New kid on Australia's residential ADSL block

Joining Internode in the troubled residential broadband market, Pacific Internet's big selling point, flexibility, is based on users' ability to customise their own plan, and the option of not having a contract. Its plans are based on the connection speed, costing from AU$59.95 for 256/64 K to AU$99.95 for 1500/256 K. Each plan comes with 500MB included downloads and an excess fee of 14.9c/MB. Additional included megabytes can be purchased for AU$30 per month.

The big benefit for heavy users of the Internet is the optional extras, claims Pacific Internet. For an extra AU$10 per month, users can buy unlimited downloads between the hours of 1am-8am. By spending AU$20 per month extra, users can have unlimited downloads from 12am Saturday to 8am Monday. This is achieved by utilising downtime on Pacific Internet's business service.

-It comes down to utilising the capacity that we've got," Dennis Muscat, managing director of Pacific Internet, told ZDNet Australia. -During the week there are peak times, but outside those peak times there is the ability to download a lot more, and we have the capacity to do that and we can afford to be generous."

Kylie Hutchison, product manager for Pacific Internet, added: -We think it's going to be great value to net savvy users, who often use Linux and freeware, and download a lot of updates, and we have these on our mirror sites."

Telstra provide 256/64 K ADSL for AU$59.95 with 300MB included downloads, and 1500/256 K ADSL for AU$224.95 including 5GB downloads.

Muscat also claims the 'freebies' in the product give about 30 percent extra value. These include unlimited uploads (cited as 30 percent usage on average), free access to Pacific's local servers, and a dial-up account for nationwide roaming, charged at AU$2.00 per hour.

The set-up costs are AU$294, with an extra AU$180 if you need a USB modem. If you choose to enter a 12 month contract, the cost is AU$219 plus AU$180 for the USB modem.

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About time ... without all the ...Anonymous -- 04/03/02

About time ... without all the details listed here, it looks like a great deal. When is it coming to QLD?

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I wish them luck.I really do! ...Keith Styles -- 04/03/02

I wish them luck.I really do!
If they are dependant on T(H)elstra's exchange and copper to reach the end user, I don't like their chances. Our "Wonderfull" phone company,
T(H)elstra, controls the infastructure. If a competitor or end user needs service, guess what happens!! Almost nothing because the problem will be put in the "TOO HARD BIN" until T(H)elstra customers are ALL taken care of first. So much for competition!
WHEN the infastructure is taken out of the "MAD HATTER" Marketing Department's control, we may see some real competition!
It WAS supposed to be a LEVEL playing field !!

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Finally a pricing plan that re ...James Bishop -- 05/03/02

Finally a pricing plan that reflects the real cost of bandwidth. ISPs don't pay by the megabyte - they pay for the capacity to provide that megabyte. If users are encouraged to use less bandwidth at peak times (by making off-peak more attractive) that means less bandwidth needs to be purchased by the ISP and money is saved. This is the first time I've seen a broadband ISP actually pass that saving on to its customers. Hopefully others will follow suit (don't count on it though).

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Finally a company that has som ...Preacher -- 06/04/02

Finally a company that has some guts.
Ps---Dont try NETSPACE ADSL if your in NSW
im still living the nitemare.

Preacher

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This is nice, but with there d ...Anonymous -- 26/07/03

This is nice, but with there data usage now only at 3Gig on a 1500/256 (was 500M) its a shame you will not be able to surf the web after the first week. well this is on a business account, think the home users as normal will be more harder hit.

My Org only has 7 members and uses 30-40Gig a month, so this mob will be usless to me.

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