Summary of my situation:
What short term solutions are available to tie me over until a wired NBN box can be installed?
My new router accepts plugging in 4g dongle. I used to use Huawei 5573 when NBN was down. Which is fine. But specs say I should be able to plug in 4g Huawei 3372 into my router ($5 from Coles a few years ago), which is better solution.
get 5G mate
Do not get 5G as they are all contract and are not month to month.
Seems like you can cancel the Vodaphone 5G modem plans after a month if you return the modem:
https://www.vodafone.com.au/cis/mobile-broadband-plans/vodaf…
Thanks for the info. Make sure you read the fine print in the conditions regarding returning the modem when you cancel the plan otherwise you may be up for up to $612 (take off $17 per month until 36 months is up). You also need to return all of the modem equipment, so keep the box, plastic bags and cables etc so you return it all.
find the cheapest prepaid plan with the most GBs, insert into an old phone and use it as 4G hotspot, maybe put a small fan next to the phone in case it get hot.
good plans to use: 180day/360day prepaid with say 100G/200G data etc for around $100 or less. recent Catch Mobile, Coles Mobile, Amaysim(with cashreward cashback), even Kogan Mobile are all good choices.
If you don't use that much data this might last you a month or 2, if you can make it last 6 weeks it will work out around NBN prices per month.
Once data runs out just go buy another sim under your partner's name, and cancel your's by the time 2nd one is activated.
with all those new numbers you can probably get some new user registration discount, like UberEats etc. to offset the cost a bit more. (bit doggy though)
Also check with superloop asking if they can offer some compensation discount, as there's long delay, maybe like 10% off for a few month etc. You not entitled to get it, but would be nice if they agreed.
Superloop have not been the best ISP, they basically have said its an NBN issue and out of their control.
Once NBN is installed, I will look at getting another provider as I signed up on a month to month contract and didn't opt for their router.
My personal experience with superloop is:
net speed is pretty good, sometime I get match making to SEA/ japanese servers and still less than 100ping. Price is slightly better than average with referral going on.
The members control panel is very good for self service, probably one of the best.
but their technical support after hours is basically non-existent, if NBN goes down during night time, there's almost no way to get in contact with them except if they somehow found out themselves via NBNco. which is what happened to us last time.
Use your phone get felix unlimited and Hotspot it
Just had a look at this, might be thr best option as it is unlimited internet.
Probably will hold of installing my NAS and other net hungry devices, till I get wired up and running.
I second this. Check your Voda 4G coverage first month is free!
Thank you everyone for the suggestions, will go and find a sim card router and find a prepaid plan with the most data.
Do you get reasonably consistent 4G speed in the city? I live in a regional town and over the last few days I've been suffering from the delusion that I could replace my FW* NBN with 4G. So I've been testing the speed on the phone. Very rare bursts of 30+. Mostly 5. Scrap that plan.
*Yes F freaking W. Over the back fence they're on FTTN.
I live about 30 mins from the CBD, and have checked q few different 4G coverage maps.
Seem like there will be adequate coverage, worst case scenario could just go into the office full time till I get wired NBN.
Yeh the NBN roll out has been inconsistent, we built in a new estate and it's been hit and miss. But across the road which is also a new estate, there has been issues.
I guess it comes down to the developer…
Here's a deal you might be interested in https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/658250
comes with 50GB data.
Wow that's awesome, thank you :)
4G Home Internet Modems