Telstra's second-gen BigPond Wireless Broadband Mobile Card (yes, we know it's a mouthful) piggybacks onto the fresh-baked Next G network. Next G uses the same 850MHz slice of spectrum as Telstra's EVDO/CDMA system, which will be closed in early 2008, and sits adjacent to the long-standing 900MHz GSM band.
While the frequency allocation puts Next G at odds with the 2100MHz 3G services run by all four local mobile carriers, Next G uses 3G technologies such as HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) to deliver turbo-charged speeds for data and downloads. Telstra claims "average speeds of 550Kbps to 1.5Mbps" - you can check the results of our real-world tests later in this review.
Design
The card itself is a rebadged version of the GlobeTrotter GT Max produced by the Belgium-based Option, one of the leading OEMs for wireless data cards (Option also produces 3G cards for Optus and, overseas, Vodafone).
It's a standard PC Card format which runs under Windows (2000 and XP) and Mac OS X (10.3.9 or higher). However, users of late-model laptops which are equipped with only an ExpressCard slot - and that includes all of Apple's MacBook and MacBook Pro notebooks - will need to wait until Next G versions of the BigPond ExpressCard and USB mini-modem arrives early next year.
The design is slightly cleaner than the original EVDO/CDMA card which had a stubby vertically-mounted antenna that, if you were using a small to mid-sized notebook, easily got in the way of your hands unless they stayed dead centre on the keyboard.
The new card is a huge improvement. It sports a unique "Butterfly" antenna which springs out of the card to reveal two small plastic-encased elements (each is around two-thirds the size of an SD memory card) which sit at 45 degree angle to one another for optimum signal capture. When you're done, the wafers snap securely back into the card for safety.
There's also a socket for fitting an external antenna, which Telstra sells for AU$29.95.
Features
While the BigPond Wireless Broadband Mobile Card obviously works best in its native Next G environment, should you find yourself in a low-signal or no-signal area the card will fall back to GSM.
That's not a very appealing thought when you consider GSM's data rate nudges barely 70Kbps on its best days, but as Telstra is co-siting Next G transmitters with its existing GSM and CDMA stations you should expect the Next G footprint to rapidly grow.
The card can also be used overseas, where it roams onto the 850MHz 3G networks of Telstra partners in 33 countries, but the surcharge of AU$15 per MB makes for a significant ouch factor.
Telstra's Next G data card sports a unique pop-up "butterfly" antenna which retracts into the card's shell when not in use. Click to enlarge.
Telstra's BigPond Connection Manager 2 software provides a user friendly front-end with a good degree of control over both card and connection settings, and is a welcome step forward in features and stability compared to the first version of the client.
We were impressed that the post-install routine offered to set up email through Outlook or Outlook Express, but were less enamoured with its background attempt to change our browser's home page to bigpond.com. This was detected and subsequently blocked only because we were running anti-spyware utility, as home page hijacks are a common trait of spyware.
Even so, the software succeeded in rebranding our Web browser as "Telstra BigPond Home Internet Explorer", although Firefox was unsullied. Memo to Team Telstra: offer your customers the choice to adopt bigpond.com as their home page, and don't bother with petty exercises in chest-puffing such as renaming their browser.
On the other hand, the manual blew us away. With 56 pages full of useful information on security, downloading (including warnings about excess usage due to streaming media and file sharing) and managing your account, and all written in plain English, Telstra deserves a pat on the back for providing its customers with a real handbook rather than a fold-out leaflet.
Performance
For wireless broadband, speed is pretty much where the rubber hits the road. That's doubly so for Next G, which Telstra has spruiked as being a turbo-charged HSDPA hare "with average speeds of 550Kbps to 1.5Mbps", compared to 3G's tortoise - and unlike the fable, slow and steady doesn't win this race.
Just a stone's throw from the North Sydney CBD, and signed up for Telstra's Super G Fast plan (see the end of this review for full details), we clocked the Next G card at an average 1.3Mbps (1,300Kbps) with the uplink channel at a more leisurely 210Kbps. This proved the card and network as good as Telstra's word in matching domestic ADSL speeds.
We also noticed that the card established a network connection in a rapid eight seconds, whereas some 3G notebook cards see you drumming your fingers for a half minute before you can even do anything online.
To test Testra's claim that the lower 850MHz frequency of Next G compared to 3G's 2100MHz would provide superior signal penetration deep into buildings, we camped out in the middle of the business centre floor of the Sydney Hilton Hotel.
Here the card averaged a steady 1.1Mbps flow of data, while the best we could get from any of the 3G networks using their own notebook data cards was 218Kbps.
Of course, reliable coverage is also paramount. We headed down to Bondi Beach, where radio waves are challenged by geography, and found the Next G signal to be sporadic at best. We've little doubt this will change as the network fills out and black holes are filled in, but it should also be noted that our chosen location also failed to serve reliable connections to 3G.
This illustrates why, despite Telstra's promise that Next G covers 98% of the population, you need to test drive any wireless broadband network in your most visited areas before pouring your money into the card and contract.
Telstra offers a 10-day trial of BigPond Wireless Broadband with a refund of the card's cost "if there's no or poor coverage at your preferred location because it's outside the coverage area or in a black spot".
The BigPond Wireless Broadband Mobile Card comes with usage plans based either time or volume, with two speed levels -- G Fast is limited to 256Kbps, while Super G Fast ratchets between 550-1500Kbps.
The entry-level AU$29.95 plan buys you 10 hours of Super G Fast per month. For AU$49.95 per month you can choose between 200MB at G Fast speeds or 20 hours of Super G Fast. Time-based pricing disappears with the AU$79.95 scheme, which delivers 1GB of G Fast or 400MB of Super G Fast. For AU$109.95 you get 1GB of Super G Fast, while AU$199.95 covers 3GB of Super G Fast. Excess usage on either G Fast or Super G Fast is charged at 30c per Mb on usage-based plans and 80c per five minute block on time-based plans.
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mit
15/06/2008, 05:23 PM
rating
3/10
have been using bigpond for past twelve months, first month was over billed by 700 dollars, apparently a glitch, over the next year i was able to monitor my usage very well, on my last month ive been stung for another 200 with i am also contesting and have now been threatened with disconnection even though the relavent paperwork has been
sent.
Pros: The product is good, works pretty much everywhere i've ever needed, nice speeds and easy to install.
Cons: It's over expensive for what it is, 118 for 3g then not being able to use full 3g as their meter is crap and you end up getting stung for big dollars, which means your paying too much and not able to get your full amount, plus trying to get any assistance on the phone is usless.
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crf250
29/07/2007, 03:43 PM
rating
7/10
To everyone who is having trouble with vista and this card here are several solutions depning on the problem becase there are several.
If you have already tried to load the software that comes with this card you have into device manager go through all the fllowing modems, pcmia adaptors, usb etc and get rid of all the globetrotter and globe trotter interface and remove the program from control panel install and remove.
Then make sure you have the latest cd or driver because this is the problem.
install the cd and do not put card in untill promt in the cd, if you have the latest cd you will get on line to down load the 2.7 version fot this card. if you dont have the latest cd you have to download 2.0 or 2.7 and update the driver. This did take a while for me to work out but like someone said before relax and do correclty once. in saying that this card is excellent technology is just telstra offer **** service and expensive plans. Telstra needed further trial and eror before asking $300 a card and $118 a month
Pros: good card an reception excellent
Cons: **** customer service and plan structure.
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fred
11/07/2007, 05:04 PM
rating
2/10
Cant get any conection at all 2kms from Wollongong
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maca888
08/06/2007, 11:39 PM
rating
9/10
My job sees me travel out to remote aboriginal communities. I was able to connect (and play World of Warcraft) in some of the most remote areas of Australia without skipping a beat.
Pros: Good Signal Coverage
Good Speeds (and latency)
Cons: Somewhat Expensive
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Darwin guy
05/06/2007, 10:28 AM
rating
5/10
Is faster and tends to work better but huge drop outs with the new wireless card
Pros: Is faster, well it seems to be
Cons: Huge drop outs and are in a capital city, but guess is darwin so maybe not that much of a service up here
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hgipps
07/05/2007, 09:34 AM
rating
6/10
Still waiting on microsoft to endorse the new Vista driver written by Maxxon for my USB Wireless modem. It was a **** to install till i turned off the firewall and UAC in Vista. Now it works...very fast but UAC must remain off which is not a good thing to do.
Pros: Fast, good coverage, small
Cons: No proper vista driver yet?
UAC must remain off which is unsafe.
Telstra help people don't seem to understand the issues.
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heathen
18/03/2007, 06:34 PM
rating
3/10
My parents bought a new notebook & it has Vista. I spent 7 hours yesterday and 3 hours today trying to get through to telstra to find out how to get the Globetrotter max card to run. It won't!
My parents are extremely disappointed and I am so frustrated that Telstra aren't getting any feedback. So much for their "DIY get connected in minutes"
Pros: If it ever works I'll let you know
Cons: As above
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Ron K
15/03/2007, 04:31 PM
rating
7/10
Initial software sent new laptop into bluescreen. Updated software easy to load and solved the problem
Pros: Good coverage, good speed
Cons: Installing may not be as simple as
1-2-3, as the marketing blurb would have you believe
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jamesbrief
13/03/2007, 10:08 PM
rating
5/10
I've just spend about 6 hours of my time trying to get this product to work with a new Windows Vista Notebook. It doesnot work with Vista and the Telstra customer service people have been swamped with customer problems which they don't know how to fix. Seems to be a poorly written Vista driver. For heaven sake can't Australia's biggest telco get its act together with a much hyped new 3G network and an OS from Microsoft .
Pros: When I get connected with the Vista driver I'll let you know.
Cons: Hopeless setup and connection with the new Vista driver. All new 3G accounts now require credit check. Telstra Long delays for telephone customer service.
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ortaga
01/03/2007, 01:00 PM
rating
5/10
I haven't signed up yet! Don't think I will after reading all the comments. Firmed my decision when trying to find 'Coverage' areas using the Bigpond site (viewed the very very difficult to read state maps, but had no joy receiving coverage INFO after adding in postcodes, etc).
Pros: concept looks good on paper
Cons: lacking the quality management system and leadership to make it work
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