Cheap NBN alternative for elderly resident

donbot on 13/01/2020 - 20:10

Hoping someone here is quite knowledgeable.

Long story short, elderly resident at opposite end of apartment building to me can't feasibly get NBN due to costly install difficulties. I'd let her use my wifi as she just uses email and newspapers, but no way for my wifi to carry that far through so many walls.

What is a cheap (less or equal to $30/month) viable option for 4G? One user and basic wireless connection needed. Doesn't need heaps of data - is it possible to feed a Kogan phone plan into a wireless modem? 20gb month would be heaps for her.

Copper getting switched off next month. She admits she's left it late, but knew it was going to be a pain.

Best option ozb? What modem/router would you recommend?

Internet

Comments

  • MELso on 13/01/2020 - 20:26
    +5

    If she can put up with the slightly slow speeds once the allocated quota was used, a Telstra data SIM would do the trick. 5GB is $15, while 10GB is $25, then shaped to 1.5mbps. Buy a cheap prepaid modem and she's set…

  • benny082 on 13/01/2020 - 20:35
    +3

    If she has a smart phone she can just use that and set it up as a hotspot.

    • Mechz on 13/01/2020 - 22:14

      I've been trying to get my parents to do the same, they use almost zero data on their phone so it makes a lot of sense.

  • try2bhelpful on 13/01/2020 - 20:59
    +1

    What about one of the 12 month prepaid plans as a hotspot. It also gets unlimited calls and texts as well. She will need a smart phone as the hot spot.

  • Wystri Warrick on 13/01/2020 - 21:54

    is it possible to feed a Kogan phone plan into a wireless modem? 20gb month would be heaps for her.

    It certainly is.
    I've been buying prepaid Sims on specials to use on my USB modem for my laptop to study when I'm not at home.

    If you're after mobile data on the cheap and don't want to be porting around or activating new numbers then I'd check out Kogan and Circles 12 month plans.
    Circles currently has 40gb for 12 months and I also believe 20gb for $18 a month too?, I forgot Kogans current specials.
    As mentioned above the cheapest would be the Telstra 5gb for $15 a month, the speed is then shaped to 1.5mbps.

  • ShannonN on 14/01/2020 - 01:12

    If she is a telstra mobile customer she can connect free to any Telstra wifi hotspot. That is; if any of the neighbours have nbn or adsl Telstra connection, it usually becomes a wifi hotspot as its turned on by default I believe.

    so in that scenario she uses her phone (and Telstra wifi app) to connect to hotspot and away she goes.

    mind you speeds are not crash hot. I lived 2 houses away from a Telstra phone box hotspot) and could pick the wifi up at a good signal on my pc based modem speeds were poor but it was unlimited data

    Look here for more info. If she is NOT a Telstra customer you can buy a monthly pass for about 30 dollars

  • donbot on 14/01/2020 - 06:19

    Had never thought of hotspot. Not sure if she even uses a mobile phone. Thanks for the advice guys - I'll report back once I speak with her :)

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