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Never pay excess use charges & never sign long contracts!

If you don't shop around to find the best Internet deal, you may later regret a hasty decision that locks you into an expensive contract. Unfortunately there are thousands of Sydneysiders who have received surprise bills for 'excess use' that prove they didn't get a good deal up front.

Step 1: What sort of Internet do you need?

The two basic connection methods are wired and wireless.

Wireless Internet is for anyone with a notebook who would like internet on the go, or someone who doesn't have, or wants to cancel their landline (phone line). Wireless costs more, has slower speeds and smaller download limits, but has the convenient flexibility of take anywhere Internet, where there is coverage of course. Wireless plans are increasingly becoming more competitive, with almost monthly announcements from wireless Internet providers, so it's important you check the latest deals and keep contracts short. Or we can take care of that for you!

Wired Internet is the best cost/speed compromise for most people. DSL, the technology most commonly used, is delivered over your phone lines without impacting your regular phone use.

Step 2: Find out the capabilities available at your exchange.

First check the ADSL 2 Exchanges website to see which providers are known to have enabled your exchange. Enter your phone number in the phone number search to map your number to an exchange and find out who has installed DSL equipment there.

Step 3: If you have access to ADSL2+, work out which product is best for you.

If iiNet/Chime, Internode/Agile are enabled at your exchange, check their websites for a current list of plans. Both these providers offer some of the best support and fairest plans at top speeds.

If Optus is installed, you have the option of using Internode's Naked DSL product.

If TPG is installed, check out their plans. TPG offer very competitive pricing but their network and support is not at the same high level as Internode and iiNet have established.

If no-one has installed ADSL2+ equipment in your exchange, you're only able to get ADSL speeds, sold through Telstra's equipment. The best plans will come from iiNet & Internode, so check out their Standard DSL pricing.

Note: Who is Agile and Chime anyway?
Agile and Chime are the fully owned wholesale subsidaries of Internode and iiNet (respectively). Agile (and Chime) manage the internet hardware and backbone network, and resells this service through it's retail arm, Internode (and iiNet).

Step 4: Picking a plan

The right plan for you depends mostly on how much data you need to download and at what speed you need it.

If you're on DSL2+, you'll get speeds up to 20,000kbps, and there are no slower plans, so your choice is based on how much data you need.

If you're on DSL, you'll need to select from 512kbps, 1,000kbps, 1,500kbps and up to 8,000kbps. The average home will find 512kbps too slow. The average small office can make do with 1,500kbps or faster.

To help you pick how much data you need:

Step 5: What to watch out for!

There are a number of catch falls you need to be wary of:
If the Internet plan is very cheap, there's a reason! This usually involves overselling the network, so the access is slower than expected. Not providing good customer service, so you'll be on hold forever if something goes wrong. Or charging excess usage fees.

Get it in writing, write down names and times when you spoke to company representatives and what was discussed. Check your terms and conditions in writing (not just over the phone). Many users are told there are no extra charges or no contracts, only to find later they don't have it in writing and can't prove it. It's an unfortunate reality that some of our Telecommunications industry act worse than used car salesmen.

Avoid Telstra and Optus. Telstra consistently have the most expensive Internet accesses rates in Australia, and some of the worst business practises, including charging for excess use, charging for both upstream and downstream data, and not passing on plan improvements to existing customers. Optus consistently fall short in their customer service, honesty and flexibility with customers.

Check out your possible Internet provider on Whirlpool. Whirlpool provides an Australian broadband news and support site. Check out their forum to see what other users of your chosen provider think. See how your provider fared in the Whirlpool Broadband Survey.

You may be concerned with signing up with a company you've never heard of, such as Internode or iiNet, when in fact you have! These two leading Internet providers are in the news every month for the latest innovations, network expansions and price drops. You don't see much advertising because they don't need to.

Step 6: Stick a fork innit, you're done!

We're happy to check your plan before you sign up to make sure you're picking the right deal.

Give us a call, we can also recommend hardware you might need or set up your modem, computer, e-mail, firewall and virus protection.