> Hi Vicki,
>
> Could you utilise a download manager? It would require moving to a larger
> access plan - perhaps an unlimited access/downloads each month - but
> that is
> an option.
>
> As I understand it, Satellite is not very practical for upload speed
> anyway.
> Whilst the downstream communications come via Satellite, all uploads must
> utilise dial-up speeds and be sent by normal modem.
>
> If Telstra (our national Telecom that is partly privatised and about to be
> fully privatised for those outside Australia) and the government stop
> playing tit-for-tat there might be some light at the end of the
> tunnel. And
> if they don't, I believe there is now a proposal for a 4G wireless
> network,
> across our wide brown land, by 3 of the smaller players (Unwired, Soul and
> someone else). They have applied for a grant under the rural services
> fund.
>
> At last check, the Japanese trials of 4G were getting 100Mb/s mobile and
> 1Gb/s stationary speeds.
>
> Simon.
If you live more than 4km from an exchange then you get an increased
subsidy (around $3,000 over 2 years) for your broadband that covers most
of the cost of installation and allows 2 way satellite broadband for
around $70-$90 per month. I would if I could. Main 2 way satellite
limitation is download and upload limits with very high excesses. I
can't get it anyway as I live 3km from an exchange and want a system
that will allow me to connect with Linux. The awful technology of 1 way
satellite is not going to do that... Added to which it has lots of
hidden expenses (ISDN provider and fees for the upload).
The small rural outposts will not get 4G coverage from private providers
ever I would guess. Perhaps the larger regional centers. What we small
towns will get is 3G to replace CDMA. This will deliver wireless
broadband so that will be progress at last. Not at those speeds
though. Anybody's guess why Telstra is committing to old technology but
I believe the decision is made. When I worked for the public service
Windows 95 was "rolled-out" in 1999.
Graham E
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