Patrick's Soapbox

This is an update to an entry I posted in March 2004, as a public service mainly (as that page seems to be picking up a fair amount of Google traffic at the moment). If you are confused about broadband offerings in New Zealand this entry is for you.

Please note:

As it stands the below is not a complete list of available options. When I have a bit more time I shall update it with a better comparison and more useful info (like actual, up to date, prices). For now my commentary is my advice, follow lines for more details on prices.

Basically you have two or three main options:

• JetStream, by any other name should sound as... well, ADSL.
• Cable, if you are "lucky" enough to live in the right parts of Christchurch or Wellington
• Woosh, if you are "lucky" enough to live in the right areas.

JetStream

JetStream is what Telecom/Xtra call it. My advice? Don't go with Xtra. The main ISPs I'd recommend are as follows:

• ihug - offer a range of plans for less than $100/month with a maximum possible 80GB of transfers. Uploads are not charged. See the notes below.
• actrix - offer a plan that gives you 1GB/day, for $70. If you go over your speed drops, but only for that day.
• orcon - You pay a base (depending on speed) for 1GB, then $10 per $10GB. If you used 30GB it's the same as actrix, but, unlike most you won't get a speed drop. So, scalable, but uncertainty.

Sadly while you can get 2Mbps downstream they still all limit you to 128kbps upstream. This sucks if you want to use flickr or other such services and want to contribute (by uploading photos, or videos, or so on).

Cable

Sadly since the last entry TelstraClear have kind of lost their mojo. Back then they introduced new plans that were not only attractive but wiped the rug right out from Telecom's offerings. Sadly, since then the internet has moved on, other ISPs now resell reasonable speed (downstream only, sadly). Why go cable now? The upstream. They offer 2mbps upstream on all new plans. They do also offer a 10Mbps downstream service, which is tempting, but the caps are ridiculously low.

• TelstraClear

Woosh

They are not the cheapest, they're not the fastest. What do they offer you might ask? The easiest broadband (if you can call it that) experience of all. Drop in to a retail store, confirm coverage, give them some money, drive home, plug in to your computer, and bob is your uncle. Or was he mine, or George's, oh well, doesn't matter. It's also portable, so you're not stuck with just using it at home. (You can add roaming further than 50KM away for $20/month, and use your Wellington modem in Auckland for example.) My parents use this and it's perfect for them.

Woosh also hold the distinction of being the only service I mention here that doesn't require you purchase a phone line. They'll sell you one (using their wireless service), but that's not the same as the above two. JetStream needs a phone line, and for no good reason TelstraClear won't sell you cable internet without one. Oh well.

• Woosh

My suggestion?

Heavy User

Go ihug. You just can't beat the straight data they'll let you download. If you time it right you'll get a free modem and installation.

Light User

Have a look at ihug's offerings, if you just use email and a smallish amount of web browsing every other day you likely use less than 200MB/month.

Need internet RIGHT NOW

Go Woosh. Nobody else can beat their fast setup (Need internet. Go to store. Home. Have internet.) and they have a 30 day money back guarantee, if it doesn't work out.

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ihug notes

Like most ISPs they drop the cost if you give them your tolls. However, with ihug this also means double the bandwidth. Worth remembering.

Also, 80GB I mentioned is a little misleading (although not so on their site). They give you half your bandwidth between 6am and midnight, and the other half from midnight-6am. If you go over in one half it drops, but the other remains full speed. If you use bittorrent, or a download manager it should be relatively easy to schedule things to overnight if need be.

My flat has been with ihug for 2 months now, this month we actually managed to hit the 40GB cap (in fact, we went over it by a GB or two), with a roughly even split.