Australia is interesting for its geographical and technological exclusivity: the continent gathered extremely motley "crew" like-minded people from all over the world. Modern enterprise and technical solutions are clearly working administrative structure comfortably coexist with the inherent sloppiness and turretless constantly arriving in the country of emigrants. Recent years the government single-mindedly pursues a rather restrictive immigration policies, but many "slingshot" in the way eager to move are not effective. Or how it was originally intended? In any case, clearly traced two streams entering: skilled workers from Russia and former CIS countries, plus many relatives have already mastered in Australia of former citizens of the countries of Southeast Asia. However, this is my own personal opinions and do - talk about mobile communications, not all forms / exams / declarations.
Road link
Given the different time zones during the flight to Australia is 21-25 hours - depending how lucky with flight connections of different airlines. The net flight time - about 19 hours on site, served family Aeroflot, have bored. Other airlines have for many years, offering in-flight satellite-based communications - from the armrest of each chair is sticking multi devaysina size of a small remote control. Smart device includes a navigation / game joystick, buttons television and radio channels, multiple menus, the actual headset and a reader for credit cards. I confess, the quality of satellite at an altitude of 10 km and speed of 950 km / h did not check. I really wanted to, but because of the back seat leaned out a large green frog and made the switch to the good old Digger. Small screens built into the back seat and congenital defect cheap TFT-matrix (small angle) there was merit: even sitting in a nearby armchair traveler sees only a black rectangle, and could easily doze off.
Forced to hunger for information you can satisfy the airport transfer. Unfortunately, all the "good" seats are numerous duty-free shops and the coveted Internet will be a search. But the effort will be rewarded with an absolute lack of queues eager to read the mail. At the Bangkok airport and accidentally discovered quite unconventional option of Internet access: a public telephone with free local calls (the comparison is not in favor of the Airport). Awaiting his flight locals happy peretykayut cord into your own laptop, and while away time reading Web-conferencing. Unfortunately, transit passengers account for just licking their lips at the sight of hateful grace.
Sense of universal "mobilization" of the population, and unwillingness to pay crazy money for long-distance wireline communications. At the same time engage in open dumping any of the operators do not want to, and even competitors zaklyuyut. Here and there are amusing phone-hybrids: when dialing a code to access a connection is established through the usual channels, the recruitment of another - the traffic was "chasing" of data networks and call costs to 40% cheaper (if you believe the ads). In my opinion, just a slightly disguised price reductions for international communication in the face of fierce competition.
First impression - mobile communication in the country, no!
But this is only a first impression, due to the lack of the usual advertising. With connection in Australia is good, especially with the mobile. It is not surprising: rather big continent, in many areas of human settlements are rare and relatively poorly - no wires naprokladyvaeshsya. GSM-operators, a few pieces, different coverage and to a lesser extent - the prices. Australian "telekommunikatory" compete with each other not only in the mobile market. Judging by outward signs (advertising and logo on phone booths), the large companies at the same time provide wireline services and simultaneously sell access to the Internet. Puzzled by the apparent lack of the infamous "office" and "selling points": I wanted to talk directly with representatives, but did not work out: in downtown Sydney caught the eye of only a "general dealer" Corporation Vodafone.
But the SIM-cards are sold in nearly all shops and little shops, and put boxes on display to anyone and does not occur. Mobile advertising is very small (especially compared to Moscow), large billboards and posters can be found only in certain strategic locations (the intersection of traffic, airport). «Prepaid-boxes" in our understanding there: just unsightly bags less than postcard costs about $ 30, of which $ 7 is the cost of SIM-card (or connect - as someone more like it). The seller of a small shop in response to my question "where to buy prepaid» dumped on the counter pieces forty sets and then with an indifferent kind of swept them back into the drawer. The opened bag was not available, but the "Subscriber" it is clearly not, judging by the thickness of the package - a maximum of a couple pages of the subscriber agreement. Prices on the link initially seem prohibitive, but then remembered about the free incoming and ceased to be surprised. In the capital base stations at every step, though guess this is only possible with the help of Net-monitor: towers and a bunch of antennas on the roof is not observed. Outside the city an elegant modern tower with antennas rather are the adornment of the landscape. Excellent signal everywhere, the phone continues to work in the elevators and basements. Tried to lock up in a steel safe hotel room - still complete the bar.
Lean Economy
How to save in a brutal roaming tariffs, we already know: all e-mail redirect in the form of SMS on the phone, all incoming closes on voice mail, on-site buy card IP-telephony calls home and listen to the GP. By the way, full use of 8-dollar card and failed: almost 200 minutes of traffic Sydney to Moscow for a week trip proved too much. Competition is fierce in this market, the most advantageous direction for your card to choose from 20-30 options.
Calls to Moscow's "curves" Beeline mobile phones were ten times more expensive than the MGTS phones, but this is a topic for another conversation. In the fixed-line networks practiced connection fee (for local calls), so that a busy signal when calling on the international IP-card will need to pay for local conversation took place. Quality of IP-connection is very good, deletions frames and typical "grunt" is almost not observed.Another mystery of unpredictable telecommunications - an absolute neprozvon on mobile MTS Moscow: four attempts on different numbers crowned the standard phrase "this number is for IP-telephony is not available." Probably, it was necessary to experiment with different cards, but what to do with them afterwards? These cards are mainly used by locals for long conversations with relatives back home, but the niche market of short international calls is also slowly being bridged. There were cards with a "floating" billing: the first 5 minutes of talk time are charged at very ridiculous prices, then - somewhat more expensive than the average IP-tariffs. As a result, 5-minute call on the next street would cost 30 cents, while the same call to New York - 32.
Crafty "anlim and tricky billing
Brochures are full of great offers operators "unlimited" access to the Internet, and suspiciously profitable intercity and international tariffs. With thoughtful study of the fine print at the bottom of the picture starts to clear: "anlim"-Internet remains the same within a rigidly specified monthly limit (for example, 400 MB of traffic at dial-up connection), while the brute practiced pomegabaytnaya billing. With telephone rates without any glasses do not understand. For example, the advertised "3 cents per minute to any settlement in Australia," in fact may be a fixed fee of $ 1.80 per long distance call duration from 1 minute to an hour. As a rule, the restriction on the duration of the call or Internet session in one form or another are present. In the tariff plans for mobile communications amused yet unknown to Russians hybrid: per-second billing with rigidly prescribed minimum call cost. Not to be confused with a connection charge - where the operator simply sets the bar for a minimal cost of each call. Widely practiced, "zalochivanie" phones under a particular network and sale of equipment and accessories in the loan. In other words, you can go to connect without a phone and an empty purse - and even get a gift from the dealer. But then many months have to pay a little, very often - for the long-lost or stolen handset.
The emphasis is not on technology but on the services
Once again, make sure the mass market of mobile communication allows even a cursory viewing of advertising brochures operators.
Eight-page reklamki Vodafone detailed the numerous "super-modern" facilities and features provided by this - just that! - Operator. Invented and patented even a special name for the service transfer pictures and music, instead of simple and clear references to the already long-known packet-switching technology - advertising husks and vague-sounding phrases. With some difficulty found in the end a couple of words in small print on the need for MMS-support on the phone the person with whom you set out to engage in eye contact with branded Vodafone. Sincerely happy for Russian users: our man all this to deceive not hang, so - though slightly more respected intelligence and technical "advancement" of the Russian party. By the way, MMS-Services (oh, excuse me: of course, does not MMS, but strictly Vodafone-PXTF!) Advertised dummy tube in human growth with images of girls with different degrees of nudity on display. Countries and continents are different, but the fuel "engines of commerce" everywhere the same.
In bed with mobile Claudia
With Internet access in Sydney well. Much better than with access to the beer: after 12 nights in a few bars queue, but at an Internet cafe nemnogolyudno and preferential pricing (about $ 1 per hour). For the lazy and rich Internet browsing and e-mail delivered directly to the hotel room on a TV screen. Keyboard is connected to a television via radio, navigation - built-in joystick.
That is to say, the ability to leisurely view mail at bedtime: $ 4 for the fact that entry into the network and continue for about 30 cents for each minute journey through the World Wide Web. Which version of the browser built into the TV, whether the mail client TV-reading and editing documents MS Word - I do not know. This and other interesting details I did not find out for financial reasons. One thing for sure: the browser window on the TV-screen looks prepoganeyshe, let the rich pay much and cry.
