Unwired offers prepaid wireless broadband

Stuart Corner
Monday, 04 June 2007 09:32

Your IT - Home IT

Unwired is offering prepaid wireless broadband access targeting what it claims is "a new and untapped broadband market segment" with prices starting from $9.95 for seven days of access and 150Mbytes of data.

Prepaid is already available on the rival iBurst network. In February Gotalk launched what it claimed was Australia's first prepaid wireless broadband service, on iBurst. Gotalk's customers can prepay for usage to any amount and are charged 11.5 cents per Mbyte or 39 cents per day even if the service is not used. For $9.95 users would get only 86Mbytes. Gotalk also tips in a dialup Internet account broadband VoIP account and a VoIP soft phone at no additional charge.

Unwired will sell a $196 starter pack comprising a desktop wireless modem and seven days of access. Recharge vouchers will be available from "hundreds of selected ePay retail locations including Video Ezy, Mobil, 7-Eleven and many more" or will be purchasable online with a credit card.

The Unwired service offers download speeds at up to 320kbps, in contrast to the 1Mbps available for contract customers. In addition to the $9.95 option, Unwired will offer $19.95, 15 days and 400MB; $34.95/25/700MB; $59.95/45/1.3GB and $99.95/75/2.5GB.

If the data quota is used before the voucher expires, the service speed will be reduced to 32k/32k for the remainder of time left on the voucher. Both download and upload data are included in the quota.