MobBB wrote:Hi,
I have just started with Telstra on mobile Broadband from Optus which was a disaster to say the least.
Welcome to Telstra, yes I feel your pain, Optus is not an alternative solution and nor are any other ISP's, so most of us in rural locations have but one choice (until the NBN is finally built), Telstra (Bigpond).
Don't get me wrong I appreciate getting the service, especially when most other ISP's cannot be bothered to service us, however I resent paying the ridiculous premium price for the tiny bit of data we get each month.
MobBB wrote:So I am in a rural location and wanted to make sure I have good service before i commit to Telstra as well. So far so good. The only problem is its SO expensive!!
Just to check, are you with 'Telstra' mobile broadband or 'Bigpond' mobile broadband? There is a difference. Telstra mobile broadband has excess usage charges, Bigpond however does not have excess charges but it does slow you down to the next to useless shaping speed of 64kbps.
Yes it is VERY expensive, especially when you compare it to their other services like ADSL/Cable. Note I am not comparing the services, they are quite different and as a result have (apparently) quite significant different operating costs. Having said that though ...
For example, if you can afford the top 25GB plan, you will be paying $6.60 per GB for data, while wired customers can get 50GB for only $49.95 meaning that is only $1.00 per GB, or if you are on the top wired plan with 500GB of data for only $89.95 it is only 18 cents per GB. As I said I understand the difference in technology but surely it is not that much of a difference.
You also need to realise that the mobile data plans (price per GB) are set based on the majority of users that use mobile broadand. That majority is not people like yourself and us that do not have access to a wired service, it is the masses that already have a wired service at home and have also got a secondary additional wireless (mobile) service for their mobile devices, hence they do not want or need large amounts of data. So in Telstra's mind, or view, they are catering for the masses of mobile users. They just forget about those not able to get a wired connection. Note I have asked repeatedly for a set of plans that are for those that do not have access to a wired service, different to the 'mobile' plans, basically a wireless 'fixed' service, this so far has been ignored.
MobBB wrote:So I started with a $50 prepaid credit to give me 3 gig. I only started it a few days ago and the info it's giving me is that I only have 1.05gb left! I have rarely gone over 3 gig ever so the cost per MB is really high. I have been trying to find out what the cost per MB is on a post paid plan with Telstra but can't find it? Can anyone point me in the right direction please?
Please note that Telstra counts data both for download and upload, so when you access a site, send an email use Facebook etc any data you send is also counted, this is what I would think is your main issue here (as a guess). 3GB is not a lot of data in todays Internet needs with more and more websites now far more media rich than they were 12 months ago, it woudl seem most sites now assume everyone has massive GB's or data available to them each and every month.
MobBB wrote:If Telstra read this I would also like to point out that I find I am being punished by not having a home phone to bundle. We do not have a line in here and have never had a home phone so you are not missing out on our business, therefore why shoud I miss out on the benefits of bundling i.e internet and mobiles (which are currently still with optus, but not for long)?
You can be assured someone at Telstra does read this, but it will result in little to no action, how do I know this? Because I have been asking for better data deals for years with no real results, other than a continuance of over priced low data wireless plans.
There are no bundle options for wireless (mobile) broadband, even though people like myself have been asking for it for years. I think it is a case of Testra knows that we, especially in rural locations, have no other choice so they exploit this by keeping prices high and data allowances low. If they were t bundle with mobile broadband I am sure this woudl affect their maximised profits they currently get so they have no incentive to provide bundle options to wireless customers.
MobBB wrote:This is the main reason I have not used Telstra in the past, because it is so expensive! It looks like I am left with no choice, so am hoping I can make it a viable option, and one thing you really have going for you is that so far....it works!!
As I said, Telstra knows this and are happy to exploit it for as long as they can and will remain to do so at least until more have access to the NBN. We were told the NBN will be ready for fixed wireless in 2015, however we all know how far behind the NBN build is, so I do not hold any real belief that 2015 will be the magic year of choice so many of us can 'choose' an ISP rather than have no choice at all.
Like I said welcome to Telstra, at least you have that option 
GW
