The Exetel HSPA service requires the use of an Optus supplied ’sim’ plus a USB device to connect the ’sim’ to the Optus/Exetel network. Exetel provides both the ’sim’ and the necessary USB device for a once only charge of $95.00. If you already have a suitable ‘modem’ then you can buy the sim only for a once only charge of $25.00 including delivery.

If you have a mobile telephone handset (such as an Apple iPhone or one of the many other 3G mobile handsets) you wish to connect to the Exetel/Optus HSPA service, and are confident in your technical abilities to ensure this works, there is no need to use a USB device and the only once only charge is $25.00 for the supply of the required ’sim’.
A list of compatible mobile handsets can be found by clicking the side bar link ‘Compatibility List’ that can be found on the left hand side of this page.

Because Wireless Broadband is limited in the same way that a mobile phone is for reception you will need to check you have got coverage in the area you will be using your 3G Wireless Broadband. Please click, Coverage Map for a map.

While the theoretical speed possible is 7.2 mbps down, speeds are dependent on many factors but it is likely that most users will get practical download speeds of 2 mbps – 2.5 mbps in a location with ‘perfect’ conditions. Many Exetel/Optus HSPA users are experiencing speeds greater than these, 4.5 mbps in North Sydney for instance. These speeds will become more common and more widespread as Optus progressively upgrades the network to 7.2 mbps down and over 1 mbps up across Australia.

You can travel anywhere within coverage and have constant access to the internet and email. Exetel’s Wireless Broadband via Optus service is an ideal mobile data service that combines Optus’ wide geographic coverage with Exetel’s industry leading very low pay for what you use data rates. With no contract and no ‘included usage’ plans a person who needs access to the internet via their laptop in different geographic locations at the lowest possible cost will find it difficult to beat an Optus/Exetel HSPA service.

Exetel’s wireless broadband via Optus service is an ideal replacement for a dial up internet service offering much higher speeds (subject to location) and, for people who download less than 1 gigabyte a month (practically all dial up users) Exetel’s wireless broadband service is almost certainly going to be lower cost than a current dial up service with the additional advantage of no dial up telephone call costs and, if required, no telephone line rental charge.

The major advantage of Exetel wireless broadban service is that it requires no telephone line rental and a customer is charged, in Exetel’s case, only for the actual data transmitted plus a small monthly service fee.
However, the downloads are expensive compared to Exetel’s, and other ISPs ADSL plans at levels above 3 gigabytes a month of usage and therefore wireless broadband, at least at this time in its development is not suitable for people who want large downloads (it definitely is NOT suitable for people who use P2P) or who want to play low latency sensitive games.
For a customer who wants a broadband internet service for browsing, email and limited file downloading with total monthly downloads and uploads of less than 3,000 megabytes (approximately 50% of all users of Exetel’s ADSL broadband services) then it is a very low cost service (less than $40.00 a month) that has the ability to further lower a households communication costs via VoIP (which requires no telephone line and which provides Australia wide wire line calls at 10 cents per call).

With each Exetel Post Paid HSPA plan you also get the following additional facilities:

• 10 email addresses in the form of – yourname@exemail.com.au
• 200megabytes of user web space
• A permanent IP address (with the ability to change it if you wish to do so at any time)
• Usage meters for your HSPA and any other Exetel service you choose to use
• A comprehensive User Facility that allows you to manage every aspect of every Exetel service

Plans	Service Activation Charge	Monthly Access Charge	Included Data **	Excess Usage Charges	Contract Period	Order
Up To 7.2 Mbps Down/384 Kbps Up
HSPA WI A*	$0.00	$5.00	Zero	1.5 cents per MB	NONE
HSPA WI B*	$0.00	$15.00	1 GB	5 cents per MB	NONE
HSPA WI C*	$0.00	$22.50	2 GB	5 cents per MB	NONE
HSPA WI D*	$0.00	$37.50	5 GB	5 cents per MB	NONE

With each Exetel Prepaid HSPA plan you also get the following additional facilities:

• 1 email addresses in the form of – yourname@exemail.com.au
• A permanent IP address (with the ability to change it if you wish to do so at any time)
• Usage meters for your HSPA and any other Exetel service you choose to use
• A comprehensive User Facility that allows you to manage every aspect of every Exetel service and recharge your Exetel pre-paid data plan.

Plans	Price	Included Data **	Expiry Period	Order
R0550	$15.00	550 mbytes	30 Days
R1000	$20.00	1 gbytes	30 Days
R2000	$30.00	2 gbytes	90 Days
R3000	$45.00	3 gbytes	90 Days
R4000	$55.00	4 gbytes	90 Days
R6000	$90.00	6 gbytes	90 Days