Broadband!!

[ebianca]

Well Neil has been looking into bradband and is a bit dissapointed.

He is after a plan that is uncapped- doesn't mind a slower speed as long as the usage isn't capped.

Anyone got any suggestions?

[Taffy]

Yeah, they offer those in the UK

Telecom did launch an uncapped plan a while back, and it completely swamped the network, so they withdrew it again. We were quite lucky as we got the uncapped plan, and although it was withdrawn they let existing customers stay on it if they wanted, but without a service guarantee.

Sorry Neil!!

[kokopeli]

Make sure you read the small print if you choose a Telecom broadband package. They revert to dial up speed if you hit your data cap. Some of them will hit you with extra charges if you exceed the usage limit. And I don't think you get the same speed for data going up and down unless you spend big bucks. Most are capped at 128kbs upstream, but you might not actually get that....

[Taffy]

Originally Posted by kokopeli

Make sure you read the small print if you choose a Telecom broadband package. They revert to dial up speed if you hit your data cap. Some of them will hit you with extra charges if you exceed the usage limit. And I don't think you get the same speed for data going up and down unless you spend big bucks. Most are capped at 128kbs upstream, but you might not actually get that....

As KP says, make sure you get the plan that suits you best else it could get expensive! You don't get the same upstream rate as you do downstream anywhere as it's ADSL (Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line), for that you need SDSL (Synchronous Digital Subscriber Line) which is usually for businesses (it replaces the old ISDN) so is way more expensive. If you're really lucky though, you could get MetroFibre (mega high speed fibre optic service) in Wellington, although I'm not sure how far that spreads out. Hamilton is just having it installed everywhere, so can't wait for that!!

[keeweegal]

Originally Posted by Taffy

Hamilton is just having it installed everywhere, so can't wait for that!!

Excellent, everything being rolled out in anticipation of our arrival!

BTW Taffy & WG, have you got the red carpet dug out yet?

[ebianca]

Will have to get Neil to look into the fibre- he would be very happy if he could get that.

He has taken out a Data package with Vodafone today as back-up for internet as it went off allday today.

[privatebox]

I would suggest Orcon, very good prices..

The issue in NZ is that we have a monolopy on the DSL network, not only this but our main cable to the rest of the world is owned by the same company.. There is some competition coming shortly.. but not really for a wile.

1/3 of your connection cost goes into the Fiber link to the states!

[ebianca]

He has managed to find a plan (not sure who with) that is offering 5GB for about $60 a month and charge only $1 per extra GB.

So when we finaly find a house he might well go for that.

[MotherBear]

Telecom testing high-speed broadband
The Dominion Post | Monday, 26 May 2008

Telecom Wholesale has begun testing VDSL2 internet access equipment supplied by Alcatel-Lucent in its laboratories.

The telco has previously been non-committal about the technology, which can offer broadband download speeds of 30-50 megabits a second over copper phone lines if customers are very close to a telephone exchange or roadside cabinet.

Product manager Paul Hayes says VDSL2 might not advantage all customers.

Telecom has now installed ADSL2+ equipment – which offers a top download speed of 24 megabits per second – in 100 exchanges where it is used to service about 350,000 customers.

Like all DSL technologies, performance degrades over long copper lines and Mr Hayes says: "It is not the case that VDSL2 is always better. Sometimes, as a phone line gets longer, ADSL2+ will outperform it."

Vodafone is bullish about VDSL2 and announced in March that it would use it to provide superfast broadband to some customers in Auckland from mid-year.

From here .

[MotherBear]

Vodafone launches new broadband network
12:31PM Friday June 06, 2008
By Matt Greenop

Broadband competition in New Zealand has heated up, with Vodafone today introducing its new, high-speed 'Red' network.

The launch of the ADSL2+ network has been made possible by 'local loop unbundling' - allowing companies to install their own equipment in Telecom exchanges - which began last year.

Vodafone chief executive Russell Stanners said the company had already unbundled over half of Auckland's exchanges, and would have completed all 41 by the end of the October.

The network, expected to run at a maximum download pace of 24Mbps, would then be extended outside Auckland.

More here.