Virgin Broadband (Australia)

Virgin Broadband is a wireless broadband service offered in Australia by the telecommunications company Virgin Mobile Australia.

It is provided over the mobile network of parent company Optus using HSDPA technology.

The service was launched in 2007, offering a package of 4GB of data at claimed speeds of up to 700Kbit/s, and unlimited phone calls to landlines Australia-wide as well as Virgin Mobile mobiles. [cite web
url=http://apcmag.com/6795/virgin_broadband_it_will_slaughter_telstras_profit
title=Virgin Broadband poised to slaughter Telstra's landline profits
accessdate= 2008-01-22
date=2007-07-26
work=APC Magazine
publisher=ACP Magazines Ltd]

The service uses an Option Globesurfer 7.2 modem, which includes an RJ11 jack for the connection of a regular PSTN landline telephone, an Ethernet jack for connection of a computer, as well as inbuilt 802.11g WiFi for wireless access by multiple computers. [cite web
url=http://apcmag.com/6796/review_virgin_broadband
title=In-depth review: Virgin Broadband's home HSDPA broadband service
accessdate= 2008-01-22
date=2007-07-28
work=APC Magazine
publisher=ACP Magazines Ltd]

Each customer of Virgin Broadband is assigned a landline phone number on which they can receive incoming calls (with callers being charged rates as if they were calling a regular landline number). [cite web
url=http://apcmag.com/6771/look_no_wires_virgin_offers_3g_three_way_for_60
title=Virgin Mobile: home broadband and near unlimited calls for $60
accessdate= 2008-01-22
date=2007-07-25
work=APC Magazine
publisher=ACP Magazines Ltd]

Although the modem accesses the internet and places calls through Optus' mobile network, it must still only be used within a zone around the customer's registered address. According to Virgin Broadband, this is because of rules from the Australian Communications and Media Authority that prevent geographic landline numbers from being assigned to mobile services. [cite web
url=http://apcmag.com/6795/virgin_broadband_it_will_slaughter_telstras_profit
title=Virgin Broadband poised to slaughter Telstra's landline profits
accessdate= 2008-01-22
date=2007-07-26
work=APC Magazine
publisher=ACP Magazines Ltd]

In late 2007, Virgin Mobile changed the Virgin Broadband offer for new customers, halving the data allowance to 2GB as well as comprehensively re-writing their acceptable use policy. [cite web
url=http://apcmag.com/7631/optus_jacks_up_broadband_prices_introduces_excess_usage_fees
title=Optus jacks up broadband prices, introduces excess usage fees
accessdate= 2008-01-22
date=2007-12-04
work=APC Magazine
publisher=ACP Magazines Ltd]

Customer Perception

In early 2008, technology media reported that Virgin Mobile was having difficulty bringing problems with its parent company's network and its modems under control, and its customer call centres had wait times of 90 minutes or longer. [cite web
url=http://www.apcmag.com/7900/virgin_broadband_expands_to_regional_nsw_vic
title=Virgin Broadband expands coverage amid controversy
accessdate= 2008-01-22
date=2008-01-22
work=APC Magazine
publisher=ACP Magazines Ltd]

Comments accumulating on customer-review websites through 2008 indicate that Virgin Broadband is failing to deliver on its promises. Users cite repeated drop-outs on the home phone service, poor performance and even complete lack of connection on the internet service, and long delays and conflicting information from the customer support line. [cite web
url=http://www.productreview.com.au/showitem.php?item_id=55814
title=Virgin Broadband
accessdate= 2008-09-05
date=2008-09-02
work=ProductReview.com.au]

http://www.pcuser.com.au/pcuser/hs2.nsf/lookup+1/49D9848FE184F16DCA2573880005C904

External links

* [http://virginbroadband.com.au/ Virgin Broadband]
* [http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/index.cfm?a=wiki&tag=virgin_home Virgin Home Broadband Wiki] (Whirlpool.net.au)
* [http://vbb.themuses.org/ VBB Information]

References