is great for some users. I've just organised a connection for someone up in Caloundra (40mins north). They have been with Telstra since it was Telecom and for them switching to anything else would make them uneasy. Same with my uncle he has a bigpond adsl account.

I think when you're looking for a bit more i.e. power user , more data etc companies like Westnet, iiNet etc are a good option. The thing I liked about WestNet was everything was easy, automatic credit card deduction with out filling out (and waiting for) pages and pages of forms. This is one issue I had with Telstra some time ago (perhaps it has changed). If I want online access or I want direct debit by credit card I should be able to do it straight away. I had to wait 10 days to get some forms in the mail and then send the forms back - wait - and then it would all be signed up. I ended up not doing it because it was too much effort. The instant age of the internet has affected me

Ooooh, now that will be interesting to see. I'm glad I just signed a 12mth agreement with my current provider

That ad has got to be one of the most entertaining at the moment