I'm looking to get a mobile broadband service for the commute from Melbourne to Geelong. I'd probably use it for 2-3 hours per week.
I do have a Telstra 4GX modem but recharge is expensive ($10 for 1GB 3 days and $30 if I want a few GB to last a month).
Any thoughts from those with experience on this particular stretch of train line, on what operator will get a good service (maybe a relatively good priced Telstra reseller with 4G or 4GX)?
Cheers.
I'm wanting to do work on the train. Watching shows is easy but not working - you need data for that.
I don't know anything about that stretch of train line in particular, but here's a few bits and pieces of general advice:
Network providers:
In my experience, out of the 3 major providers Telstra has the best coverage, Vodafone works great in metropolitan areas but has limited to no coverage in certain rural areas, and Optus is rather similar to Vodafone but suffers the most from congestion issues in densely populated areas.
The flipside is that Optus plans usually provide the best value-for-money (if you use a lot of data, and you can potentially negotiate for more), with Vodafone in the middle (still good value-for-money for a decent amount of data), and Telstra at a premium.
Network coverage:
If you need more data than what Telstra and its resellers can provide, you have to go with either Optus or Vodafone.
Easiest way to find out is to chat up whoever is staring at their phone on the train and ask about their mobile plan/provider. Strike up a conversation about your problem. Who knows? You might have the perfect solution sitting right next to you.
Or you can do a web search for the 4G network coverage map of your chosen provider/reseller, and check along the Melbourne to Geelong line. Or call up your chosen provider/reseller.
Resellers:
Resellers usually offer better value plans than the providers they ride on. Off the top of my head Telstra resellers include Woolworths Mobile, Boost and LycaMobile. They provide better network coverage than value, so only go with them if you really want minimum dropout. Kogan rides on the Vodafone network and offers a pretty decent package with frequent discounts, whereas Optus offers a pretty good deal on their own.
Prepaid vs postpaid:
Go back a few years and I will say prepaid all the way for sim hopping, but that's a whole other can of worms. Now the lines are blurred, with Kogan offering deep discounts (up to 40%) if you purchase a 12-month prepaid voucher, and other resellers offering monthly payment plans with no termination fees. Keep an eye on hidden fees and charges (common in postpaid/contract-based plans), or data rollover and rollover cap (common in prepaid plans). I need data in irregular bursts so I am more suited to prepaid plans with long expiry and infinite rollover (provided that I keep on recharging before the data expires). If you consistently consume a large amount of data, monthly or yearly contracts provide the best value.
5 - Oh, and watch out for excess charges for exceeding your monthly quota. That can be a real PITA to deal with on postpaid, but I assume most of us already know about it.
Not sure how you use your data but….
Why not download content when you have access to wifi (home or work) and listen/ watch during the commute?
Netflix, YouTube (unofficial apps), TED and plenty of other apps allow downloading contents to be viewed offline.