There
are many options when considering a broadband plan. Generally speaking
broadband can come in the form of ADSL, Cable, Fibre, Wireless or Satellite.
Your location will determine what is available. For ADSL you will need to be within
5KMs of the phone exchange; fibre and cable are only available in certain
estates and newer developments; wireless is generally available wherever you
can get a mobile signal and satellite is the failsafe that is available just
about anywhere. The NBN is expanding the reach nationally of fibre, next
generation wireless and satellite and will be rolled out over the next 8 years.
Each technology has its own limits and benefits but I would rate fibre as the
best choice then ADSL and cable, wireless and then satellite in that order. An
easy way to find out which providers and technology you have access to is via
the broadband choice website at http://bc.whirlpool.net.au/.
There you can search for plans based on your landline phone number or other criteria
if you don’t have a landline. Some criteria that you may consider are: the
monthly cost, contract length, hardware provided, quota allowed (how much you
can download and upload) and connection speed. Some plans will shape your connection speed (reduce it
to a slower speed) if you go over your quota, others will keep the same speed
but charge a fee per GB used over your quota. Be aware that most providers will
charge a setup fee and these can vary in price. The contract terms can vary
from 1 month to 2 years and if you plan on moving before your contract expires,
you may need to pay a termination fee. Another catch is that some plans have
free uploads (for instance for sending email and uploading videos etc) and
others will count the uploads as part of the quota. Lastly, if you have limited
access to broadband, you may qualify for a subsidy under the federal government
Australian Broadband Guarantee program. The link below provides more
information on these subsidies. |
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