Internet provider recommendations?
 

Need to get the family home (Cronulla, NSW) connected to the world but have no idea which providers offer decent quality and service.

What I need is:
- above-average speed (enough to play HD content via Netflix)
- fixed IP address
- no monthly transfer/bandwidth limits

Any ideas which companies to look at and which ones to steer clear of?

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Unless you happen to be on the NBN, you'll get at max the 25Mbps rate that ADSL2+ provides. Check here myNBN | Welcome . Obviously the further from the ADSL exchange you are, the slower it gets. People get Netflix HD here, but no guarantees - its down to geography most of the time.
I think there are a number of providers that do this, but at extra cost usually.
Ha, ha, ha - that's a good one.

Everything is limited.

Most people end up with Telstra, and that's the one that most people say to avoid. Dodo also has a bad rap. iiNET seems to get good word. Basically checkout Whirlpool Forums for current views of each provider.

Note, in some locations being able to get broadband at all is a trial - thanks to the wonderful way Australian services are screwed up by government...

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Many thanks, I was just going to add that there is no NBN in the area, and unfortunately cable is also out of the question. So as you mentioned it's ADSL2+ or nothing at all.

As this connection would almost solely be used for Netflix I think my recommendation will be to take the $100 per month (+ Netflix subscription, + Unotelly DNS) and splash it out on Amazon blu-ray discs instead...

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Well, its depends on what you want.

Quickflix do blu-rays by mail for movies (since Netflix doesn't have much in that way). For US TV Netflix is good, whereas for UK TV then hooking into iPlayer at al is best. getflix is ~$3pm and you can get 100GB of bandwidth quite easily.

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Unfortunately, above average speed is something that isn't offered in Australia, unless - like said before - you have the NBN.

You should be able to change this for no cost within your router settings. I'm with Optus, and can change it at my will between static and dynamic.

Good luck with your quest for the best internet!

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

I've tried a few internet providers over the years. Wasn't impressed with Telstra, mainly due to poor customer service. Vivid Wi-Fi was great, but Optus has bought them out and my area fell off the network :(

Am now with iiNet 4G (wireless) and so far have been very impressed. I stuck the sim in the wrong way in my new device :o I was directed to an iiNet shop to get it removed - they did that, and not only supplied a new sim, but a new device as well as they'd scratched the old one a tiny bit. I love great customer service like that.

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Internally you can set your own number range, but I think this is something that the provider dictates as they are the one assigning you the external IP. Here they control whether it's dynamic (which happens a lot with ADSL-type setups) or fixed.

For Netflix the latter is better as you can then use a service like Unotelly to make you appear to be in the US, without having to update your IP with them each time it changes (not hard to do, but just another step to take each day).

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Most decent modems have an automated service to maintain dynamic DNS services.

Not sure if the Oz bargain basement units you get with the ISP do - but you probably want something better than them anyway (eg you want 5Ghz, ac).

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

I have used TPG for years now.

Its $60 per month for unlimited ADSL2+ with home phone (which I don't use).

TPG ADSL2+ with Home Phone Line Rental Plans - Bundle and Save

I don't have any complaints...my download speed is consistently around 15-16Mbps, use it for Netflix no problems - occasionally when other devices are streaming at the same time it gets a bit pixelated temporarily.

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Thanks guys, I think I'll tell them to invest a chunk of those funds into a stockpile of blu-ray discs for the coming year and simply wait for the arrival of NBN to their street/building.

How fast are they rolling out NBN, are things progressing really quickly or at a snail's pace?

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

If you can find an affordable option, tether off your mobile phone with 4G. Faster than both my home and office internet connection.

PS thought you were moving to the 'Goldie'?

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Turnball's got hold of it (on the orders of Abbott)

Hence he's stuffed the board with his (Telstra) yes men, the plan is now even slower to roll out, will almost certainly cost more (once the back-handers to Telstra have been paid) will be much slower (it's now UK style fibre to the node, rather than fibre to the home) and will cost much more in upkeep.

Think of all the ways a politician can stuff something up - they are doing all of them.

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

I've been with iinet for 8 years on ADSL2+ and have found them to be really good
There are unlimited options but whether the quality is any good is debatable. Unlimited is not common in Australia due to our location in the world and the limited bandwidth coming in the country. I have 500Gb which is plenty - and I download and stream like a demon
To stream HD you need about 5Mb (BBC reckon 3.5Mb), so not too onerous. Remember, a lot of the US has not got great internet speeds
Have a look at my thread on streaming video as I've put as lot of effort into sorting myself out with this. Head and shoulders above the rest is Netflix, closely followed by Hulu plus, Amazon and Crackle. BBC iplayer is getting better but 4oD, Channel 5 and ITV are useless for streaming - basically unwatchable at time due to all the buffering, and the ads are seriously pants

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Yup, unless Brisbane/Redcliffe makes some sort of miraculous impression on me come December, Gold Coast it is. :)

This internet setup is basically for the family home in Cronulla, so mainly for the parents during the months they are there. The sole purpose is to have Netflix - the only other use for the internet they have is to read newspapers and check emails on their ipads, and here they just get a Telstra SIM that works lightning fast. Makes me always think that there only is one true, quality network in Oz. But as a short-term visitor each time I still go for the $2/day scheme with Optus to get 1/2-gig of data each day included.

You would have thought this is a simple task really, at least in central areas. I just checked how the rollout is progressing and central Sydney is still in the wilderness when it comes to NBN.

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

You're right, if they have 500GB it's going to be pretty much the same as 'unlimited' as they'll never reach that sort of transfer ceiling. How do you get around the IP check with Netflix, do you use something like Unotelly and then just update your IP with them every time your ISP assigns you a new one?

Living in Singapore our ISP automatically does this for us, showing as as "Yanks" when accessing Netflix or Hulu, and as "Poms" when going to any of the major UK streaming sites.

I've used both Netflix and Hulu and don't have a preference apart from the latter chucking in annoying ads and providing a lot of shows on a "last X episodes" only basis. Each service has some unique content so in a way the only solution to watch the shows you like is to alternate between the two companies every few months.

Ditto on 5mbps being enough for HD, that's even what Netflix recommends: https://help.netflix.com/en/node/306

Question is will data rates hold up in the evenings/weekends at peak times?

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

We are near Cronulla (Lilli Pilli) and we have no Optus reception at all and limited Vodaphone. Grays Point and Bonnet Bay have similar issues. Telstra is fine but they would not provide us with ADSL. However TPG did, using Telstra (???)

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Looks like you're hooked up to the Miranda exchange which is quite a distance away. Did you have a Telstra landline but yet they refused to offer you ADSL?

As far as mobiles are concerned, I've had mixed experiences with both Voda and Optus. Telstra is miles ahead of everyone else, it almost seems like a one-man race in terms of quality...

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Things may have changed...I have basically zero complaints about Vodafone these days. I travel around for work and even outside of 4G coverage in outdoor suburban areas I can get 20Mbps. Heck, the other week I was even getting 12Mbps in country Victoria!

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Mrs Beoz is on Vodaphone and she's fine these days. I'm on work enforced Optus. Its fine. Telstra I wouldn't go near for anything. They prey on the elderly.

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

And when I said 'outdoor' I meant 'outer suburban areas'! I don't have to be outside to get 20Mbps!

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Vodafone 4G is seriously fast. I'm no longer with them (much cheaper deal with Virgin) but when I was, I was getting 70-80Mb in Midland - which is 15-20kms from the CBD. I know people who get 100Mb. Apparently it is the fastest in the world, although coverage is patchy

It would be expensive to use as your primary internet source though - especially if you do a lot of downloading and streaming

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Yes, Telstra said not possible but TPG provided it with our Telstra landline! A few years ago but it is ok for us.

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Amazing how this works - other company comes in and suddenly the landline is just fine for internet use. :)

What kind of speeds are you getting at speedtest.net? Do you use streaming services like Netflix - if so how are they holding up in terms of HD quality at peak times?

I'm still looking at TPG due to a 12-mth contract just for ADSL (without their phone package - otherwise it's 24m). It would also really, really help if the 12m didn't renew itself automatically for another 12m, so that you could for instance cancel with a month's notice after the first year...

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

The contract wouldn't renew...It will just roll on month by month after month 12. I don't notice any difference in speeds based on the time of day...It is very constant.

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Ugh, I dream of those speeds. I'm presently getting 2.29 mbps on my home ADSL2+ connection.

The council were digging up the street a couple of months back, which coincided with a huge rain storm. The network hasn't been the same since. It's getting to the point of unusability now. I'm tempted to send my Speedtest results to Malcolm Turnbull...


S

Re: Internet provider recommendations?
 

Thanks, just found out that we're paying for a Telstra landline ($30+ per month?) anyway so it looks like we'll take the TPG bundle at $70 to wait out the NBN rollout. In this case it's 24m unfortunately, but if NBN comes sooner then hopefully they can bump us over.

Not sure why 3/4 of the world is so behind in terms of the internet. I find it hard to believe that apart from Scandinavia & Northern Europe (from Holland to Germany to Poland to Finland) most of the world is still 'hit & miss' when it comes to decent speeds. Of course there are exemptions like Korea, but to see the likes of the US or Australia trudging along slowly is surprising...

I won't even get started on mobile operators in the UK and how 4G is progressing at a snail's pace...