MOBILE BROADBAND INTERNET JUST AROUND THE CORNER???

Submitted: Friday, Sep 16, 2005 at 22:54
ThreadID: 122233 Views:14511 Replies:9 FollowUps:7
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Hi...

I saw this on Sunrise the other day and followed up on it...

Sounds like it could be great and just around the corner, if not here already...
I have tried ringing them, but nothing more than a recorded message so far.

http://www.mobileip.com.au/3_Products/3_Products.htm

foss
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Reply By: Fosssil - Friday, Sep 16, 2005 at 23:01

Friday, Sep 16, 2005 at 23:01
What I was really referring to was the mobile/moving satellite Australia wide version due early in 2006
foss
AnswerID: 567104

Reply By: Fosssil - Saturday, Sep 17, 2005 at 18:56

Saturday, Sep 17, 2005 at 18:56
Hi...Below the dotted line is an email I received back from them...

Sounds promising and will be all set up by the time I am ready...and soon for existing users...
foss

Hello there Kevin,

You are certainly not the only 'Grey nomad' to have contacted us! Internet
via satellite is a currently available technology, but it is rather
expensive to use for the moment. IP Star has just launched a new data
dedicated satellite that will be commercially available in November this
year and its rates are very affordable (I don't yet know exactly how
'affordable', but it should be comparable with existing mobile broadband
networks).

What I would suggest for your type of usage, is a Free2move Mini using
something like iBurst and Telstra's CDMA networks. Then as soon as IP
Star's satellite becomes available - you can add a satellite antenna (you
can get small ones now that can be mounted on the car or on the van).

The Free2move Mini will then use the cheaper networks like iBurst when you
are in major cities, Telstra for further out, and switch to satellite when
you have no other coverage.

I hope this helps. I have a lot of information about data plan costs etc
for the existing mobile broadband networks which I can send if you would
like to know more. I won't have the satellite costs for you though until
later in the year.

Kind regards and happy traveling!
Maree

Maree Dahlstedt



Mobile IP Pty Ltd



Ph +61 (0)7 3118 5068

Fax +61 (0)7 3118 5067

Mob + 61 (0) 404 273 573

Web www.mobileip.com.au
AnswerID: 567105

Follow Up By: Fosssil - Saturday, Sep 17, 2005 at 22:26

Saturday, Sep 17, 2005 at 22:26
Hi to all those Bushtracker Internet users.

This info on Free2Move Mini may be semi/old news, but it is new news to me, so here is a bit more I have deduced.

From what I can gather, it won't be long now till the IP Star satellite gives full Australia wide broadband coverage to outback Australia, and apparently the Free2move mini device will switch the user to the cheapest network that is working...ie normal I-burst around cities and graded to IP Sat broadband...which will include IP Sat in the outback at comparable rates to broadband now.(we hope)

It is also of interest that VoIP should also be able over the service.

I think we are in for a communications revolution very soon...if we not there already..

I have asked for more info on integration of the Mini device from Mobile IP Pty Ltd which Maree recommended over the satellite only version as the most versatile way to hook up, and if it looks like it will be of interest to members, I will post here.
foss
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FollowupID: 844941

Reply By: Andy1 - Monday, Sep 19, 2005 at 01:43

Monday, Sep 19, 2005 at 01:43
Foss

There are a couple of products currently available from Telstra, the Wireless Broadband Mobile Card (about $950) and the Minimax Card ($619), both of which of course require a PC with a wireless card slot. Our local Telstra shop strongly recommend the latter as being the much better performer outside the major Wireless Network Areas of the mainland capitals.

The system uses something called ED-VO which delivers Broadband over the CDMA Network in areas serviced by the Telstra 3G Mobile network, viz major regional centres. Telstra say the plan is to fit the EV-DO switching to an increased number CDMA base stations to eventually cover 98% of households.

The cards apparently automatically switch between the EV-DO and CDMA systems using the former (high speed) if available.

It would seem to me that what all of these systems lack is the provision for a high gain external arial.

If anyone has experience with the above please Post as we are thinking of moving in this direction.

Andy
AnswerID: 567106

Reply By: Fosssil - Monday, Sep 19, 2005 at 03:13

Monday, Sep 19, 2005 at 03:13
Hi Andy...yes...there is some coverage now, (equivalent to Telstra's CDMA coverage)but...while Telstra say they cover 98% of the population that is a bit misleading, they only cover very much less than 50% of the area...so the benefit of the Free2move mini will be that it will enable seamless switching between Telstra's network and the new IP Star satellite for satellite coverage to the rest of Australia that Telstra's CDMA coverage does not reach, and that sat coverage will be a lot cheaper than sat. coverage is now...
The switching will be dictated 1st by the cost, and then by the coverage...ie It will use the cheapest network if more than 2 are available and then when Telstra's coverage runs out it switches to IP Star.

You can compare Telstra's coverage now as being only as good as their CDMA network...so if you look at the CDMA footprint, there is a lot of Australia left, and now that will by covered by IP Star...IP Star is a very powerful satellite specifically designed for internet access...

Anyway as always, time will tell...but I do feel that complete Australia wide broadband is just around the corner....

foss
AnswerID: 567107

Follow Up By: Spirit Gypsys - Thursday, Sep 22, 2005 at 06:22

Thursday, Sep 22, 2005 at 06:22
Hi ll, Yes, Very interesting, Coud be the way to go.

As usual we've just losked in to a 2 year plan on a telstra Sierra Wireless card . It works on thw CDMA !xEV-DO system like the Minimax card, only diff is it has a small external arial on a 30 cm lead which does enabe me to get it thru a small hole in the back screen behind the desk bench and so get it outside the van.
I don't know about others but phones etc. don't seem to work inside a BT.
Anyways we haven't been around much yet but this does seem to work OK .
Cost is $49-? per month with 20 hrs per mth Net time. This includes paying the $600 purchase cost.
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FollowupID: 844942

Follow Up By: Mobi Condo - Thursday, Sep 22, 2005 at 18:25

Thursday, Sep 22, 2005 at 18:25
Re Fossil's comments on 98% coverage cf 50% of areas. I got caught on that when researching mobile telephone coverage a few years back. It seems that some of us speak "Geographical" and some of us speak "Demographical". That is some of us think of Australia as the physical land etc and the others as the population. I guess that TELSTRA would naturally think Demographical 'cos guess where they get their profits from! They don't seem to care about outback areas cos there is not enough profit from there! Do I appear "tainted"? :>)
Cheers Ian
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FollowupID: 844943

Reply By: Andy1 - Thursday, Sep 22, 2005 at 16:51

Thursday, Sep 22, 2005 at 16:51
Spiritual Gypsies - or anyone else using this system

Does the Sierra Card connect to the 1xEV-DO network where this is available and the CDMAx1 network where the 1xEV-DO is not available? The 1xEV-DO is coverage is, in a geographical sense, pretty limited. If the card does use the CDMA when no 1xEV-DO is available what sort of speed do you get?

We never have any trouble getting a mobile (CDMA) signal in the BT where coverage is available.

Andy
AnswerID: 567108

Follow Up By: Fosssil - Thursday, Sep 22, 2005 at 18:44

Thursday, Sep 22, 2005 at 18:44
Hi...as far as I have been able to find out...the slower CDMAx1 takes over when 1xEV-DO gets weak...

The whole thing will change shortly when the new satellite comes online for our providers.....and it all should be much cheaper than normal satellite.

This new satellite has been a much anticipated event, so I think a little more time has to pass before people get their equipment and plans sorted out to use it.

www.mobileip.com.au says that their system will seamlessly switch to whichever is cheapest and quickest at the time...

They say their Mini Free2move will be the way to go, operating from just an antennae, but I don't imagine that they will be the only one with the ability to get something working for the thousands of outback users in Australia, or indeed for anyone out of reach of true broadband.

I know that does not help at the moment, but it might pay to as some hard questions about the new specifically for broadband satellite that has just been launched, and what is around the corner for their network...for example, Telstra may be incorporating it in their network.

If you do find anything interesting, please advise here...I have a while before I need anything...but I am very interested for my household use which is in marginal broadband landline area.

Regards
foss
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FollowupID: 844944

Reply By: Luvntravln - Friday, Sep 23, 2005 at 23:53

Friday, Sep 23, 2005 at 23:53
Hi

Just a shorty - can't do much from the mobile.

When we went to Telstra at Sunshine Plaza - Maroochy - they indicated that their line of USB Broadband modems which currently have either a short - 1" - antenna or an antenna on a 6" line wil have a third modem in a couple of months.

The new modem will have a substantial external antenna and will be free on some of the plans; otherwise it is going to be about $800 and then you pick your plan.

It is somewhat based on the CDMA coverage.

Luvntravln

PS: The rally was great!
AnswerID: 567109

Follow Up By: Fosssil - Saturday, Sep 24, 2005 at 03:57

Saturday, Sep 24, 2005 at 03:57
Hi Jay...

I have followed your Bushtracker journey right from the first post you made to the Bushtracker forum...and all of the decisions you had to make, and the fine rig you ended up with.

It certainly has been a journey and the help which members have given each other in getting set up has been amazing...

I am writing this today because of the coincidence of not seeing anything from you for a while on the general forum, and also because I have just finished watching all of the Bushtracker photos(1/2 hour ago) from the forum on my large plasma with my wife as we discussed layouts and things we might like to include.

Of course your 60 pics from the forum and a few others from the net were of great interest and will help guide the setup of my F250 as well as the setup of my Bushtracker ....

The other members photos, particularly those showing the layouts and ingenuity of many of the Bushtracker owners are greatly appreciated.

We hope to do the big trip as well as the long trip as we will be fully retired...Luckily we only live a few kilometres from the factory, but I have only been there 3 times...

I would love to go there for a few hours and just hang around and see what happens, but will only venture that far when I can place an order and make some firm decisions on my van...hopefully that is not too far away..

Just thought that I would mention that all comments and pictures to this forum are read and appreciated...so don't hold back mate...

regards,

foss/Kev
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FollowupID: 844945

Reply By: Luvntravln - Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 16:18

Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 16:18
Kev,

Thanks for the very kind comments; it is nice to feel appreciated!

Cheers,

Jay
AnswerID: 567110

Reply By: Burt & Mary - Monday, Sep 26, 2005 at 05:35

Monday, Sep 26, 2005 at 05:35
been away for a couple of weeks with the 2 way Bigpond satellite internet
setup time 5 min including ground anchors
AnswerID: 567111

Follow Up By: Fosssil - Monday, Sep 26, 2005 at 06:05

Monday, Sep 26, 2005 at 06:05
Hi Burt and Mary,

That sounds very interesting, and could be what many are looking for.

If you have some time please... could you do a brief summary of your setup and plan fees and equipment costs and speed of access etc....? is it always on?......

thank's,

foss
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FollowupID: 844946

Follow Up By: Burt & Mary - Tuesday, Oct 04, 2005 at 05:38

Tuesday, Oct 04, 2005 at 05:38
had installed a government subsidised HiBis two way satellite setup at remote property
pretty handy with a spanner and unbolted next day
bought new smaller dish with higher gain $280
had an instrument manufactured for $300 to save buying a proper analyser thingie worth $2700 for alignment
has to be perfect compared to satTV
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FollowupID: 844947

Reply By: Homeboy - Wednesday, Nov 09, 2005 at 08:06

Wednesday, Nov 09, 2005 at 08:06
We have an aircard 580 and I'm not that impressed with it. It does give you broadband coverage in major cities or towns but once you are out of town you mainly get just the 1xRTT coverage which is pretty slow. We have managed to get a patch lead which enables us to plug the card into our phones CDMA aerial on top of our caravan (the connection is inside though so we don't have to climb literally on top of the caravan!) so we have never been without a connection no matter how remote we have been.

Sasha
AnswerID: 567112

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