Telephone & Internet In Australia

Telephone & Internet In Australia
Being an industrialised, 'first world' country, Australia boasts a modern and generally effective telephone and internet network across the country. Even though Australia is a remote country in comparison to other continents around the world, the nation has strived to keep the telephone and internet systems up-to-date and accessible to everyone.

Internet
The internet first came into existence in Australia in the late 1980's, and by the mid-1990's, most major cities had dial-up connections from commercial Internet Service Providers. Unfortunately, due to the massive expanse of land that makes up Australia, the local Broadband internet is actually somewhat slower compared to other major nations around the globe.

There are several modes of technology that provide internet access for households and businesses, including Cable, Wireless, Fibre Optics and Satellite technology. However, ADSL, or Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, is the most commonly used technology. Telstra controls most of the landline internet infrastructure, with Optus operating the remainder. Australian mobile phone services use 3G connections.

Australia is served by a number of internet providers. Bigpond is a subsidiary of Telstra, and is among the largest and busiest internet providers in the country. Dodo, Vodafone, TransACT, and Optus are some of the other providers of Broadband internet services.

The internet is also available in rural areas, although the service can be considered slow compared to other parts of the world. Most of the towns in rural Australia are connected to the Broadband Connect program, but there is a current shift for rural areas to be supplied through wireless internet services rather than land-based infrastructure.

Telephone
Australia's telecommunications network is predominantly supplied by Telstra. This is the largest telecommunications company in Australia, and provides a majority of the phone services for residents. Home phones, mobile phones, and businesses can all be serviced by Telstra. In addition to Telstra, Optus has become a major player in the telecommunications industry over the last decade.

When it comes to mobile phone services, which are becoming much more popular than landlines, there are several companies individuals should talk to in Australia. Telstra is again the largest supplier, but Optus, Vodafone, Orange, and Three are also extremely reputable.

When using phones for domestic purposes, the standard number of digits a landline telephone has is 10. The first digit is 0,followed by the area code and home number. Each region has its own number or numbers to go with the first 0. For example, Sydney and the east coast region is 02, while the north-east region (predominantly Queensland) is 07.