Currently I live in the North of Tasmania and I am with AAPT... who have been totally crap both with their ping and download rate. I am on the 1.5Mb plan. I have no contract (but how could they make anyone sign a contract when you are dealing with such crap service!), i pay $110 month that includes 15Gb of download/ uploads not included..this also includes my landline calls and line rental. Sounds great.. well yes it does. But not once in my 2 years of being a member have I ever had both good downloading speeds and ping at the same time and quite of ten I have had neither.

I hear that Internode have more money to battle the bass strait corruption scandal by telstra (peak period conjestion. lol) and that they can offer a slightly more expensive alternative. They also give better service for gamers much like bigpond as they both own gaming servers (in my case BF2142).Apparently Internode get backhaul and fix it in 2-3 weeks rather than 3-6 months bandaid patches.

Westnet and spin are other companies that have been suggested to me, but I do not know their services here in Tasmania. So if you are Tasmanian (preferably from Launceston) then could you please give me some feedback on your opinions and experiences on the 4 ISP's mentioned above.

Where is our political corruption body in this corrupt state when it comes to the blatantly obvious scandal telstra is dishing the Tasmanian community!

StraitVodka writes...

I hear that Internode have more money to battle the bass strait corruption scandal by telstra (peak period conjestion. lol) and that they can offer a slightly more expensive alternative.

the problem even for internode is telstra. i know of twice now that internode have had to up their bandwidth to Tas and been held up doing it so Tas users suffered while telstra took their time. doesnt matter how much money you have when a carrier stuffs you about.

Westnet and spin are other companies that have been suggested to me, but I do not know their services here in Tasmania. So if you are Tasmanian (preferably from Launceston) then could you please give me some feedback on your opinions and experiences on the 4 ISP's mentioned above.

i am in the south and with Comcen. Comcen and Spin share resources so are applicable to each other. i have been very happy with my experience with comcen as have 2 of my friends who are also with them. so i have no problem recommending them to Tas users.

StraitVodka writes...

But not once in my 2 years of being a member have I ever had both good downloading speeds and ping at the same time

/forum-replies.cfm?t=657...929393#r12929393

Things aren't going to change in Tas for a while, make sure whatever ISP you go with doesn't have a massive contract length, and if things go bad don't wait 2 years to churn.

i am in tasmania and was with aapt at 1st and yes there crap

i have moved over to supernerd $99 plan 50gb downloads per month

last month i downloded over 300gb with out getting capped
i just reset the conection after each 20gb

i hope this helps

Have you made up your mind, in regards to an ISP?

StraitVodka writes...

I hear that Internode have more money to battle the bass strait corruption scandal by telstra (peak period conjestion. lol) and that they can offer a slightly more expensive alternative.

they are not currently accepting certain plans
www.internode.on.net/news/2008/05/89.php

Westnet and spin are other companies that have been suggested to me,

Look ok and may i suggest aanet
https://www.aanet.net.au/Plan_12.html

im with westnet 1.5 mbps 10/15 with phone $90 p/m
absalutly rock solid connection.
westnet seem to have the bandwidth covered pretty good
nearly a year with no complaint
In hobart by the way

StraitVodka writes...

I also hear interode and westned and netspace have a pipe network for free downloads :)

i dont see any information about that for internode and westnet. infact on broadband choices pages for them it specifically says peering(such as through PIPE)is counted.
for netspace their page says its only for some sites, with a link to a list of sites, and only on some plans.

Spin only mention free peering between customers in the same state now. however if you ask us users you will find that all data traveling through PIPE is uncounted(free).

Every Tasmanian here please read the front page re the ISP's left.

Ken Richards. writes...

re the ISP's left.

actually its not about any ISPs no longer servicing Tas at all but about some not offering the high end plans such as 8Mbit and adsl2+.

Internode will continue to offer its high end SOHO and Business ADSL2+ plans, but will not offer Home ADSL2+ or 8Mbit/s plans to new customers in Tasmania from Tuesday. Netspace made a similar move, but eventually resumed selling high speed plans in the state. It has however placed its ADSL2+ plans on hold for Tasmania.

lower plans are still offered by many ISPs.

I have found that first a trickle leave,then a torrent leaves in the end there is only a drip in the pond left .

How commercially viable are the current networks ?

Ken Richards. writes...

first a trickle leave,then a torrent leaves in the end there is only a drip in the pond left

no ISPs are actually leaving. instead not offering higher end plans. this obviously saves them having to increase needed bandwidth so much to Tas so saves increasing their costs by telstras ridiculous backhaul prices.

How commercially viable are the current networks ?

considering none of us can see their books thats a rather loaded question. however to think that a smaller ISP is not viable because it isnt the size of internode or optus etc doesnt add up either.
infact being smaller in this case can be an advantage, because they have fewer customers in Tas means they do not have to have as high bandwidth so pay far less.

Ken Richards. writes...

How commercially viable are the current networks ?

Well, we are in the process of rolling out MSANs and have just installed into some exchanges in Tasmania.

Considering that is a current action on our behalf, I think that provides an idea as to the commercial viability of some ISPs in Tasmania.

Jason

Jason Μ writes...

Well, we are in the process of rolling out MSANs and have just installed into some exchanges in Tasmania.

So are you moving to Tasmanian exchanges in anticipation that the basslink will be switched on? Just wondering why the move when you see so many struggling companies and customers.

dgodz writes...

infact being smaller in this case can be an advantage, because they have fewer customers in Tas means they do not have to have as high bandwidth so pay far less.

ISP's still need backhaul.

StraitVodka writes...

So are you moving to Tasmanian exchanges in anticipation that the basslink will be switched on?

It will be nice, however it does not affect the viability of the business plan.

Our business plan is based on our own operational costs, and for us, the move into Tasmania is currently a good one.

Basslink will just make it an even better one.

Jason

Ken Richards. writes...

ISP's still need backhaul.

of course. so let me repeat what i said

because they have fewer customers in Tas means they do not have to have as high bandwidth so pay far less.

nowhere does that say they do not need backhaul. what it says is they do not need as much so are not paying anywhere near what a very large ISP like internode do.
infact from memory internode have had to increase backhaul to Tas atleast twice in the last year or 2, so they are seeing their costs rise greatly because of telstras expensive price for backhaul to here. obviously they can not keep doing that and seeing their profits from elsewhere being eaten up by this. so they have stopped offering some of the higher account types so they should not have to increase backhaul as much or as regularly.
smaller ISPs who have much fewer customers have not had to keep inreasing or if they did not anywhere near as much. so their costs to service Tas are much lower and eat in to their profits far less.

seems pretty simple to me.

>> I am on the 1.5Mb plan.

That's your download limit, isn't it? :P

Well it seems The basslink is going to be activated and rollout to Tasmanians by the end of the year. Yea right!! We wait and see I guess. If I could make a prediciton I would add another 6months - 8 months time frame ontop of that.
However there is hope and no one is going to can! it because Digital Tasmania will eat em up and us Tax payers will spit em out @ 2million a year.