Insider Guides International Student Guide to Sydney | Page 22

22

First Steps

I’m moving into a private rental
and need Internet at home.
If you are in a private rental property
then you may want to consider entering
into a contract for home Internet. A
wireless modem or router is included
on some fixed term plans. If you have
housemates then it is normal to split
the cost with them as you would with
gas or electricity. The plan pricing is
based on your download limit; generally
the higher the download limit, the
higher the cost. If, however you are
unable to get home Internet or prefer a
more flexible option without needing to
enter into a fixed term contract, mobile
broadband is a great alternative. For
more information visit:
telstra.com.au/broadband/homebroadband

I need to connect off campus.
Mobile broadband is the ideal solution for
having access to the Internet when you’re out
and about and away from your home Internet.
Free Wi-Fi is available in some locations
but having your own personal and reliable
connection is an excellent idea. You can get a
mobile broadband dongle, which plugs into
the USB port of your laptop and is ideal for
accessing Internet with one device. If you want
to connect more than one device or share your
Internet connection with others, then a mobile
hotspot is a great solution. A mobile broadband
hotspot connects one or multiple devices to
the Internet wirelessly without needing to plug
an Internet dongle into a USB port, making
it a convenient mobile Internet option for
your tablet, laptop or other device. Mobile
broadband dongles and hotspots are available
in a range of data options to suit your needs. For
more information visit:
telstra.com.au/broadband/mobile-broadband

Applications

Product

Device

Best for

Advantages

Skype

Mobile/Desktop

Video chatting

You can add credit to call friends and family
who don’t have Skype.

Mobile

Messaging

An SMS replacement with added group
conversation benefits.

Mobile/Desktop

Voice Chatting

Viber uses your existing phone number but
uses data/Wi-Fi instead of your minutes.

Mobile/Desktop

Group video chats

‘Hangouts on Air’ let you get involved in
global streams, often featuring high profile
individuals.

Mobile

Photo/Video Messaging

Messages are sent with a time limit and then
expire. This makes it ideal for sending funny
images between friends.

Mobile

‘Walkie Talkie’

‘Walkie Talkie’ allows you to send recorded
voice messages back and forward.

skype.com
WhatsApp
whatsapp.com
Viber
viber.com
Hangouts
google.com.au/
hangouts
Snapchat
snapchat.com
WeChat
wechat.com

First Steps | cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au