us ipad in australia? recomendations on good travel laptop?
Dec 20, 2010, 10:14 am
#16
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 106
Only other thing is the Telestra has WPA security rather than WEP that Vodaphone has. Not clear if it supports HSPA or HSPA+ all over the world though and what the unlocking process is.
If it's straightforward, it might not be a bad way to get a Mifi, which aren't cheap unlocked.
If it's straightforward, it might not be a bad way to get a Mifi, which aren't cheap unlocked.
The Testra device is a ZTE MF30 which does:
• WCDMA/HSDPA (2100/1900/850/900)MHz
• GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900MHz)
• 5.76Mbit/s HSUPA, 7.2Mbit/s HSDPA
Everyone else has devices from Huawei (E583c, E585, E5830). They have:
• HSPA/UMTS: 2100/900MHz
• EDGE/GPRS/GSM: 850/900/1800/1900MHz
• 5.76Mbit/s HSUPA, 7.2Mbit/s HSDPA
So the Telstra device will give you HSPA on 850 and 1900, which is needed as Telstra's NextG is on 850. Outside of Australia, both should be fine.
I'm planning to go for the Optus mifi which is the E583c. It's OLED screen that gives a lot more information about what is going on than the Telstra device. It also has an external antenna jack, which could prove to be useful.
I believe everyone will be willing to unlock the device, with at worst a $75 fee. You might also be able to find cheaper unlocking methods online...
Dec 20, 2010, 1:26 pm
#17
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Are the 850 and 900 Mhz bands not used elsewhere?
Main concern about the Telstra is that it doesn't seem as likely to be unlocked through free means like the Huaweis.
Build quality and battery life are said to be inferior but the throughput and the WPA as well as web admin seems to be pluses.
Main concern about the Telstra is that it doesn't seem as likely to be unlocked through free means like the Huaweis.
Build quality and battery life are said to be inferior but the throughput and the WPA as well as web admin seems to be pluses.
Dec 20, 2010, 8:29 pm
#18
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: BNE, Australia...not too far from the nearest Qantas Pub err Club
Posts: 3,636
Careful - Telstra has some 2,100MHz 3G (aka TELSTRA3) in the major metropolitan areas (shared with 3), however you want 850MHz 3.5G (aka NextG).
NextG is vastly superior to anything else in Australia. Optus is passable, and as noted earlier, Vodafone is rubbish.
Dec 25, 2010, 4:06 am
#20
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 106
I have no reason to disagree. I went with Optus because my #1 goal was to get a wifi device I could use traveling outside of Australia. The fact that it gave me connectivity in Australia for trip was a bonus...