Telstra have just announced the release of their blazing fast Telstra Ultimate USB Modem. While I’m not usually very picky with product names, I couldn’t help thinking how long this NextG modem will remain as the ‘ultimate‘ given the pace of technology these days.

Back to the main point…

continue reading "Telstra Give Aussies Access To World’s Fastest Mobile Broadband Network"

This afternoon a co-worker saw my Telstra NextG 21Mbps USB Stick pertruding out of my Dell XPS Laptop. Keen to see how close it got to the maximum theoretical download speed so blatantly displayed on the device, he asked me to jump onto Speedtest.net.

What is Speedtest.net?

For those who haven’t tried Speedtest.net before, it’s a handy little website that measures download speed, upload speed and latency – perfect for testing your internet connection.

Here’s the result of the test:

Despite just reaching over half the advertised theoretical max, a download speed of 10.89 Mb/s is actually very fast, especially comparing to the results of other carriers. I know with Vodafone’s offering I was only able to achieve maximums of around 2Mb/s.

Telstra Not Cheap But Damn Fast

Now before you zoom off to get a Telstra NextG stick I would recommend that you first check out their plans here. Compared to the other carriers in Australia, they’re the most expensive, but you get what you pay for i.e. better coverage and speed. I’m currently on the Telstra BigPond Liberty® 5GB for $89.95 per month.  If you thought this is expensive, 2 years ago I was paying the same price for only 1GB of data per month!

My only other major gripe with the Telstra connection (price being the biggest by far) is how fast it gets hot and as a result may disconnect. If they find a way to keep this thing cool, I’m confident that connections would be far more persistent and stable.

So, which carrier are you using? How fast can you get using Speedtest.net?

I’m keen to know who’s got the fastest Wireless Broadband connection

Looking for a prepaid broadband service in Australia that requires no complicated setup or messy wires? Check out the Unwired Prepaid Modem package!

The Unwired Pre-paid broadband service has been created to give you the ultimate control over your internet spending – There are no bills and no contracts. You choose when and how much you pay!

Features of the Unwired Prepaid Modem package:

• The Unwired Pre-paid Starter Kit includes an Ethernet Modem and a
  seven-day 400MB broadband voucher to get user up and running
• This Pre-paid service operates just like a Pre-paid mobile phone with
  recharge vouchers
• Vouchers may be bought online using a credit card or purchased directly
  from a list of handy retail stores including 7 Eleven, Mobil,
  Video Ezy and Newslink
• There are a large range of flexible vouchers available so user can tailor
  their internet access to suit their own needs
• Great broadband speeds of up to 1024/256k
• A free Unwired uMail mailbox with free anti-virus and anti-spam
• No cancellation or reconnection fees, even if you change your address
• Technical support if you need it
• A simple and easy method of buying vouchers online or from a range of selected stores

For availability of Unwired in your area check out:
http://www.unwired.com.au/availability/index.php

Unwired PrePaid Wireless Broadband Modem Page

For all the mobile geeks out there, be informed that the already-portable Asus Eee PC 901 just became more portable. Asus Eee PC has a new feature but thankfully, the company isn’t bundling it as a new type of computer that’s separate from the ones already in the market.

continue reading "Asus Eee PC 901 to Incorporate 3.75G Connectivity"

Good news for Telstra users, it seems the company took a look at its own wireless broadband plans and decided to rework it. Of course, as Gizmodo AU mentioned, Telstra is still playing coy and not mixing in with the bunch, but it’s still good news for Telstra subscribers, nonetheless.

continue reading "Telstra Cuts Back Wireless Broadband Data Plans"