Optus are currently offering 200GB for $60 on a 12 month contract, or $80 on a month-to-month.
The double data promotion is relatively normal now, but I've never seen data plans be eligible for a 25% discount AND double data for 12 month contract before.
UPDATE: Offer extended until 3 Feb 2019
What speed do you need? What is reception like in your area.
For many people the answer is yes.
I have shoddy reception in Oakden SA and still end up with 126mbps/20mbps average. When I was in Port Adelaide SA i average 224mbps/40mbps. I've been using an optus ac800s modem which has triple carrier aggregation for a theoretical max speed of 450mbps/50mbps though, if you are using a standard huawei modem you'll max out at 150mbps downstream.
Recently got the samsung galaxy tab s4 on the $70 per month 200gb plan, the modem in the tablet supports 1000mbps downstream with 10 connections, but it doesnt seem like optus support this with many towers in SA yet (typical).
I haven't heard about that 200GB for $70. Is it still available?
Thanks.
@Averell: At the moment it's $80 for 200gb per month with the tablet, but there's a $10 discount per month if you have an Optus postpaid account.
Yes
Depending on the modem you use and your location, you'll get normal 4g speeds
The speed is yes. Faster than typical ADSL2+ some homes still have these days.
Faster than most anything really. I get 100+Mbps most of the time which is better than really anything. Suspect most Melbourne metro similar.
it's a bit like that. unless you need low latency (games, VOIP, etc) it really is a viable alternative to NBN alternative for many, especially if you have FttN and don't use lots of data.
@supabrudda: FTTN is no different unless the wiring in your house is shit (your responsibility) or the wiring between the node and your home is shit (get off your arse and chase up your ISP). What ISP offers a speed that copper can't handle anyway?
@dheywood: 100/40 if your 700+m from the node.
I've got 3 rellies all who have nbn speeds drop dramatically/drops out after decent rain. It takes a week or so for NBNco to fix it, presumably just waiting for it to dry out, rather then actually fix it. No diff to Telstra over the past few years. No interest in maintaining the existing ciooer network. 2 of them have backup 4g modems.
Actually it's very different if the node has hit capacity for the area (like in my estate)
@supabrudda: these days LTE latency can be quite good. not as good as some alternatives, but on par with ADSL2+ if there's not too much congestion on the cell.
@dheywood: I believe if you are getting at least 10mbps on NBN they are not obligated to fix the cabling on their end and if it's a factor of being on the edge for "distance from the node" there's nothing they can do to "fix" it either.
They won't even sell you 100mbps plans on FTTN unless you specifically request it when signing up now and must agree over the phone to a waiver as they cannot promise you the speed. I live around the corner from a node and get 82mbps on the 100mbps plan but get around 36mbps upload so not worth going to 50/20.
My home internet is about 4 Mbps, so I am definitely taking up this deal. Same price for adsl I pay now!
My current optus 4g gets approx 50 Mbps in the house, so I'll be happy with that.
Can anyone comment on stream quality? I notice it comes with free netflix streaming, but limits to 1.5 Mbps? Is that enough for Netflix? I'd rather just use data and get hd than low res free.
Its enough for SD streaming on one device, however I believe OPTUS have put in place some measures that only allow the device with the sim card connected to it to receive the free streaming. If you hotspot, it will automatically use your data.
Like most tech on here, people seem to only look at maximum throughput and not latency or other factors.
Even browsing, i can tell the difference between 50Mb 4g and my 10Mb ADSL, The ADSL being more responsive.
For Downloading though, once it gets going there is no comparison. But given the 50-100 connections and requests the average commercial Web page opens these days, it's the reduced latency that makes it faster, not the maximum throughput…
My 2c. But yes if you happen to have good speeds at your home (isn't easy on Optus) you can do alot with 200GB 4g.
I suggest a good modem/router with possibly even a small antenna to stick to the window to provide a more stable connection. Also recommend a good wifi AP like a Ubiquiti hooked into the Ethernet port. The inbuilt wireless in my netgear was often a bottleneck.
Do speed tests all around the house! For me on Telstra it can be a factor of 3 times from the back to front.
Fyi. I use Telstra 4G and ADSL in my house connected to different wifi APs depending on what im doing or what I need.
Thanks for the info!
Do you have any recommendations for a good modem/router? What do you use?
Even the netgear nighthawk M3? is an easily accessible device that works well, but neither the wifi or 4g antennas are going to handle a house setup (as its not made for it).
I have an older model of a netgear with a dock that has a great 4g antenna in the dock which works as well as an $80 window antenna.
Don't get a cheap antenna, there is one on ebay that's like $80 and is mimo.
@Danthemanz:
It does depend on your area. I've got the ac800s modem with the smart cradle dock and it works quite well around the house. The farthest rooms need to swap to 2.4ghz for range though.
I find 4g faster than adsl in terms of browsing speed and download speed, but it might just be because i'm getting 18ms ping 126mbps downstream in my current area. Have you checked the cables in your house support gigabit? 100mbps might seem like its fast enough but theoretically it takes ten times longer to communicate between your modem and your PC compared to gigabit.
Bought the cheap one and know your right as it makes no difference, nor does standalone ariels
@nightelves it has for me
I signed up last month to try it out, to see if it could replace my 8Mbit DSL connection. During the day it was great, about 45Mbit/20Mbit D/U. At night it was a joke, about 4/1Mbit. Ive cancelled it already. YMMV.
No, internet service from optus is terrible.
I have to use it because I can't get cable internet and it's a nightmare to use.
Too slow and too congested on weekends
Exact same story with two other people I know.
Absolutely. I have just done exactly this. Had Aussie Broadband "NBN" connection, which was 15/3. Setup 2 X $60 200GB plans with Optus, mounted a couple of Yagis from onwireless.com.au on a mast, shooting to a tower that's 8KM away, and now get 120/30, with average pings of 16ms! Absolutely loving life now!
What’s a Yagis?
External Antenna type to improve reception
@nightelves: Sure, here you go:
http://onwireless.com.au/14dbi-4gx-4g-3g-all-band-700-2700mh…
Keep in mind I needed to improve my signal strength as I live in the hills and have shady cell reception which is why I had to purchase powerful external antennas. If you already get decent signal strength, external antennas may be unnecessary (although usually help provide a more stable, lower latency connection).
When you say work with NBN what do you mean? What are you currently using and what are you trying to archive?
Cheers.
@adzza: I’m using NBN at the moment but looking to test 4G data to see if it can improve data speed.
@nightelves: Roger that. I started this way too once I found this Optus deal. My work phone is on Optus so I pulled the sim out and started testing that way with a basic Optus modem to see what I could get prior to actually pursuing my little NBN to 4G project. What data speeds are you getting at present, and what modem/phone are you using to test this with?
@adzza: Getting 12mbps and very patchy during the evening. Using just the basic netgear optus modem router.
Cheaper than my vivid wireless :(
I'm on vividwireless myself, and I would instantly jump on this deal if it wasn't for the fact I had another 11 months worth of referral credit to burn through. I'm still tempted for the better speeds alone.
Can we use the same router which I got for $160? I only have referral credit for this month :( I think optus has bettee speeds as currently stucked at 12Mbps
you can't, I tried and doesn't work on the Huawei b315s that Vivid provides.
kinda caught by the balls here because I get much better speeds on my phone with Vodafone, but cos of Optus and I live in a villa I get horrendous 2/3mbps down speeds on Vivid. And they won't let me change to their 200GB plan which would save me 20 bucks a month.
I might bite the bullet and get this Optus plan purely to save $30 a month with the same shit speeds. Vodafone and their MVNO's don't offer anything above 80/100gb a month with their data-only plans which puts me in a bind too.
@adrianhughes1998: Are you sure? I put my Catch Connect sim in the Huawei B315 modem and it worked. And Catch also uses Optus network.
@ttkc: didn't work for me when putting normal Optus SIM and also Spintel SIM in there too. I had read comments that it worked for some folks and not for others over on Whirlpool :(
@adrianhughes1998:
I have a b315s its not vivid branded but it works with everything, maybe do some firmware research
I am currently using a Vivid branded B315s and it works on optus just fine. However, the maximum speed may be limited due to the modem selecting the 2300Mhz frequency first.
For example, on the B315s my maximum speed is 30Mbps down and on a cat4 usb modem the maximum speed is 140Mbps down.
@triviums: I had the same problem when using B315s. Do you have any idea to get rid of the limitation on B315?
The only way to fix the issue is to unlock the modem, which I have no idea how to do.
I have possible workaround solutions, but they are expensive enough that you might as well get a new modem.
$50/M with optus mobile plan. not bad for home internet if your area have good coverage.
"disc. not available with other mobile broadband discounts, unless specified" - $10 discount terms
Were you actually able to do this?
Yes. I got it as well. You just have to go to optus shop and ask nicely. Don't buy it online
Does anyone know if you can get the $10 bundling credit on this as well? $50 for $200gb works otherwise I'd take the Galaxy Tab S4 for $70
Yes you can get the $10 MBB Discount if you have your postpaid Mobile with Optus already
My partner just recently went on a sim only plan with Optus. Would that mean we could get a $10 discount if we bundled this mobile broadband plan with it?
Have been waiting for a deal like this to ditch the tpg broadband
Yes.
live chat says the 25% off doesn't stack with the $10 off bundle. It's either or.
did you try again? was planning of going instore if online doesn't work
The terms and conditions at the bottom of the page and the bundling discount still being advertised on the page seems to indicate it does.
“Discount can be used with the mobile broadband bundle discount, but can’t be used with any other discount offer, unless specified”
Haha me too. Ironically waiting to cancel Optus cable for Optus 4g!
this deal would be great for me but unfortunately my area Bexley NSW where i live the reception is non existence, even 3G doesn't work, if it wasn't for my home Wi-Fi I wouldn't have been able to post this comment, thanks Optus NOT.
Live in Roselands and reception is hopeless as well
Got Optus unlimited 4g plan and it sucks.
Hurstville north of the CBD, Optus and Voda can't even make a phone call most times
Same here in Bexley… im my garage i get no reception at all.
I wonder if its same with Voda or Telstra, have you tried?
government is going to crack down on this sooner or later as plans like these are now competing directly with the nbn.
If the coalition wins again they will do this to save their own face. If Labor win they will change the scope of the project that will beat out 4G in value and speed.
Funnily enough nbnco have started purchasing parts of the 5g spectrum to restrict the big three from releasing unlimited data plans.
The only benefit I see of NBN over this is NBN (if you have fibre to the home) has lower ping, even compared to telstra's 5g test.
but if you're not on fibre to the home, i would recommend mobile data. nbnco have revealed that the whole potential 10gbit on copper networks will require hardware upgrades which they may never do, whereas 5g has much higher speed potential if you're in the metro area.
Should I cancel NBN, its so shitty anyway.
yep, personally not even planning on signing up with all the 4g caps around
Comes down to the quality of your service. Always worth trying a physical connection over a mobile one. But your NBN connection may vary. Most providers at least strive for a certain speed during peak. Comes down to your priority of data or speed…if it's speed then at what financial cost :)
Optus just randomly added 20gb per month to my 15gb sim only plan with unlimited calls and text. I felt like I had won the lottery. My partner signed up a few days before me 12months ago and he didn't get the same offer. So I get 35gb of data, unlimited calls and text and 300 international minutes for $30/month. Cheering! :-)
Picked this up for $40 last week, got discounts for additional services, great deal . .
anyone got a recommendation on which modem for this one? i have a small house and was just thinking plug dongle into main pc.
Get this one 4G Plus Wifi Modem (CAT 4) E5573 - have it at home - can buy off Ebay
is there 2 versions of the E5573?
Officeworks has an Optus E5573 for $34.50
https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/optus-huaw…
Well i think spec wise they're the same - it's just branding thats different
I have tested the Optus Huawei E5573, a Telstra Sierra 320u dongle and also an old galaxy Note 2 and galaxy S7. Both phones work better in the speeds they get. So if you have an old phone lying around use that over a dongle.
The bottle neck seems to be in getting data from the phone to the router as I am receiving up to 250mbps download when speed testing on the S7 but when using another device on the network speeds drop to 100mbps download.
as youve said, use a phone. most dongles max out at 150mbps downstream. i use the optus ac800s modem and dock which maxes out at 450mbps downstream with triple carrier aggregation. most phones in the last year or two can go up to 600mbps downstream, or if you got the galaxy tab s4 with the last $70 per month deal, it maxes out at 1000mbps if your local towers support it.
I have very poor adsl internet in Vic metro area. I doubt I would use over 200gb a month. How would I make this my home internet as I'm a noob and don't understand 4g modem. If it helps I have a tlink modem which seems to work OK. I use the home net for mostly Netflix and the occasional download of movie.
Just as an example, but not a product recommendation, you could get this 4G modem from Kogan:
https://www.dicksmith.com.au/da/buy/kogan-4g-wifi-home-route…
You would simply place your SIM card in that modem and connect to the wifi network with your devices.
Optus 4G+ uses uses b40/2300mhz iirc, this modem doesn't suppprt iirc.
It seems to use it in conjunction with other bands (notably b28/700mhz which being much lower frequency has better indoor coverage). So for most, lacking b40 wouldn't be a big issue (last time I looked, it was mostly used in CBDs & Canberra, as it's only got a short range).
Do you need a modem which takes a sim card?
Or could I just put the sim card into a spare phone and use it as a wifi hotspot for my other devices?
Yes, any decent 4G Android phone is good enough.
Surely a phone hotspot doesn't work as good as a proper 4g modem?
Can you find a reason why a 4G modem is better? I am afraid not.
It depends on the cat speed. My note 9 is much better than my Huawei modem.
@andylch: You didnt even give me a chance to answer :)
I'd say the fact they that they have larger stronger antennas on the high-end ones would make a difference especially if you are in a doggy signal area.
@DannyBoy:
Oh, sorry mate. In fact it all depends on the internal design and the quality of the components used.
$39 modem is cheap for a reason, and decent Android phone is expensive for a reason too.
@andylch: All good. Agreed but as 'therapy' posted below they are able to be tailored for the speeds or reception for your needs.
The higher CAT speed hotspots in highend handsets are great nonetheless.
phone hotspot works better for sheer speed compared to a 4g modem, mainly due to better processors and better modems nowadays.
But it does depend on how many devices you use and how far they would be from the phone. I use an ac800s modem with smart cradle dock for the 4x gigabit ethernet ports and extended wifi range.
I did the same thing to try it out however if you are serious getting a 4g modem is a good idea. Depending on how many things in you house need to be connected to the wifi device. In the age of IoT the list is only going to grow. 😀
I've been using Optus 4g for some time now in Adelaide southern suburbs and here's the breakdown on speed:
1 bar - 11down 1-2up
2 bar - 20-30down 1-20up (up avg is about 2)
3 bar - 40-80down 15-50up (up avg is about 8)
I've been using the E5186 Huawei modem. With the firmware tool, you can install the Huawei factory firmware which enabled the locked features such as VOIP and the rear antenna ports for connecting larger 4G antennas. Also, with the tool (without FW update) you can set "Tower Lock" so it only locks to the tower using a specific frequency instead of auto which has a chance of connecting you at 3G speeds.
Use this to see how far you are from your Tower - https://oztowers.com.au/Home/Query
FW Tool - https://blog.hqcodeshop.fi/archives/289-Huawei-E5186-Firmwar…
I recently moved to Sydney CBD and I'll test from my second modem there and update.
How do you know by distance from the towers if this will work? I am moving to Newtown and address does not have nbn. Can my son play fortnite with 4g?
As long as you have reasonably unencumbered access to signal to the tower (ie not too many buldings, houses, slope etc) you should have decent speeds better than DSL2. Sould be fine for fortnite as ping is 18-50ms. If you have a 4G phone, use the OpenSignal app to see your nearest tower strength and find the best location to place your modem in the house and get an estimate of speed standing in the best spot and testing with Speedtest app.
Thanks. Appreciate it.
I'm on the $90 vivid unlimited plan as I work from home so will definitely need to get more than 200gb. Anyone think it will be possible to get 2 subscriptions and get $10 off the second one?
Anyone think it will be possible to get 2 subscriptions and get $10 off the second one?
I cant see any reason why you won't. Chat with Optus Live chat, sign up for two services together and get $10 off the second one.
Awesome. For just $20 extra I get more than enough data at much better speeds.
Don't know how you got downvoted but it is possible. I had two 100 GB optus mobile service last year.
Are data plan speeds good enough to replace your home internet?