So I finally gave in and decided to purchase a laptop. Well, that's not technically true, as my Mum was a sweetie and offered to purchase it for me. Nonetheless, I'm still getting a laptop. Now, to go along with my new laptop, I also want to get wireless broadband. The main reason for this decision is that I want to not only be able to type from anywhere in my home, but I would also like to take the laptop away with me in June when DH Russ & I return to Howqua to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary. And yes, I realise it's supposed to be a vacation, which technically means I shouldn't be working. We don't even want to go down that road as Russ is rather peed off that I want to go spend $1200 to stay in a lovely vacation home just so I can work. That's a topic for another day.
Anyway, I've been trying to research which ISP I should go with. I'm currently with Telstra (the largest telco in the country), and so I called them up last night to find out what plans they can offer me. I almost had a coronary when they quoted me $299 for the modem plus almost $115 a month for the wireless connection. It would also find me locked into a 12 month contract with them. Of course, this would be on top of the already $61 a month I pay for my current broadband access (which I don't want to get rid of entirely until, or if, I can find a decent wireless provider). The guy on the phone eventually got sick of my moaning and offered to throw the modem in for nothing, so I set up a tentative account. I don't actually get billed until I start using it, so I figured that would be okay.
Hmm.. so this morning I woke up and figured there must be cheaper ISPs out there that offer wireless, and so I cancelled the account with Telstra. After much research today, I have come to the frustrating realisation that it appears that Telstra is the ONLY provider that services the area I live in. I find the whole thing unbelievable in the extreme. I know Melton is considered semi-rural, but in reality, we're only around 47km outside of Melbourne, so why does no-one else offer wireless broadband access to my area?
And after more research, I also found out today - and I was assured by the sales representative from Telstra last night that there wouldn't be a problem - that Telstra do not cover Howqua. So it doesn't appear that I'm going to be able to work while I'm away either. I suppose I shouldn't really be surprised at the ineptitude of the sales rep, nor that they don't have wireless coverage in Howqua - when Russ & I were away there last November, we couldn't use his mobile unless we went about 20km away to Mansfield.
So all in all, I'm really rather annoyed. At the very least, I would like wireless broadband at home, but unless I'm willing to fork over $115 per month for Telstra, I guess it's not going to happen any time soon. Oh, and their plans suck as well when it comes to download limits. $115 a month only gets me 6Gb - which may sound like a lot, but with all the downloading of voice files I do each day in my job, I could easily go through that.
If anyone out there does know of a wireless broadband provider who services the Melton area (other than Telstra), then please let me know. I'll be damned if I'm going to give Telstra any more money that I already do.
No comments:
Post a Comment