Comments on: Kalbarri – connectivity solutions?

By: Erk

Erk — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 02:08:07 +0000

G’day Bron

Bit late I know but I’m with 3 so I thought I’d share my experience for you – good for next time, maybe!

Most of the time I use the interweb in my phone (N95) and get good coverage in Sydney where I live. I have the phone and a data package.

When I went to the mid North Coast of NSW, I got good service via Telstra but when I got the bill, I got a shock and got a bill including phone calls for $600!

So I called 3 and while I was under the data limit, because I was roaming with Telstra, that didn’t count.

Next time I travel I’ll use the interweb selectively on my phone or find an interweb cafe. Maybe I should buy one!

By: Jordan Brock

Jordan Brock — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 04:03:42 +0000

RE Telstra NextG card – OMG so freakin’ horrid. Awful pieces of crap. Plus they don’t work with a Mac.

By: Mike Minutillo

Mike Minutillo — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 01:57:43 +0000

Have fun in Kalbarri Bronwen. Our last family holiday was there [I think it was nearly two years ago ] and it was beautiful. Make sure you visit the bird sanctuary, it’s more fun than I thought it’d be.

By: noodlez

noodlez — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:44:22 +0000

You have access to dialup, but it will cost you $1.20 per hour (or part there of)
Your best bet is a Telstra Nextg card, but I think you have to sign up for a year or so.

By: Bronwen

Bronwen — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:33:31 +0000

Thanks Stewart, my ISP is Westnet, but I’ll check if they have something similar.
Dial-up is ok if I just need to check email.

By: Stewart Greenhill

Stewart Greenhill — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 21:33:50 +0000

Hi Bronwen,

Does your ISP give you a backup dial-up account? With iinet broadband accounts, there is a national number that you can phone from anywhere in the country to connect to your account. You just use a standard dial-up modem and in most cases are charged at local call rates.

We spent a month last year traveling around Queensland with the family and in most places (even some caravan parks) some sort of internet access was possible. If its provided through your accommodation there are usually timed charges, though you do get the advantage of broadband speed. Dial-up is a great fall-back. We even used it to do blog posts from Dunk Island – hours of fun for the cost of a local call.

By: Jordan Brock

Jordan Brock — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 13:15:16 +0000

3 doesn’t offer high speed access outside the major metropolitan areas. You will be able to roam with telstra but A) it will be agonisingly slow, and B) it will cost a fortune.

I think you’re going to just end up being net free. Enjoy it.