Virgin Mobile has launched a wireless landline and broadband service that could see you kissing your costly line rental fees goodbye. For $60 a month, you get a free 3G/HSDPA modem, unlimited calls to national landlines, unlimited calls to Virgin Mobile users and calls to other mobiles and overseas for 45c a minute. While it works over the Optus HSDPA mobile network, it acts like a landline, and you can even port your existing home number to it so you don ‘t have to faff about with changing numbers.
But wait, there’s more!As part of the deal, you also get 4GB of broadband internet data at an average speed of 512kbps, which rates very favourably compared to other wireless broadband offerings. However, according to SMH, access to P2P applications are restricted to a 64kbps speed – and this isn’t limited to file sharing applications. ‘Legitimate’ programs like Skype use a peer-to-peer architecture and will suffer from the same speed restrictions. Virgin Broadband Poised To Slaughter Telstra’s Landline Profit [APC]
Penguinista
Sunday, July 29, 2007 at 10:49 AM4GB lol, would barely last me a week.
sole
Monday, July 30, 2007 at 7:33 PMI think this will be great. thanks to our federal government we don’t have a proper broadband network. This might pus telstra to build the network they have been talking about all this time. It creates competition and gives choice to your average consumer that isn’t into illegal downloading.
Dani
Thursday, August 2, 2007 at 10:50 PMHey Richard B
Why don’t you give us Australians what you give to the Uk people as you do from Virginmedia.
Your now insulting me with them shite plans, I’m also not interested in the phone savings but only the bandwith.
Dani
Western Australia
Tony
Sunday, August 5, 2007 at 10:19 PMHa 4gig and access to P2P applications are restricted to a 64kbps speed I really cant see why it needs to be limited give me full speed anytime.
Dear Virgin broadband when you increase the download limit and uncap P2P speed to full speed then and only then I would consider it.
Tony
Melbourne.
Jez
Thursday, August 9, 2007 at 8:41 AMI was critical too until I read this review at APC mag:
apcmag.com/6796/review_virgin_broadband
It’s obviously not the fastest/best broadband option available, but to include 4GB of data and a home phone line with unlimited (well, close to unlimited) landline calls… I think you’d be hard pressed to find another offer that can compete.
I hope it rattles Telstra.
g
Friday, August 10, 2007 at 9:38 AMjust back from the uk – broadband options SO numerous.. a generic, standard plan is unlimited downloads/around 10mbps for £9-19 p/month. some providers also chucking in a free wifi laptop! would love to try this virgin offer – but it’s just too slow/restricted… shame. how about a variable price plan to at least increase the download limit? (and scrap the stupid p2p limit)
Mark
Wednesday, August 15, 2007 at 2:02 PM60 dollars is ok to what is available elsewhere. They should consider a 40gb plan for $100. I know i and many others will be intrested with more download limit.
Roby75
Wednesday, August 22, 2007 at 10:13 PMFor someone who is in a inner metropolitan area and cannot have access to line-based adsl services, this represents a better deal than the majority of other wireless broadband offers. What the other companies need to do is improve the crap lines so everyone can access the full range of services. Good on Virgin for offering this.
Michael John Salmon
Sunday, August 26, 2007 at 6:52 PMHaving just arrived here from the U.K. I am amazed at the lack of competition in Australia.Back in the UK for £21 per month I had unlimited broadband usage,including the telephone line,free phone calls within the UK,free phone calls to 40+ countries inc AU and NZ.The company? Talktalk or Carphone warehouse.
Kept the same phone number too.
Meg O'Connor
Tuesday, February 5, 2008 at 11:00 PMHow do I reach your company – my email was rejected, one and a half hours on the phone in three calls -what do I do now?