Note: The following review comes from PC Authority magazine. For the full article, read the November issue of PC Authority.Optus’ website currently claims maximum bandwidth of 3.6Mb/s on its 3G/HSDPA network, but in practice we found its network much more impressive. Our download speeds were just over 3.5Mb/s, second only to Telstra. Its upload speed was also good enough to collect the silver medal: 330Kb/s is easily good enough for VoIP calls and uploading images to Flickr.
Update: There have been worrying reports about network congestion. While we didn't see any in our test, it's worth keeping in mind if you plan to use mobile broadband during peak hours.
Despite offering second-best download and upload speeds, Optus’ plans stand out for their pricing. Its low-end plans are a little pricey – $40 for up to 2GB compares badly with 3’s $15 for 1GB or $29 for 3GB, but users looking at 5GB plans will be pleasantly surprised. $10 per gigabyte on Optus’ 5GB plan is beaten only by Virgin. And, despite Virgin sharing Optus’ network, Optus didn’t appear to have shared the keys to its HSDPA network in our tests – Optus was by far the faster.
Optus’ HSDPA modem is one of the more fetching examples of 3G hardware this month. Standalone USB modems – which require attaching with a mini-USB cable – are thankfully falling out of vogue, and Optus’ USB stick modem is a model of neatness. Pop it in and it autodetects as a CD drive.
Optus’ management software installs straight from the device itself, so not only is there no CD to lose, but transferring your broadband account between laptops is a doddle, as everything you need travels with the modem.
A useful final touch is the MicroSD slot, allowing you to add storage to the USB stick. Our only gripe is the USB stick lid – once it’s detached there’s no way to tether it to anything – it’s begging to be mislaid.
The most significant drawback to Optus’ plans is that none of them – even the $60, 6GB plan – includes the modem. Instead, it’s an upfront charge of $199, by far the most expensive here.
On a 24-month contract we’d expect much more subsidisation, particularly when Virgin’s offering is exactly the same hardware, but for free. Of secondary concern is the per-MB charge for exceeding your plan – 15c means that if Windows unexpectedly grabs a 100MB update you could find yourself with an alarming bill.
Of the two ISPs providing HSDPA, Optus offers better value for money. At the 5GB mark its rates are extremely competitive, and we appreciate its easy-to-use hardware.
If you don’t need outstanding speed you should consider both 3 and Virgin, as both companies are even more aggressive with their rates, but for speed alone, Optus is great value for money.