PCUG DSL Service

NOTE - The PCUG DSL service has now been withdrawn and is no longer offered to new subscribers. For details of alternatives, please email pcug.dsl@pcug.org.au.

NOTE - The PCUG DSL service is a completely different and separate service from the TransACT Broadband Internet service also offered by PCUG.

For information on the TransACT Broadband service see the 'Internet Services and charges page (or link on the left).

In addition to the traditional dialup and TransACT broadband services available to our members, PCUG now offers broadband access to the Internet using ADSL technology. The PCUG DSL service is available anywhere in the ACT and NSW (and later anywhere in Australia) where the telephone exchange is equipped for ADSL, and your telephone service meets the necessary Service Qualification standard for ADSL.

The PCUG DSL service allows PCUG to offer broadband services outside the areas served by TransACT.

Not the cheapest, but the best value for money! Check out our prices and levels of service. Do not be tricked by apparently cheaper offers that can finish up costing you an arm and a leg in excess usage charges! Our charges are low and our download quotas the highest.

To check whether the exchange that supplies your telephone service is ADSL enabled, go to Telstra ADSL Search and enter your details. This will tell you whether your telephone exchange is enabled, but does not check each individual telephone line.

What is broadband?

Broadband refers to Internet services that deliver always-on access to the Internet at dramatically higher speeds than traditional, dial-up services.

Depending on what sort of service you are using and where, broadband can provide speeds of as much as 100 times faster than dial-up.

And because it is always on, broadband does not require that you make a phone call to connect therefore freeing up phone lines, reducing costs and cutting down on frustrating call drop-outs common to most dial-up services. In fact the existing telephone line continues to be available for both incoming and outgoing calls at all times, irrespective of whether the broadband service is being used or not.

There are basically two different ways for you to connect to high-speed, or broadband Internet: DSL (such as the ADSL service provided by PCUG) and cable (such as the high speed cable provided by TransACT in some suburbs in Canberra).

More about DSL from the technical side.

PCUG DSL Charges

The charges for PCUG DSL services in the ACT and NSW are set out below. Monthly charges including GST, for a twelve month contract. As with all other PCUG Internet services, payment must be made in advance for the number of months the subscriber wishes to have the service - but note that in the first year PCUG must insist on a minimum commitment to keep the PCUG service for twelve months, in order to cover our setup costs.

We apologise to those members who find the table below confusing. We hope the explanation that follows the table helps. ADSL services come in many different levels of service - both the speed of the connection and the amount of downloading you may do before paying excess charges. A service level of 256k downloading and 64k uploading will in practice be about eight times as fast as using a dial-up modem. See below for some more explanations

NOTE - The charges below are for the PCUG DSL service only. Charges for the Broadband Internet service via TransACT also offered by PCUG are set out in the TIP web site.

Excess downloads for the Limited and High Usage accounts will be charged at 6.0 cents per MB.

There is an initial installation fee of $125 payable by each subscriber at the time of application. The installation fee does not include the cost of the equipment needed in the subscriber's premises (CPE modem and filters).

All existing users of the PCUG Internet service who change over to the PCUG DSL service will have all the credit in their existing dial-up account transferred to the ADSL account. However an initial payment of six months in advance will still be necessary. The credit will be transferred to their account before the payment for the period after six months is due.

Note that the above PCUG charges do not include the cost of your telephone service.

Which Level of service is Best for Me?

Each subscriber must work out what level of service they need. However PCUG suggests that members, who currently use dial-up access mainly for email and some browsing of the web, will, at least initially, be satisfied with the Low Usage option. The lowest speed of 256k/64k is five to eight times faster than using a dial-up modem, and the download quota of 1GB (1,000Mb) would be more than most members would need each month. Remember you can always ask for an upgrade when you decide you need it.

On the other hand members who download a lot of music or films may find the lowest speed frustrating. We suggest those members try the middle speed of 512k/128k first. The Low Usage download quota of 1.5 GB (1,500 Mb) would allow quite a few songs to be downloaded each month, but may be inadequate for those who download films or play games. If members play games on line, or download many films, we suggest they try the High Usage option.

The PCUG DSL Installation Processes

When a member applies for this service we will first check that ADSL can be supplied at the telephone exchange which serves the member, before charging the member the initial fees. When an application is lodged, credit card details will be taken in full so that the fees may be charged as soon as availability of ADSL is confirmed. However, in some cases, the technical tests carried out during installation of the service may reveal that ADSL cannot be provided on the particular telephone line, even though the exchange is enabled. Generally there is little we can do in that situation, but of course we will not charge the member if we cannot provide the service.

CPE Modems, etc.

In order that a telephone line may be used with an ADSL broadband service some special equipment, called Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), must be installed in the subscriber's premises. PCUG is able to supply CPE, as a service to members, at the lowest possible cost, if the CPE is ordered at the time of application for service . Those costs must be paid in advance. The CPE will be supplied direct from the manufacturer for self-installation. Suitable installation instructions will be supplied.

PCUG will supply any of the CPE listed in the CPE page separately from an application for ADSL service. However the cost may vary slightly, depending on which device a member wishes to purchase. Please ask the Centre.

Information on each of the CPE modems and related equipment which are available through PCUG is available in the CPE Details page.

Keep Your Existing PCUG Email Addresses

Existing subscribers changing to the PCUG DSL service will keep their existing "pcugmemb@pcug.org.au" email address and account, and will be able to access it via the ADSL service. So no need to tell all your contacts that you have a new address. That includes any email aliases you may have set up - all your current addresses stay the same. However you will need change the settings in your email client program in order to send emails. More information on the settings you need is available at Configuring Your Email Client Program.

You Will Need to Change Your Log-in ID

However the log-in ID for each subscriber will be different from the log-in ID for the existing PCUG Internet service. For example the log-in ID for the above subscriber when connecting to the ADSL service would be this - "pcugmemb@pcug.your-dsl.net". The log-in ID is necessary because subscribers to the PCUG DSL service will be connected to a different server with different addresses than the existing PCUG Internet service servers.

Connection Instructions

PLEASE NOTE - You will need to read the Connection Instructions carefully - we suggest you print the instructions out before you begin carrying out the installation. The instructions are at: Connection Instructions.

Application Form

You may download the Application Form.

Please ensure that all relevant boxes on the PCUG DSL application form are filled in to ensure that the initiation and installation processes can be completed quickly. Please note that you will need to specify a different log-in password for the ADSL service to the one you normally use for PCUG email. When you have completed and signed the form please send it to the PCUG Centre.

You may deliver the application form by -

Having Trouble?

If you fail to get your PCUG DSL service operating after following the Connection Instructions, please print out the PCUG DSL Trouble Shooting page.