By Alex Kidman, CNET.com.au on 15 June 2007 11:36 AM
Tags: wireless, usb, netconnect, mobile broadband, hsdpa, 3g, modem, plan
Manufacturer: 3
3 Mobile is not available in Whyalla S.A. According to Telstra staff it never will be available because they are only using Next G in this area which is also known as the Iron Triangle. On page 40 of the Advertiser March 6th there is a write up about Port Bonython to be the export nerve centre for iron ore and a private sector investment of $300 million will help transform the port in 2 years. This involves 4 companies building railways to transport the ore to Pt. Bonython which is 10 klms from Whyalla but the telecommunications in this country don't think it is worth having 3 Mobile and Next G available in the same area. In Adelaide you have both in the same street but if you live 20kms from the CBD then you don't count despite the fact that we are the ones that spend money on phone calls to the city. Take your money but don't expect anything in return because you won't get it.
The good: There aren't any that I can see because we don't have the option to find out. Pros. (prostitutes) Politicians who will do anything to better themselves but nothing to make things better for others.
The bad: No better than convicts. Lie, cheat and do whatever it takes to improve their lives and possibly the lives of people they see and have to answer to. If you live away from the city they don't see you so you don't exist.
Great stuff to have, wonderful reception and speeds. Worth the money, especially the $29 plan which has 2 gig pre month.
The good: NIce USB modem that has very fast speeds. Excellent invention, great customer service. Always connects and there are no drop out.
The bad: Hard to set up with Mac Leopard but with some help, no problem.
3 USB BROADBAND...
WHAT JOKE..... WAS GOOD A FEW MONTHS AGO WAS GETTING SPEEDS OF UPTO 2400kps dl and 400 ul, but now i have been getting less thess 400kps. DO NOT BUY ONE...
RUBBISH. ACTUALLY YOU COULD CALL IT THEFT AS PAYING FOR A SERVICE THAT IS NOT THERE.
The good: GREAT PRICING
The bad: VERY POOR SPEEDS.
I have had a Telstra NextG Modem since the day it was launched (18 odd months ago) and recently switched over to the 3 network - so I am able to compare both products.
First the good points....
1.Its easy to connect and its just slightly slower than the Next G network with speeds averaging around 2mbps. Still very decent. I am based in the western side of Melbourne and full reception for both NextG and 3 Network. Stable, no dropouts thus far.
2. The pricing is far better than Telstra. I am on the $49, 6 gig (DSE no contract) plan and its an excellent deal. Telstra is $109 for a mere 3 gig - twice as much, half the data allowance.
But.......getting it activated was a damn nightmare. Why, oh why, are Australian firms still outsourcing their call centre customer service to India? Because its cheaper - but it will cost '3' in the long run. I got hung up on three times simply trying to set up an account (after answering a billion questions) and the Indian accents are so strong. Yes, its English, but barely comprehensible. The customer service was a joke and really put me off. I dare not call for help if a problem arises - I'll simply cancel. If '3' want to be a serious player they have to sort out their customer service - really lets them down.
Also, Telstra's website is much better. It gives you a detailed breakdown of usage, updates frequently and much better to navigate. When I checked my usage with 3, somehow I had managed to use 1.5 gig of data in two days which is incorrect - it would take me a couple of weeks to use that much with Telstra. Not sure how they do their data calculations but I hope they aren't ripping unsuspecting customers off on purpose by fudging the usage figures. We'll wait and see.......
The good: * Good speed * Good connectivity and reception * Very cheap (CF Telstra) * Small physical imprint * No contract (when the $199 modem is purchased through Dick Smith Electronics)
The bad: * Horrendous customer service (from the bowels of Bombay) * Poor visibility and explanation of data usage. * Potential 'data usage fudging' - jury is still out....
Easy to install, great service in the shop and I checked the postcode I wa slikel to be using this at and was told I had 'Excellent' coverage there.
What a complete and utter lie! The speed of this modem almost everywhere I have used it countrywide has been appalling, the service as previously stated is so slow I have been trying to get answers or resolution from three for 6 MONTHS!
DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT, YOU WILL BE TIED INTO A CONTRACT YOU CANNOT GET OUT OF AND FIND YOURSELF PAYING FOR A SERVICE YOU DON'T GET!
The good: Great point of sale service
The bad: Terrible follow up service and worst of all, modem speed.
If you go over your allocated monthly usage you get ripped off. I purchased 6GB $39 Three Mobile Broadband and went over 1 month by 6GB and instead of charging a reasonable usage fee I was charged $680. Completely unreasonable penalty fees. I'm afraid to use it now. Its a rip off and Three need to review these exorbitant charges.
The good: don't need a land phone line..
The bad: Over usage charges are extreme Problems with speed at times Indian Call Centre if problems with connecting.
I was with I-burst until the shut down and I moved to 3G without doing the proper research. I went on a 24 month plan and on day one realized that the %u201Cadvertised%u201D speed is just fantasy! It is so slow that I can%u2019t watch U-Tube videos without pausing and I can%u2019t use the video for Skype as it keeps freezing! I am in the Sydney CBD and would mot recommend 3G to my worst enemy%u2026
After having the service for less than 24 hours I tried to see if I could cancel the contract and just pay for the costs incurred by 3G and they want to charge almost $500. I offered to go on the most expensive pay as you go service and they won%u2019t do it!! Surely there should be a law against such terrible internet service, customer service and contracts that bind you for two years with no cancellation clause for the first 24 hours!!
YOU CANNOT GET OUT OF THIS CONTRACT!!
The good: It works
The bad: Slow Terrible customer service You can't get out of the contract Do not by this product EVER!
I purchased the modem via the 3 site and it arrived five working days later (very annoying). I also had to figure out what docs needed to be sent back. It really needs a one page instruction summary. For an IT beginner it would have been horrid to try and figure this out. The initial install process was ok and speeds were fair to start with but since just before Christmas download speeds have become horrific i.e. I got a 5K download speed the other night and I am pretty near the city. Also they block ports 443 and 8443 which they claim they don't do. As it transpires they don't allow VPN's and their anti VPN process happens to affect these ports which I need to contact my hosting control panel (i.e. not a VPN). So I got into Kafka like support loop, not worth describing. Their support sounds highly fragmented and they pass the buck like champions. My complaints and request to speak to a manager just fell on deaf ears. But the slow speed is the worst issue by far, followed by the poor support.
The good: The modem looks pretty neat and the technical side of the install was easy.
The bad: The connection speeds are dreadful anytime from 4 onwards. My old 14.4kb dial up connection was faster. For instance I got a 5kb download speed the other night using ozspeedtest.com. Also they do block or disable ports despite their claims. Support is also a nightmare. Not recommended, sadly as I like 3 as a concept and company.
I have used this product for a year, and was broadly satisfied with it. Then technical problems with a base station in the Melbourne CBD made it stop working in a small radius around the base station.
Unfortunately my major Melbourne client's premises are in that radius - and I have not been able to use this product for two months.
I complained, and was told that 3 do not guarantee connection at any location other than your own premises. They won't do anything about it, and I am stuck with a product I can't use in the Melbourne CBD!
The bad: Doesn't work in part of Melbourne CBD
I live very close to Sydney CBD and I never had even 1Mb speed. The speed varies from 0bps to 60Kbps.
I got a 3 prepaid broadband deal with the USB dongle. I am extremely disappointed with the service. I rang support and was on the line for an hour while we did speed tests at speedtest.net. I am in Strathfield, Sydney. My connection averages around 33kbps, sometimes less. I am not sure if there is way to much congestion on their network or just what. I tried to ask about a refund, was told it was possible, and then held the line while the lady spoke to her supervisor. I was then told I wasn't able to get a refund until their engineers had contacted me (24-48 hours), and it was left to their discretion as to whether or not I will get a refund.
I am really unhappy with entire 3 prepaid broadband. I will have to check Telstra out as I am relying on this wireless broadband to carry me over until the naked DSL is connected.
The good: Pretty easy to set up.
The bad: Arghhhhh, it's a nightmare..
Abysmal is a good word for the speed of 3mobile broadband, most of the time it's slower than dialup, absolutely disgusting in the heart of the Gold Coast, I curse the day I was talked into the lies and deciet of buying this contract.
The good: NONE unless you live next door to an infrared beacon
The bad: It helps if you speak Indian
I dont think it's the fault of the 3Aust (huawei) broadband modem, it seems the signal is the problem and that my speed is around 33kbps most of the time, The only thing streaming around here are tears of frustration.
The good: None, do yourself a favour, dont sign up with 3Aust Broadband
The bad: Watch out for fast talking 3Aust sales people, they're full of b/s
My first time to this page to read many useful reviews. I extremely regret that I didnot read these reviews before signing the contract with 3. It's 24 months! That's far too long.
The good: Slower than dial up. Dont have to call 3 Care. They already know it.
The bad: Average speed is around 30Kbps. Some time it goes down to a few or even 0 (zero) Kbps.
I have been with 3 mobile broadband for 16 months and am eagerly awating the day my contract expires so I can tell them where to stick it. At first it was kinda o.k however over the last 6 months have spent hours apon hours on the phone to India regardng a slow connection and although they have attempt to help me via computer configuratons and even a phone call form the people that look after the connection speed it has never improved.
Im in St Kildla in the heart of Melb!! yet I have a mate on the other side of town who is happy with her download speed. GO FIGURE!!
I am actually wondering who the hell to go with next time. Telstra I guess? any body got any thoughts on that for me
The good: cheap (but you clearly get what you pay for)
The bad: ha ha most of the time the speedtest page wont even load its sooo slow. Avoid like the plague!!!!!
I was just charged $93 on a $29 3Gb plan, and I was even watching my usage. I am so thankful I did not buy a contract like the fellow below.
THEY CHARGED HIM $680 ONE MONTH!!!!!!!
The good: NONE.
The bad: Shady billing. Charged me 3X what I was told.
I lived in Western Sydney. Been contracted for 18 months (6 more moons to go). First impression was favourable (certainly better than dial-up). Downhill ever since for last 18 months. speed clocked in Jan 09 (based on Cnet speedtest) 15 - 17 kbps!! Nothing seemed to work.
Yesterday, after a phone call to 3 Technical and got the firmware (for E220BB modem) upgraded. Now, attained speed of 118 kbps (Cnet speedtest).
Mana from heaven, right? Well, if you are used (habituated, more like) to cart pulled by a donkey that's how you would feel when you first get in a Trabant.
(Apologies to website proprietors for all the curses I used to fling at you thinking you were all at fault for bandwidth greedy motion-picture- like ads or even the purveyors of internet worms and viruses et al; you weren't responsible for my bilious suffering getting online everytime, all the time, afterall).
Trouble is I kept reading these (mythical) reviews about blistering performance with this HSDwhatever network that sucked me in, in the first place.
(may be I shouldn't tell you this, but what the heck). yesterday I asked the 3 Tech guy "how's the network upgrade going?" and he said "it should be completed by end of April (hopefully, 2009; he didn't mention which year)".
I still live in hope, one day soon.....
The good: cheap
The bad: everything is double cheap
3 Mobile Broadband is so slow and the customer service is terrible.
The good: Nothing
The bad: Customer Service!!!!!!! Speed Inconsistency with Speeds
DO NOT GO OVER YOUR QUOTA ON 3 MOBILE BROADBAND! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
I have this broadband connection for four months now and have been RIPPED OFF BIG TIME! Got the highest plan $49 per month on a 24 month contract. Was told 7GB per month. 1st month used 7GB and was charged $435.00 for the month! After many phone calls to the 3 helpline they told me that because I registered on the 2nd February I would only get 4GB for first month. WTF! I was billed BIG TIME for 3GB. That's over $100.00 per GIG!
In April I went over the limit again. Left computer downloading a large file (Linux Distro) that kept dropping out and reconnecting. Got billed $450.00 for the month!
I have paid the bills and as soon as I get a phone line into my house I am going to pay the $400 that they want to break the contract and tell them to stick their broadband where the sun don't shine!
I have NEVER been ripped off like this before and I can tell you now. If you are looking for a broadband connection and you like to watch YouTube videos or download Podcasts STAY AWAY FROM 3 MOBILE BROADBAND!
I am now afraid to use the connection! This has been the most expensive internet connection of my life! I still can't believe how these people can get away with this! Terrible, Just Awful!!! :(
The good: NOTHING!!
The bad: EXTORTION
I also got caught out...a complete ripoff.
One thing you may want to do is check that your Microsoft Office Updates are turned off. I had mine set daily (thanks to Microsoft) and couldn't work out why I was going over all the time. Someone advised me it could be the updates automatically set daily by Microsoft and that I should turned them off. (of course Three never would have advised me about this!! )
But it would be good if Three allowed customers the option regarding cutting off their monthly usage when they've reach the monthly allocation limit. I requested them to do this but naturally they refuse to do this - as of course they want customers to go over the limit... afterall at 10c per mb...they will make a fortune! IMO Its unscrupulous corporate greed at its very best...
BTW apparently Adam Internet automatically disable customers internet usage when they reach their monthly allocation limit. I will certainly be going to them after my rip off contract with Three is finished.
VERY SLOW INTERNET
The bad: -VERY SLOW -AND THE STATISTICS SAID THAT I STILL HAD 100MB OF DATA LEFT WHEN I RAN OUT
Awesome Fast Speed!! hang on ... i forgot, i am in 2009 not 1994. Seems my dialup was as fast in the 90's.
The speeds are utterly useless. I don't bother using it much anymore. I can't sit around to wait 20 mins for each damn page to load. 95% of the time the speed is 16kbps or less.
The good: Easy to install and Reliable
The bad: Carrier pigeon is quicker.
Never ever again.
The lack of customer service and the joke of broadband that actually works is disgusting.
************ I suggest all of the posters here contact the Australian Telecommunications Industry Onbudsman and complain, try and get some of your money back and make complaints. The more people that do this then maybe 3 will get what it deserves from ripping so many people off so blatantly ****************
ph: 1800 062 058
http://www.tio.com.au/
The good: The modem looks good, that's about it.
The bad: Hmm where to begin. Slow/non-existant speed, worse than dialup! Unreliable service. Sometimes i couldn't even connect to the internet at all. Call service in India, they are full of excuses and did NOT record all of my phone calls and didn't believe me when i said i had rung 10 times in the past 2 months in regards to my broadband USB. The 3 'team' are full of excuses. I spoke to a few different staff and they said 'word for word' what the trouble might be: 'satellite problems, faulty USB, faulty sim card, computer faults, area i lived in, etc' I live 20 minutes from Melbourne and i have also used 3 internet in Adelaide and Sydney city. Didn't change a thing. Why the hell isn't there an office in Australia? WHAT A LOAD OF BS !
This is slower than dial up, I have a headache talking to customer care at a call centre in india, this is just not good enough, I may cancel all services I have with them. I hate you three.
DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT...
I had the joy of contacting the Indian call centre today after 3 transfers 1 disconnection 2 more transfers and 45 minutes on the phone, my internet is still rubbish....i was then offered a 1 hours phone call to try and solve my connection issues which apparently is the average time needed to troubleshoot... we already know what the problem is your product and service is crap. I would never recommend this product to anyone and services levels in call centre have alot to be desired, obviously a bunch of trained scripted parrots!!!
The good: 8 months time when my contract is finished
The bad: where to begin, wont even attempt to list them all at the risk the connection will drop out.
It's hard to say whether it's the hardware or the network at fault with 3's USB Mobile Broadband USB Modem. Either way, we're not impressed with what it offers.
RRP: AU$399.00
wireless, usb, netconnect, mobile broadband, hsdpa, 3g, 3
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When I first installed my 3 mobile broadband usb device in September 2007 I was quite happy - easy to install, download and upload speeds were good. However for the last month I have found the speed far less than acceptable. I now have an absolute maximum download of about 100kbps (on cdnet speed tester). I've tried connecting the device to two different computers, both equally as slow. The customer service is also terrible. I've logged two calls via email, with the promised response time being 24 hours. The first call took 2 weeks to be responded to (the response was 'please call our customer service centre for assistance'. The second call was logged last week, and still no contact.
The good: 1. easy to install
The bad: 1. connection speed appalling 2. very poor customer service