I’d rather the USB modem that a warm-to-hot palmrest, although this can also depend on the type of laptop you’re using and where the PCMCIA slot is positioned. If positioned under the keyboard, as opposed to the palm rest as it is on my laptop, the heat factor may well be much less of an issue. This is something you’ll have to determine yourself, although my suggestion is that the USB modem is a simpler and better option, and even gives you the ability to easily connect it to a desktop PC if ever required – you can’t do that with the PCMCIA modem.

BigPond Group Managing Director, Mr Justin Milne, is obviously excited by the new modems with the press release saying that “together with the Mobile Card for laptops launched on October 6, the new Windows-compatible devices make wireless broadband access a reality for virtually everyone living within the Next G network area, Australia’s greatest 3G network”.

Justin Milne’s direct quote is that: “Telstra is committed to broadbanding Australia and with our mobile and desktop BigPond Wireless Broadband options anyone in our extensive coverage area can connect to the Next G network”.

BigPond Next G Desktop Modem

When it comes to pricing, Milne says that: “The USB card will match BigPond Wireless Mobile Card pricing, with plans based upon time, speed or downloads.  Wireless modem plans start from $39.95 a month for a 256kbps/200MB 12-month plan with four other options providing faster speeds and more downloads”.

Milne continues: “This is great news for customers without access to wired broadband services, such as ADSL or Cable, or those customers who want freedom to relocate, such as students and tenants”.

That is great, but students and tenants wanting to download a lot of data, even with the desktop USB modem, won’t be so happy at the 1Gb and 3Gb limits and the associated pricing, with the cheapest plan only offering a paltry 200Mb which can be swallowed up by some operating system and Internet security updates.

Still, at least it is available, and download limits have to be increased in the future – people will simply need to download more in the course of their everyday lives. It looks like students and tenants that need to download tens of gigabytes of data will just need to go on an ADSL or cable service, and put up with the transfer fee and the associated wait to move their connection to another premises. Please read onto the last page for final info and pricing details...