about the partnership

Am I still an iiNet customer?
Yes. To be eligible for this offer you must have an internet or phone product with iiNet. If you sign up to 3 Mobile Broadband on a plan or on prepaid you will also be a 3 customer.

Who do I call if I have problems with my 3 Mobile Broadband?
Call 3 Care on 133 921 they're available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Prepaid customers please call 3 Prepaid Care on 131 921.

Do I get separate bills?
Yes. You will receive a bill from iiNet for any iiNet services. For any 3 Mobile Broadband services on a plan you will also receive a separate bill from 3.

Is iiNet owned by 3?
No, iiNet is partnering with 3 to offer Mobile Broadband services to our customers.

about 3 mobile broadband

What is 3 Mobile Broadband?
3 Mobile Broadband is a fast internet connection for your laptop that you can take with you anywhere in 3's Broadband Zone. The Zone covers the greater metropolitan areas of most Australian capital cities. Broadband uses wide bandwidth channels for sending and receiving data. Bandwidth means the transmission speed of a network. The wider the bandwidth, the more data it can transmit per second. Most Mobile Broadband services available in Australia today are based on 3G network technology.

Is Mobile Broadband a secure internet connection?
Yes. The connection between your Modem and 3's 3G mobile network is protected by multiple levels of encryption. However like any other internet access solution you will need to protect the connection between your computer and the internet. Please go to the Internet Safety page of the 3 website for more information.

3 Mobile Broadband vs. dial-up
A dialup service connects to the internet through your phone line with the maximum connection speed of 56kbps. On the other hand 3's Mobile Broadband allows you to access the internet without the need for a phone line at typical speeds ranging from 600kbps to 1.5Mbps.

speed

How fast is 3 Mobile Broadband?
3's Mobile Broadband operates at HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) speeds in 3's Broadband Zone. That means a theoretical maximum download speed of 3.6Mbps and typical speeds ranging from 600kbps to 1.5Mbps. Uplink speeds are up to 384kbps.
How fast is that? Well at 1.5Mbps a typical (3MB) music track downloads in 16 seconds.
These speeds are available using 3's Internet Key Modems which are HSDPA enabled. For devices that are not HSDPA enabled, the download speed in 3's Broadband Zone is up to 384kbps.
The actual speed achieved will vary depending on a number of factors such as device capabilities, your location and equipment, and network usage at the time.

coverage

What is the coverage of 3 Mobile Broadband?
3 provides Mobile Broadband at HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) speeds in the 3 Broadband Zone. The Zone covers the greater metropolitan areas of most Australian capital cities. For more information on coverage click here to go to the Network Coverage page on 3's website.

How can I check if I am located in the 3 Broadband Zone?
You can check if you are in the 3 Broadband Zone by typing your street address into 3's online coverage checker. To access the checker click here and follow the instructions.

What are the things I need to know about coverage?
Customers must live or work at addresses within 3's Broadband Zone to be eligible for connection.
Whilst we have tried to be as accurate as possible, the coverage maps only provide a general indication of the different coverage service areas. As with all 3G networks, there may be some areas within the stated coverage areas where reception is limited or unavailable. Your modem's indicator light will show you when you are not in 3's Broadband Zone. Please check your modem guide for details.
There will also be areas within 3's Broadband Zone shown on the map where your speed may be reduced. This is due to factors that we cannot reasonably control and may affect reception, such as modem type and quality, high or large buildings, basements, car parks, tunnels and geographical features.

What if I need to use Mobile Broadband outside the 3 Broadband Zone?
Outside of 3's Broadband Zone you can still access the internet by roaming. Speeds are slower and usage is charged differently. While roaming in Australia outside of the 3 Broadband Zone speeds will be significantly slower than in the 3 Broadband Zone (20-40kbps, or 20-30 times slower than normal). Each Mobile Broadband plan and Prepaid recharge includes a small allowance for emergency roaming such as for sending urgent emails. Usage above your roaming allowance will be charged at $1.65 per MB. For Mobile Broadband Prepaid customers you can also buy a Roaming add on.

How would I know if I am in the 3 Broadband Zone when using the service?
The Internet Key Modem has indicator lights. If you use the Internet Key Modem in the Broadband Zone, the device light will shine blue or cyan (A cyan light will only be shown during active usage; otherwise the modem light will revert to blue). Your connection manager software will also say 3G, UMTS or HSDPA. If it turns green and EDGE OR GPRS appears on your on-screen dashboard panel, then you are outside the Broadband Zone.
We find that most customers don't need to use their device outside the Broadband Zone. If you live or always work outside the Zone then 3 Mobile Broadband is not an ideal solution for you.

Can I use 3 Mobile Broadband overseas?
Yes customers on a 3 Mobile Broadband plan can roam onto 28 networks in 22 countries around the world. If you are in another country with a 3 network we offer very competitive rates. And 3 are continually adding new countries where you can use 3 Mobile Broadband.
Please note that customers with Mobile Broadband Prepaid are currently not able to use their service overseas.
International Roaming usage is not covered by your monthly included data allowance and will be charged for at rates determined by the Zone where your usage is generated. See this list for International Roaming pricing information. Speeds available vary from network to network and may not be as fast as here in Australia. You'll have to make sure you enable international roaming on your account and your device before you go.

service (plans and prepaid)

What will I be charged if I go over my included monthly Broadband Zone data allowance on a 3 Mobile Broadband plan?
Extra usage above your allowance in the Broadband Zone will be charged at 10c per MB.

Is 3 Mobile Broadband charged by how much time I'm connected for?
No. Your plan is only based on data usage. The length of time it takes you to use your allowance depends on what you use the internet for. Note that while you are connected, some software on your computer could use the internet connection in the background without you realising it. For example this could occur when downloading software updates or when using a program like Skype that constantly communicates with the internet.

Is upload usage taken out of my monthly allowance?
Yes. Both upload and download usage will contribute towards your monthly data allowance. Similarly, any excess usage is calculated by adding together download and upload usage.

Can I roll over unused data from month to month?
For customers on a Mobile Broadband plan their data allowance expires at the end of the month and cannot be rolled over. Mobile Broadband Prepaid customers can rollover any unused data as long they recharge before the expiry date. Please note that a maximum of 15GB can be accumulated on a Prepaid account.

Can I recharge my Mobile Broadband Prepaid service straight away?
No. You have to wait up to 24 hours after activation before you can register on My 3 to recharge your account. You will receive 100MB when you activate online, or 50MB when you activate via 3 Care.

For my Mobile Broadband Prepaid service will I be notified before my data allowance expires?
Yes, 5 days before your allowance expires, an SMS notification is sent to your Mobile Broadband connection manager.

Will I be notified before my Mobile Broadband Prepaid service (3G SIM) expires?
Yes, 10 days before your 3G SIM Card expires you will receive an SMS notification to your Mobile Broadband connection manager.

What happens if my Mobile Broadband Prepaid data allowance expires?
If you run out of data you will not be able to access the internet and you will need to recharge to continue using your prepaid service. Please note you do not need to have credit to access My 3.

Where can I recharge my Mobile Broadband Prepaid service?
You have a range of recharge options, you can recharge: 
- On My 3 with a credit card 
- By setting up an auto-recharge on My 3 using a saved credit card
- On My 3 with a voucher purchased from your nearest 3Store, Dealer or participating ePay outlet

What happens if I buy a Prepaid Cap (voice) voucher for my Mobile Broadband Prepaid service?
If you have purchased a 3 Prepaid Cap voucher by mistake, please call 3 Prepaid Care on 131 921.

What is the roaming allowance for?
3 provide a roaming allowance for those times when you can't wait to get back in the 3 Broadband Zone, so you can still do things like sending an urgent email.

Can I send and receive emails?
Yes. You can do all the usual things that access to the internet allows you to do. Please note that Mobile Broadband Prepaid services do not currently support VPN connections.

What can I do with 1GB of data?

accounts

What happens if I go over my broadband data allowance?
If you have a Mobile Broadband plan and go over your included data allowance, you can still access the internet at broadband speeds; however you will be charged 10c per MB of usage above your allowance.

How can I monitor my usage to avoid going over the included data allowance?
You can check your usage online through 3's online customer account management portal, My 3. Please note that for Mobile Broadband plans usage information takes up to 48 hours to be updated on My 3. Customers on a Prepaid service can also check their remaining data credit and expiry dates on My 3.

Can I use my Mobile Broadband data allowance for my Internet Key Modem on my 3 Mobile?
No. You will need to sign up to a separate data pack for your 3 Mobile.

Do I get a free email address with my 3 Mobile Broadband service?
Every 3 Mobile Broadband service gets a free three.com.au email account with a 10MB storage limit. This email can be accessed via an email client like Outlook or Outlook Express and via the 3 webmail. If you do need an email account with more storage capacity, we suggest looking into a free email account such as Gmail, Windows Live Hotmail or Yahoo mail.

billing

How is a 3 Mobile Broadband plan billed in the first month?
When you sign up to a Mobile Broadband plan, your first month is billed on a pro-rata basis. This means, if you signed up to a plan in the middle of a billing month, you will be charged for only half the monthly spend, but also receive half of your allowance. You will receive your full allowance when your billing month renews. To find your billing date, you can register on My3 Online 24 hours after signing up.
Note: Pro-rata billing applies only in the first month, if usage exceeds your pro-rata usage allowance in this period a charge of 10c per MB of excess usage applies.

setup and technical stuff

Is 3 Mobile Broadband easy to set up?
Setting up your 3 Mobile Broadband is really easy. All you need to do is plug the Modem into a USB port on your computer and follows the instructions. Just in case; we also provide you with a Starter Guide to help you. If you do experience any difficulties you can call the 3 Care team on 133 320. They're available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Prepaid customers please call 3 Prepaid Care on 131 921.

Can I use my 3 Mobile Broadband Internet Key Modem on different computers?
You can easily use the Modem between any Windows or Mac desktop PC or laptop that has a spare USB port, as the software installs via the modem. You'll have to install the Modem and the supplied software on each computer before you can use it.

Can I use the Internet Key Modem on a desktop computer?
Yes, as long as the computer is compatible and has an available USB port.

What are the system requirements for the Internet Key Modem?
All you need is a Windows or Mac OS computer (Win 2000 SP4, XP SP2 , Vista 32 & 64-bit and Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5) with a spare USB port.

Is the Internet Key Modem compatible with Vista?
Yes, with both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Vista. If you use the 64-bit version of Vista you may need to download the latest software updates from our website.

Does the Internet Key Modem come with a warranty?
Yes, your modem has a 24 month warranty. The terms and conditions of the warranty are outlined in the Modem Starter Guide.

Can you help me with other technical stuff?
For Mobile Broadband technical support please visit the Technical Support section of the 3 website or call the Technical Support team on 1300 651 545.