Package Deals to Replace iiNet/Vodafone - 2 Sites (Home/Work) for Internet and 3 Phones - Melbourne Peninsula

Hi all,

Have had a look at the compare sites but doesn't really help tell the full picture with internet + phones.

iinet cannot provide 5G wireless to our work address (mornington penninsula) and the current 4G wireless broadband is grinding at times, and phone coverage patchy in some areas as it's out of the metro area.

What are my options for good package deals? Telstra and Optus come to mind, unfortunately Boost doesn't do broadband but are there other service providers I should be looking at?

In terms of requirements:

  1. Work site - 100-200GB a month. 2-4 laptops, up to 11 devices connected for light use (security camera, staff phones etc), have a USB HDD/file plugged into current modem for shared access - moving files is pretty slow at the moment. Uploading video content 50-200MB regularly.
    Hardware that supports LAN, multi devices and file serving well is highly desirable.

  2. Home - 400GB a month for browse/streaming.

  3. 3 x work phones < 8GB plan each.

  4. Solid coverage in a non-metro area and good support

We travel internationally every year - so e-SIMS would be a nice to have but not essential, be interested to know apart from Telstra which other providers offer this.

Thanks for any thoughts.

Comments

  • Call around to the big name business centers and make them work for you! I'd definitely suggest an NBN connection if available over 4G/5G.

    • +1

      big name business centres = telstra, optus?

      • Don't waste your time dealing with Telstra or optus talk to smaller or mid sized providers who will be able to look after you far better in terms of support.

  • Most of Mornington can swap from nbn FTTN to FTTP. What does it say on here? for your work and home locations.

    • +1

      thanks for that good to know, YES to home, NO to work.

      • +1

        Get your home moved over to FTTP. I would go through Leaptel, Superloop or Aussie Broadband. There are more ISPs here.

        Most providers don't do nbn and mobile bundle deals. Go with Telstra only for the mobile phone eSIM.

        Is nbn FTTN available at your work?

        • +1

          thanks for the reply. Turns out there's no NBN service at all to work!

          looking at the mobile plans on those providers listed, they are not competitive compared to BOOST. While not a bundle, it's hard to go past the BOOST deals, albeit without the e-SIM which is not a deal breaker, especially when there's a $40 difference per month per phone compared to Telstra!

          Now I just need a 5G wireless for work and FTTP plan for home. Will check out those suppliers above.

          • @buckerooni: Yeah I would only use those ISPs for nbn FTTP. Boost does have good pre-paid mobile deals.

            Can you get Telstra 5G for work?

          • @buckerooni: Are the 4 phones you need just Sim only plans for work? or do you need a Voip service with a fixed number as well?
            As in a phone hosted PBX type service with 4 extensions?.
            As for NBN all business NBN plans are unlimited bandwidth now a days so no worries about that.
            Do you need a static IP for home or are you happy with a sticky one that will only change every so often.?
            Oh for the mobile plans how much data do you need?

            • +1

              @[Deactivated]: Hey Chaddy, thanks for the questions, turns out is was only 3 SIM plans and have got those sorted - got BOOST sims delived yesterday and tied them all to the same ABN with the help of BOOST support today, transferred exsiting numbers in a few minutes. $160 each for 12 months/170GB data, crazy! lets hope they actually work.

              no need for a static IP, our really only need is a stable internet connection, all our services are cloud based, no on-prem apps that need static IP.

              a 50/20Mbps is probably just fine, 100/40 potentially - am going to go through the new dev for NBN and hope they don't ping us for the app fee (NBN call centre personal mentioned this may be waived - who knows how likely that actually is - we'll see!).

        • Plenty of providers do both NBN and mobile bundles especially on business plans. Some also do discounts for multiple services as well.
          Can even provide free Fibre on some plans I know Vocus fibre does towards end of contract.
          Also don't worry about TC4 just go straight for NBNEE you will get it installed quickly as its Zone 1.
          For 11 users a 100/100Mbps plan will work quite well for around $300 a month. Maybe a tad over that depending if you wanted 5G backup connectivity or a second Fibre connection as backup.
          Or Telstra Fibre is also an option.
          Most decent providers can give you 4G or 5G backup with a floating static IP for business connectivity not just Telstra.

          • @[Deactivated]: This was also for a home address.

            • @Twix: Oh right, Yeah, well depends on usage but a 50/20Mbps plan should do the job for that on FTTN for streaming etc.
              Most providers should be able to include this at a discount for having multiple services., I say most certainly some will.
              You could always use a different provider for home to separate out the services as that way you can get the ESLA Enhanced Service Level Agreement from NBN Co for the business plan. As it sounds pretty critical.
              All depends as some providers give you discounts for multiple services.

        • Just as an example of this, where I am I can't order an FTTN to FTTP upgrade until 2025 but I can order NBNEE right now and get free install if I am willing to pay for it.
          This is what I mean by NBNCo prioritizing business customers.
          So just because it says NBN isn't available doesn't mean you can't get Fibre of some description for your business.
          I get decent speed on FTTN so happy overall.

          • @[Deactivated]: Yeah I know.

            Buckerooni can swap from FTTN to FTTP at home right now.

            • @Twix: Yeah I know. Its a bit all over the place how they are doing the rollout.

    • According to that page, there's no swap from FTTN to FTTP in my part of the Mornington Peninsula until at least May 2025.

      • Yeah some spots along the Mornington Peninsula have a 2025 ETA. It is what it is.

        • NBNEE is the answer plenty of providers can offer it with 4G or 5G backup not just the major telcos.

          • @[Deactivated]: This was for a home address. Most are not going to cough up $300+/month at their home for nbn enterprise ethernet.

            • +1

              @Twix: Oh I was talking about the business address as NBNEE is definitely a good option due to the free install.
              TC4 will be fine for the home address.

  • +2

    i sure hope that hdd attached to your router is not the only copy of your shared files!

    • +1

      absolutely not! got 2 portable drives at another location with the important stuff!

      • +1

        Have you got a domain name? I'd suggest moving your files into OneDrive and getting Microsoft365 Business Premium accounts for all staff. This will give you more security over your files then just throwing them on portable drives and hoping for the best. Plus your business also gets full Exchange email and Teams as well all included.

        Also you can get backups for all of it as well.
        Some providers will bundle these services with your broadband for your business as well.
        I'd keep the portable drives as a backup but OneDrive with backups into an offsite cloud is the way to go.

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