For my oldies - Internode vs iiNet vs Aussie Broadband

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  retiredfeline on 20/09/2015 - 16:00

  Internode and iiNet are both under iiNet. In addition TPG is acquiring iiNet. Just so you know. FYI, I've been satisfied with iiNet but watching to see what happens under TPG.

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  scrimshaw on 20/09/2015 - 16:34

  +2

  Speed depends on how far away you are from the exchange. Paying more for your internet connection just ensures you have better customer service, it won't make a difference to download speeds.

  My suggestion is to ditch ADSL and look for cable instead. It'll cost you more but since it's cable technology you aren't subject to the tyranny of distance.

  You can forget about the NBN. It ain't coming to Maribyrnong for a while yet.

  • 

    Randxyz123 on 20/09/2015 - 16:57

    +1 to cable.

    You might also want to consider getting them a better router or using power line ethernet plugs

  • 

    wau2 on 20/09/2015 - 17:07

    Thanks if there's no difference then maybe I should just stay with tpg and just invest in a better modem router?? I have found that peak times are quite slow and blamed it on the isp

    • 

      [Deactivated] on 20/09/2015 - 17:17

      If the problem is being too far from the exchange, don't even bother with changing the modem, there's nothing you can do. Moving will probably help though……

      • 

        wau2 on 20/09/2015 - 18:04

        Is there a way to tell if the distance to the exchange is the problem?

      • 

        scrimshaw on 20/09/2015 - 18:37

        @wau2:

        On the map, type in your full address into the lower left corner.

        https://www.tpg.com.au/maps/

      • 

        wau2 on 21/09/2015 - 12:13

        @scrimshaw:

        Thanks. They are 2.6km away which gives approx ADSL2+ speed of 12,107kbps. Doesnt seem too bad.

    • 

      Randxyz123 on 20/09/2015 - 17:25

      I've got mates who have TPG and they complain it is slow.

      Do they need home phone as well?

      Is there a max price per month you are willing to pay?

      • 

        wau2 on 20/09/2015 - 18:05

        No they don't. Hence I've considered mainly naked Adsl. Yea around $70

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  Flowerbomb on 20/09/2015 - 18:08

  Just a tip: I used to have terrible speeds with tpg then I rang up and complained. After that 10 min call, my internet speed became 4 times faster. This was for the unlimited $59 adsl plan. Distance from the exchange around 600m

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  fruit on 20/09/2015 - 18:20

  +1

  Gave my parents Dodo, no complaints

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  pjcook on 21/09/2015 - 07:52

  +1

  What speeds are they currently getting?

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  Fred Smith on 21/09/2015 - 08:14

  +1

  iiNet is offering free Netflix with some plans I believe. But not Fixed Wi-Fi, which is the way my NBN is provided.

  Regarding DODO, they did have a terrible reputation for customer service and reliability. Whirlpool was and still is the best place to find out what people think of an ISP.

  Personally, have been with Internode for many years. They have always been helpful and reliable.

  On the other hand, a Telstra employee once hi-jacked my service. That is, he cold called me and asked if I wanted to switch to them. I told him I was not interested and was happy with my current ISP. The guy disregarded my statement and persisted to extol their own service. I eventually just hung up. Next thing I knew my service had been switched to them on a 24 month contract. It took me about 3 months to get them to cancel the contract. It involved MANY calls of complaint and several rather heated emails. I'm guessing the gung-ho guy who switched me was getting a bonus for every new customer. He probably just switched everyone he called and got a BIG bonus then resigned and left Telstra to deal with the mess.

  Sorry for Telstra bashing, but I do have another anecdote. A workman putting in a driveway accidentally cut the copper line that runs in front a neighbours place. I had no land line nor internet connection for 15 days until Telstra finally repaired the line. Compensation? Ha. I had a mobile phone, so under the regulations they had no requirement to provide compensation. No matter that most of my phone calls, both outgoing and incoming, were at that time via landline.

  Re my current deal with Internode. 300 Gb a month at 25 Mbps but often runs at 47 Mbps, via Fixed Wi-Fi. (Access Speedtest website to get stats on your own connection). Slows down during peak times such as before and after school hours till about 11pm but then it zooms along. Have Netflix and can have that on TV in one room, another family member watching a different movie or TV show streamed from Netflix to a PC in another room, and a third family member play online video games etc in another room. Ain't modern life grand. Oh, we do see each other at meal times. Just joking, we get plenty of family time when our viewing/gaming likes coincide, plus probably too much sporting and out of house leisure.

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  rigby75 on 21/09/2015 - 08:19

  +1

  Speed at the address depends on a few things.
  Line in the house. Is it cat 5 cable from the telstra connection to the phone outlet?
  The number of outlets. The more outlets the more points to cause issues.
  The line from the house to the exchange, it doesn't matter which ISP you choose if there is a line issue changing ISPs won't do anything.
  Is it slow all the time or when it's raining just in the afternoons? All the time it could be a line issue. When it rains a pit could be filling with water. In the afternoons because of high usage in the area.
  Go through the trouble shooting with tpg, replace the internal cabling, then change if it's no better but remember if you change and the issue is between the exchange and your connection you are going to have to start troubleshooting again from scratch.

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  Karlos101 on 21/09/2015 - 08:29

  +1

  I have a friend that works for iinet and has said from a customer service point of view, things are staying as is after the TPG acquisition. I hated TPG. Always got drops outs and crappy connections. Moved to internode. LOVE their customer service. And theyve helped me so many times in regards to getting a better connection and better speeds.
  It might be worth trying a new modem. See if you might be able to borrow a friends for testing.
  If you can get Cable Internet (optus and telstra are your only providers i think) id say go for it if they need the speed and reliability.

  But internode hassle the wholesaler until things are fixed right. It might take lots of calls over a period of time. But theyll get stuff done.

  • 

    wau2 on 21/09/2015 - 12:19

    yea, gonna try install a modem for them and see how it goes first. Process of elimination.
    Is there really a way to determine if its the copper line (otherwise I wont bother with anything)

    • 

      Karlos101 on 21/09/2015 - 15:31

      +1

      the only way i know of, when i was with internode, i logged the same fault over 5 times, they sent out a third party from a company here in adelaide called Etechs and they put a line tester on the cable where it entered my house and it sent pulses up the line. it could tell where it was degraded and had the most resistance.
      you might be able to find a data cabler that has a line tester, or if you know anyone it the IT field, they might have one or know of someone that you could have go round and pulse test the line.

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  Karlos101 on 21/09/2015 - 08:30

  +1

  Also check if there is a central splitter installed on their main phoneline. If they have a phone and or a monitored alarm, a central splitter will clean things up a bit too.

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  iminabrons on 21/09/2015 - 09:47

  +1

  As far as as know it doesn't matter whether you want a connection with a phone or without (NakedDSL) you end up paying the Telstra tax.
  The only superficial difference is how the plans are presented. The download amounts are never the same for with a phone or without phone. This is done to so that they appear to be different.
  It seems that NakedDSL is more problematic than normal ADSL. I've forgotten the reason why but I think it has something to do with a delay or difficulty in finding the subscriber with NakesDSL.
  One last thing with normal ADSL you get the phone for free and most importantly the phone can be used without having to use a three pin power outlet. Rember, you do not have to connect the free phone to get ADSL and also this may came in handy if for some reason your mobile fails. Having redundancy for free is good.

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  resisting the urge on 10/06/2016 - 14:14

  +1

  Just book-ending this conversation with something that was missed.

  Naked internet connections have no service guarantee, there is only an obligation for Helstra to look at faults raised by the ISP whose customers are affected. However if you purchase of a phone service (it has to be what they call a Carrier Grade Service, not something cut-down), Helstra (or your provider) are subject to a far more effective obligation under the USO- a service guarantee standard that the government finally set in legislation after decades of Helstra not maintaining the copper and leaving customers (particularly those that fell through the widening cracks) permanently up S'Creek.

  So if you want fast repair of your common residential line, buy a phone line, not a naked service. Getting either still results in your money paying a monthly tax to Helstra for letting the copper rot all the way to your door.