Exetel HSPA Broadband Services (15/10/08)
HSPA Network Used By Exetel
Exetel provides HSPA services using the Optus mobile network. Currently Optus, like other Australian mobile carriers, is continuously upgrading its mobile network to provide faster data speeds over ever larger percentages of Australia's population areas. The current maps of all parts of Australia can be found by clicking on the 'Coverage Maps' sidebar link on the left hand side of this page.
Current Likely Data Service Speeds
The current maximum theoretical speeds that could be achieved on the parts of the Optus network that have been provisioned with 3G are 3.6 mbps down and 384 kbps up. However, like many other forms of broadband, these speeds are dependent on many factors and it is not likely that any user will ever achieve download speeds much greater than 2 mbps in a location with 'perfect' conditions.
Any decision to purchase this service for use as an internet data service should be based on a careful assessment of the coverage maps and the realisation that, currently, 1500 kbps down is likely to be the maximum speed obtainable from this service in optimum locations at its currently deployed technology level.
For first hand views of speeds and how VoIP and various other applications perform and to ask specific questions you might like to join the discussions here: http://forum.exetel.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=308&t=28354
Advantages of HSPA as a mobile data service
Exetel's HSPA via Optus service is an ideal mobile data service that combines Optus' wide geographic coverage with Exetel's industry leading very low pay for what you use data rates. With no contract and no 'included usage' plans a person who needs access to the internet via their laptop in different geographic locations at the lowest possible cost will find it difficult to beat an Optus/Exetel HSPA service.
As Exetel only charges a low $5.00 monthly services fee and then charges only for the data that the customer uses in any month this service is ideal for a company that wants to provide its employees with a very low cost mobile internet connection that is usable pretty much anywhere in Australia. If an employee only travels spasmodically there are no monthly ‘plan’ charges wasting money when the employee doesn’t travel in a month or only uses a few hundred megabytes.
Exetel is one of the very few/only HSPA providers that includes a static IP with each HSPA service. This provides a very easy implementation of VPN applications via a lap top and minimises ‘support’ issues and firewall changes.
Advantages of HSPA Plus VoIP as a mobile telephone service
VoIP works over HSPA very well in the vast majority of locations. With VoIP calls at:
10 cents per untimed call (no flag fall) to any Australian wire line number
15 cents a minute (no flag fall) to any Australian mobile number
It’s also possible to set up the VoIP service to make calls at no charge to other company mobile telephones that also use the Exetel VoIP/HSPA service. This is accomplished using the simple to set up services available through third party companies such as fring or Nimbuzz.
Exetel’s provision of a fixed IP with each HSPA service also allows any user whose company has an IP PABX to directly obtain a dial tone from that PABX and use their mobile hand set as if it were a directly connected wire line extension.
Each Exetel HSPA service is also provided with a DID (Direct In Dial) number which can further reduce a company’s telephone bills by contacting a employee’s mobile telephone at calls to local wire line number rates.
Using VoIP and the free HSPA to HSPA mobile services it is quite possible for a company to reduce its mobile call bills by 75% a month.
In areas where there is no HSPA coverage then ‘standard’ GSM mobile calls can be made at very low per minute rates (with no flag falls).
Hardware Required To Use Exetel's HSPA Service (Laptop/Desktop Computers/Routers)
The Exetel HSPA service requires the use of an Optus supplied 'sim' plus a USB device to connect the 'sim' to the Optus/Exetel network. Exetel provides both the 'sim' and the necessary USB device for a once only charge of $195.00.
If you already have a suitable ‘modem’ then you can buy the sim only for a once only charge of $25.00 including delivery.
Hardware Required To Use Exetel's HSPA Service (Mobile Telephone Handset)
If a prospective customer has a mobile telephone hand set (such as a Nokia N95 or one of the many other 2100/900 mobile handsets) they wish to connect to the Exetel/Optus HSPA service, and are confident in their technical abilities to ensure this works, there is no need to use a USB device and the only once only charge is $25.00 for the supply of the required 'sim'.
A list of compatible mobile handsets can be found by clicking the side bar link 'Compatibility List' that can be found on the left hand side of this page.
