Re: Telstra charges?
 

Unless you are very lucky, broadband means ADSL, and for that you need to have a working telephone line. The ADSL part works on the top of the normal phone, so you can access the net at up to 1500kbs, and still have a working phone line as well.

Nothing gets done to your end of the phone line, the Telco and/or ISP connect your line through some electronic stuff at the local exchange to make it all happen

Re: Telstra charges?
 

Swiftel and aanet have a $100 charge to move the line. I do not think you have to be the telstra biller to get ADSL on the line.

Re: Telstra charges?
 

That's correct, but the problem in this case is that they are only there temporarily, and the Broadband Set up Cost may exceed the costs using dial up.

eg: A 6 month Broadband contract with aanet would cost:
Set up: $66 with your own ADSL modem, or $141 with modem supplied
then $30 per month with a 2Gb 256k plan.

If mutant is planning on staying at that house for 6 months, it may be worth considering, as the average monthly cost (taking into account the $66 setup fee) is actually only $41 per month.

They can then use the "inLaws" phone without even disturbing their use of the land line (create harmony :D )

That $41 broadband cost is equivalent to:
Dial up at $10 per month + 6 connections per day at 17.5c per connection

6 connections x 30 days = 180 connections at 17.5c = $31.50 + $10 dial up fee = $41.50 total.

Re: Telstra charges?
 

That, an always on connection and a download speed at least 5 times quicker are the other benefits.