MOBILE BROADBAND INTERNET JUST AROUND THE CORNER???

What I was really referring to was the mobile/moving satellite Australia wide version due early in 2006
foss

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

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

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

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

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!

Kev,

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

Cheers,

Jay

been away for a couple of weeks with the 2 way Bigpond satellite internet
setup time 5 min including ground anchors

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