ISP Recommendations

[HoldenAstra]

Iptv means u can watch some tv programs on ur computer

[delemonte]

If ADSL2 isn't available in your area, my recommendation for you would be to go with ExeTel.

Go with something like the TL-CB plan...
http://exetel.com.au/a_plan_pricing_new.php

Much more data, good speed, unlimited uploads, and they do also give the option to have a flatrate (and get shoved back to 64k) instead of charging per extra GB of downloads in case you were worried about that. Just a fixed $30 transfer/churn fee to transfer from an existing service. The other nice thing is that the residential plans include VOIP (incl. Direct Dial-in Number), Web2SMS, Web2Fax at no extra cost - but aren't setup/activated by default.

Unless you can get ADSL2, I don't really see the attraction to TPG.

Good luck man!

[alts]

I'm also with TPG. 1.5mb, 25GB on 25GB off. Good value

[ROCCO]

Honestly...for Value you can't go past TPG.....but of late they bought out Soul and merged al customers together..since that has happened....the speeds of DSL have dropped dramatically...probably becuase they didn't have the infrastructure at the exchange by this I mean they didn't have enough bandwidth to go around.
This seems to have been fixed now but remember your buying cheap download space..not service....there service dept is in india...so don't expect too much.

[poita]

and as for Exetel, dont put yourself through it.

with my personal exprience wih them, would never go near them EVER

[delemonte]

and as for Exetel, dont put yourself through it.

with my personal exprience wih them, would never go near them EVER

Haha... I'm sorry to hear of your troubles
I don't promise that Exetel will not give any issues, but I've certainly not personally had any problems with them at all since I churned over to them from NetSpace and the $ value is better than any plan TPG offered me, as my area is also limited to standard ADSL...

[poita]

about $200 in phone calls, and being lied to about the service.
that was NOT available to the phone line.
also having halfwits on the other end who didnt know to reset the modem

just ranting now mate but yer, had nothing but touble with them

[ROCCO]

I can say I havn't had that sort of trouble with TPG. If you visit the whirlpool forums they have there reps on there so thats how I get in contact with the tpg reps.

[Alix]

OK so ive cracked it at the fact ive wanted to download heaps of crap this week and i was limited on Tuesday to 64/384 how annoying is it to see your upload quicker than your download lol

thats made me wanna change internet providers lol...


Currently.. im with iiNet. The connection im running is:

Home 5 - ADSL 8000/384
10GB Peak (12pm - 2am)
20GB Off Peak (2am - 12pm)
Uploads are not counted in monthly quota
$79.95/mo

Now before you all go he is paying THAT much?! DSL8000 doesnt come cheap and since ADSL2+ is not available in my area (unless u wanna go with telstra), then the 8000 is all i have to go with

The Whirlpool website is a good source, but it either returns the results i dont want, or results that look good, then you click to check out the website, and they only have 1500 or DSL2+ (which makes you wonder how accurate the WP search results are lol)

So, who are you all with? Do you like them? is their quota a good bang for buck?

iiNet is a fantastic ISP and their customer service is awesome... and with all the tv commercials coming out, makes me think they are gunna jump up a level of succession in the near future

but 10GB peak quota isnt enough for me... and i dont wanna be paying $99.95 for only an extra 10GB on top of my current quota!

Im still wanting ADSL8000, just a bigger quota, without spending more than $80/mo..
Sofar ive found TPG have a 25gb plan for the same price i pay, also the uploads arent counted which is a plus

What will sell me:
-DSL8000
-No uploads counted to quota
-More than 10GB lol


Not for this to sound bad.... but if you dont have anything nice to say about your current ISP i would suggest you reserve your thoughts please... its not nice to bag people here im only after the good points to help me pick

Since no-one else has mentioned them: Internode. Rock solid reliability and speeds. I've been with them, without issue, for over five years now.

If you are indeed limited to Telstra equipment, Internode also resell the 8000 speed plans. For $5 more than you're paying now you could get 25GB, but no on/off peak nonsense to worry about. No uploads counted on those plans either.

Link: Node-Plus-25

Since Telstra also resell ADSL2+ now there's a fairly good chance that higher speeds are available to you. All-up you'd be up for $10 a month more than you are now to get the 25GB plan at the higher speeds.

Link: Node-TwoPlus-25

And, if that's not enough quota for any particular month you can top it up by buying data blocks. (I've used them myself a few times when I've been a bit enthusiastic on the download front some months...)

Not sure which exchange you're on, but Internode also resell plans via Optus equipment. Check if your exchange is listed here. I notice that loads of the Victorian exchanges are getting full though. Alternatively, there's this site to see whish ISPs have their equipment in your area.

If you can get it, you'd have the option of Naked (no dial tone, so using VoIP for phone calls) , with 25GB at ADSL2+ speeds for $5 less than now per month.

Link: Home-NakedUltra-25

Or, go with a 25GB bundled ADSL2+ and Optus phone line rental (and $10/month VoIP credit) for $20 more per month than you're paying now. Considering that this includes line rental, it probably works out cheaper than what you're paying now.

Link: Home-UltraLine-25

FWIW, I've been using Internode's VoIP for outgoing calls for what must be close to four years now (ever since they released it), and for incoming calls for the past year or two. Since I'm still married, I reckon it has a fairly high Wife Acceptance Factor.

Also, Internode is in the process of expanding their own Victorian footprint. If you can find your exchange listed here then you'll have more options open to you in the next few months.

Like the plan I'm on, for example. Again, 25GB, use anytime, no uploads counted, ADSL2+ speeds, for a smidge under $60/mo.

Link: Home-Extreme-Value

I do pay Telstra $21/mo for a Budget phone line rental on top of that, but since I use VoIP for all calls I never pay Telstra another cent.

And, of course, you'd have the option of picking a Naked plan through Internode equipment too. $70 for 25GB etc., but no line rental.

Link: Home-NakedExtreme-25

25Gb not enough? Their owner has said that quota increases are on the way in a couple of months.

Or, if you are on the Internode list as "in-build" or "planned" and could live with uploads counted, and 1500 speeds until that build is done (sometime between now and the end of the year, most likely) you could get 30GB (plus datablocks, as above, if you needed extra) for $50/mo now, with a free transfer to ADSL2+ when it's available. At which point you could transfer to any other Extreme plan and not have uploads counted again.

Link: Internode Easy Broadband

Internode certainly aren't the cheapest ISP around, but they are one of the most reliable. The pricing isn't waaaay out there either. They are innovative and they are very highly rated for customer service too.

[hazrd]

awesome writeup mate. Thanks for that!

im on the Tarneit (VIC) exchange. TPG are reporting to have ADSL2 on the DSLAM there in November, so its making me wonder is that only for TPG or will that be for other companies?

Optus and i think iPrimus are DSL2 active at this DSLAM but they have run out of slots, so back to the only open DSL2 ports being owned by Telstra

as for internode, its one that i will definitely look further into
not really interested in Naked because i require a phone line and have just moved away from VOIP due to some bad experiences unfortunately.

Thanks again!