Thread: Mobile USB Broadband

Hi
I am looking to come to Bali for 2-3 months early next year. Just wondering if you can get USB broadband modems up there yet and if they are are available on prepaid/reasonably priced. Will probably be in an apartment with no internet wired in.

thanks

Tracey

Originally Posted by MissT

I am looking to come to Bali for 2-3 months early next year. Just wondering if you can get USB broadband modems up there yet and if they are are available on prepaid/reasonably priced. Will probably be in an apartment with no internet wired in.

Just got one yesterday from RTC Gatsu becuase I am moving around so much at the moment and dpending on WiFi spots is not so easy.

The one I got is a ZTE model MF628. Described as a HSDPA USB modem with download up to 7.2 Mbps and upload to 2 Mbps. Some info and pics at ZTE MF628,3g USB MODEM, ZTE MODEM:900/1800/1900MHz, 7.2Mbps

It cost me Rp400,000 (they started asking 450,000) - more effective haggling may have got that down a bit.

Then I started with a Telkomsel Flash Unlimited SIM card with a small amount of pulsa - then found a pulsa seller who helped me get onto the monthly plan with a 1.5 GB limit before it throttles back to a 64K download speed limit. This is package 3 on this page Telkomsel | Product | Flash
(use Google translate)

With one day of experience in just one location, it is mostly good, but occasionally just stops - presumably because of network congestion. I note they have an option called Turbo where you can raise your priority in the network - but I will wait and see how I go.

Great info, thanks heaps Ron
One less thing I have to worry about :)

Originally Posted by Markit

Same as that I got an O2 usb with my 1.5 Gb plan from telekomsel and the chances of using that much in a month are illusory to say the most - in the mornings I'm getting d/l speeds of max. 5kb and uploads correspondingly less. After all the bitching though it is a connections (well, most of the time) and does ok for reading emails and a bit of light surfing. Right now 2:30 afternoon am getting a massive 10kb/sec d/l speed - almost blows me away.

Ok - a bit more info - I think it depends on how up-to-date your local telkonsel tower is - I mean the software systems.

In marketing they use these terms 2G, 2.5G, 3G & 3.5G - and when you are just making calls and sending SMS's, this mumbo-jumbo just goes over our heads as calls and messages work much the same no matter which G. But for computer connections it makes all the difference. Some info at 2G - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and 3G - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. if you local phone tower is only 2.5G - then a max download of 10k bytes/sec is likely.

I have been getting good download rates - see the attached speedtest - so will easily consume my 1.5 GB allowance in less than a month. Then you just live out the month at 64K download speed or pay extra in 50,000 amounts to get the faster speed for the remaining days.

My modem status (2nd attachment) often displays HSDPA showing that it is connecting with this protocol which is usually dubbed as 3.5G

Like you, the box my modem came in had O2 prominently printed on the box and it mentioned HSDPA and 7.2 MB download speeds. At the time it meant nothing to me - but I now realize this is what you want in order to be able to work with the best your mobile phone company can offer at the place where you are. They had other modems for a bit less that did not support HSDPA.

Wow quite a bit to digest here......so presumably you purchase the modem from one place and then buy the prepaid internet service from another provider ?? or do Telkomsel have a shop that you can do the whole lot together?

I am coming up to Bali next Thurs for a few days to scout aruond for apartments and will be in Kuta/Tuban area so will try and investigate further.

Thanks for all your help and hope to meet some of you early next year.

Tracey