We all need to be connected internet especially if you have just relocated to Melbourne. Connecting to the internet is an easy process. You pick a plan with an ISP and give them your address, provide some method of payment and the process begins. However, it takes anywhere from 5 to 21 days to get connected.  It’s faster if your rental is a newer apartment and wired. Getting internet for a rental house could be longer because ISP have to determine infrastructure availability.

Finders Keepers Property Locators helps you connect the internet

But everyone prefers to be connected immediately. So one of the services Finders Keepers Property Locators provide is starting the ball rolling on the internet connection process which all of my clients find very helpful as they don’t have to wait the entire 21 days or they are connected on the day they arrive. One less thing to worry about.

Do not get hooked by cheap monthly fees

A few internet companies are offering $59.99 per month connection for unlimited amounts of data on the ADSL network. While this is very appealing, you have to remember that in most cases you get what you pay for.

Customer Service should be the overriding factor in choosing an ISP

The speed of your internet connection is determined by the infrastructure, your location and distance to the exchange and the plan you choose. So it’s safe to say that all ISPs will provide you with exactly the same connection based on what plan you choose and where you are located. The crucial factor for me is the customer service.

Some of the ISPs in Melbourne

The average monthly price range for either ADSL or NBN is around $55 to $70.

Telstra and Optus – have the largest network in Melbourne but have not connected my clients to them because their plans are too expensive.

TPG – averagely priced plans and good customer service unless something goes wrong and it’s the worst. No one follows up on anything and be prepared to repeat your stories several times. Ask for the call centre supervisor as soon as you can.

iiNet – priced towards the higher end of the range and good customer service.

Internode – a few dollars more than iiNet and excellent customer service.

MyRepublic – cheap plan and worst customer service. Avoid at all cost until they get their act together.

Belong – averagely priced and offers a month on month plans that you can cancel. Good customer service and is a subsidiary of Telstra

Experience with connecting with My Republic

Last Nov 28, my client started the process with getting internet connection with MyRepublic. MyRepublic has a single plan. It’s $59.99 per month for unlimited data on whatever is the fastest available connection and if you contract 12 months with them they will send you a modem for $1. It took them two weeks to send the modem out instead of the promised 7 days. They also said that the connection will take 20 days. So when I haven’t heard from them on the 23rd Dec., I gave them a call for an update and was told that they cannot provide the service. They knew about this since the 1st Dec from their wholesaler but they failed to inform my client. Then it became a scramble to find another ISP company to deliver the service just before companies go on break. The person on the phone was apologetic but I can hear that it wasn’t sincere and was reading off of a script and he kept on insisting that they are a new company.  Don’t open your doors if you aren’t ready. Avoid them until they get their process and systems in place. The plan they offer is excellent on paper but they are having a difficult time delivering the service. By the way, at the beginning of the conversation on 20th Dec., my client had to verbally agree that he is not allowed to discuss any of the conversation with anyone or post on social media. Makes you really wonder what service they provide.

Find out what internet connection is available in your rental property

Each of the ISPs listed above will have an area to plop in your rental home address to find out if you can get the NBN, ADSL2+ and other broadband services. Be wary of words like “you MAY be able to” which means that the connection will require some technical work.

What is the NBN?

NBN is fibre optic connection and is the fastest internet service available in Australia. If you can get this at your rental home in Melbourne, that would be the best. If not, the second fastest speed is ADSL2+. Find out if you can get the NBN on your rental home.  Ironically, their web page takes a few seconds to load.