Dial-up versus broadband

[Number One]

OMG!!!!

Having resisted for so long I finally got annoyed about not being able to use the phone (which I don't use much anyway?! go figure) and bit the bullet and got us set up with Broad Band.

I'd held off because I know NZ BB (compared with other countries) is slow and stupidly priced....so I decided that it clearly wasn't worth the money.

CRIKEY it is fast! I can open 50 tabs and they all just pop! I can upload like lightening things that I would never have bothered with, threads I wouldn't even bother opening are now being perused in depth...actually no they aren't some a just plain boring and I have a short attention span.

ANYWAY - if you are on Dial up and feeling frustrated come over to this side - it's fast and fun and well worth the bucks me thinks :2thumbsup

[vindy500]

CRIKEY it is fast!

ya havent been overseas have ya :)

[Number One]

ya havent been overseas have ya :)
Yup but not used BB there either. AND yes I get that it ain't as fast or cheap as other places - hence why I have managed to resist the urge to sign up for so long...despite nagging husbands efforts to turn me :lol:

[TOTO]

Its like switching from a 50cc scooter to a GN250. It feels great, but it sure is no Hyabusa. :third:

enjoy

[Dave Lobster]

My vodem is faster than what Telecom can push through the phone line. That shouldn't happen..

[Gubb]

Welcome to Civilization.

[Number One]

My vodem is faster than what Telecom can push through the phone line. That shouldn't happen..
ummm what a vodem? Sorry I not terribly IT saavy either :laugh:

[Number One]

Welcome to Civilization.
Indeed - must be time to shave! :bleh:

You good dude? :sunny:

[McJim]

I've had NZ Broadband for 2 years now...still frustrated after 5 years of UK broadband....

[Bren]

Yup, it's better than dial up, but not a patch on the states as far as speed goes...Been on broadband for ages now....

Shit I remember being on 33.6 kbps and getting stung $2.50 PH by telecom

[Sellout]

ummm what a vodem? Sorry I not terribly IT saavy either :laugh:

It's a portable USB modem run on the Vodafone GSM network...

Basically, a wee box that plugs into your computer and provides semi-broadband speed internet access from anywhere you have Vodafone reception.

And sometimes it is faster than standard wired-up broadband!!!!

[Dave-]

lol....do they still have dial up as an option?

I think I've been on broadband for like...8 years...

go go 128k!

[Number One]

It's a portable USB modem run on the Vodafone GSM network...

Basically, a wee box that plugs into your computer and provides semi-broadband speed internet access from anywhere you have Vodafone reception.

And sometimes it is faster than standard wired-up broadband!!!!
Thank you sir - I would bling you for the explanation if I hadn't already run out!

[Dave Lobster]

It's a portable USB modem run on the Vodafone GSM network...

Basically, a wee box that plugs into your computer and provides semi-broadband speed internet access from anywhere you have Vodafone reception.

And sometimes it is faster than standard wired-up broadband!!!!

That's in the South Island. In the North Island, it runs HSDPA speeds, on all sites that are 3G.

[toebug]

NZ still may be slow compared to other countries but dial up is BLOODY slow!!!

[Skunk]

Telecom Broadband is an oxymoron. Unless you're paying heaps.

Go Cable...

[Swoop]

Agree. I have just received BB at home since TelstraClear have removed the "mandatory" toll-spend requirement from their plans.

[CookMySock]

threads I wouldn't even bother opening are now being perused in depth...Yeah this is the main thing with broadband. It's not just quicker - it enables you to do new things that were absurdly time-consuming before.

essential NZ broadband tools are (help me out here people);

Driving instructions / trip planner
http://wises.co.nz

Zoomable high detail photographic terrain
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=wellington&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.281741,174.776258&spn=0.026316,0.053215&z=14&iwloc=addr
(click on "satellite" top right, then zoom in with slider)

Google images search
http://images.google.co.nz/images?q=bucket%20racer

etc etc

Welcome to the real internet! :rockon:

oh, and leave your msn turned on.. that way folks wont need to telephone you anyways.. ;)


DB

[Number One]

oh, and leave your msn turned on.. that way folks wont need to telephone you anyways.. ;)
Still seem to be linked into someone elses MSN and not many that would call me use their PC's in that way

[nodrog]

welcome to 1998:first:

[merv]

Who you using for your BB Number One?

[Number One]

Who you using for your BB Number One?
I'm a little ashamed to admit (because I hate them with a vengence) BUT Telecom....

I am still in the honey moon period -- this is sooooo much better than Dial UP

[CookMySock]

not many that would call me use their PC's in that wayyou will soon see the error of their ways LOL

Nothing but NET !! YAH!!

DB

[PrincessBandit]

Its like switching from a 50cc scooter to a GN250. It feels great, but it sure is no Hyabusa. :third:



Best assessment of it yet. :niceone:

[merv]

The speed of course is an advantage but for us one of the biggies was finally getting around to networking so all the PCs in the house can be used which depending on how many offspring have been home has been up to 6 or more because everyone seems to want about 2 each going at times.

[Number One]

:eek:

Luckily our offspring is only 4 but has just discovered the joys of a Dora the Explorer PC game so we might have more competition soon. Anyway we are a single PC household :weep:

[merv]

:eek:

Anyway we are a single PC household :weep:

Crikey and your not ashamed to admit it.

[portokiwi]

:Punk:I am on the vodaphone/Ihug deal on bband. Its great.
I was on vodafone bband in portugal that was GREAT with wireless in the vech you could still use the net with out loss while driving. (NOT THE DRIVER USING IT)........ It was automatic changed over to best signal. As long as each country you were driving in had vodafone you were set.
laptop was pluged in ax plug.

[DarkLord]

Broadband here is pretty slow compared to the US....t'was like lightning over there. From what I hear other countries are even faster, such as india.

But I fully agree it owns dial up any day of the week. Could never go back to it.

[vindy500]

Broadband here is pretty slow compared to the US....t'was like lightning over there. From what I hear other countries are even faster, such as india.

But I fully agree it owns dial up any day of the week. Could never go back to it.

denmark was pretty speedy

[idb]

I've just signed up myself.
It takes a while to hook up, I'm supposed to have it next Wednesday.
I've decided to go wireless throughout the house because I have two computers and bring a laptop home from work.
No messy wires.

I've also resisted as long as possible because the broadband at work (Xtra) is sometimes no faster than my dial-up at home but a new computer was the final catalyst.
I'm not going with Telecom and I'm only about 150m from an exchange so it should be all good.

[Blackbird]

I've just done the Consumer speed test. Xtra broadband download speed was 3288kbps and upload 85kpbs. This doesn't seem very flash by other results I've seen. However, we're in remote Coromandel and it's a bloody sight better than what we had in Tokoroa. I seem to remember that they're in the process of laying new optical lines in the district as part of a regional development initiative so things might get better soon.

[merv]

I've had the odd day at home lately during the week and wowee the BB is fast then, but crikey in our 'burb see the speed test figures plummet when all the 'puter junkies get home from school and load up the lines. Sadly no cable out our way just copper lines all controlled by Telecom anyway even though I'm on Slingshot. How does that work anyway does the traffic clog the phone exchanges or something - like is there a limit to the pipe somewhere?

[imdying]

Merv, you've discovered the beauty of contention ratios... the true bane of NZ Internet, broadband or not... we the consumer insisted that the problem be exacerbated by 'unleashing' NZs broadband. Good on us.

[Forest]

International bandwidth is expensive, even over in Australia.

I pay $198 NZD a month for a plan that provides me with 50GB of unshaped traffic delivered through a 20Mb/820kb ADSL2+ line.

For non Akamai assisted international traffic, the circuit is good for about 10Mb of real-world performance.

[Okey Dokey]

Being on dialup myself, I really like this thread. Everyone seems to agree that any bb, even slowish, is well worth the extra $$$ compared to dialup.

Like the OP said she used to, I skip a lot of content if it is too big to wait for on dialup. I'm not ready to pay for bb yet, but I was intrigued by the vodem.

All good, thanks for the thoughts and info.