How to get Jetstream ADSL Fast Internet 

Jetstream is Telecom's name for the high-speed communication service which converts your telephone line into an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL). ADSL allows for a much faster transmission of the digital data which computers use to ride over the pre-existing telephone wires into your house. Not all areas of New Zealand have had their telephone exchanges converted to ADSL, so the first thing to check is whether Telecom have already set up the ADSL service to your area - although if you live in Auckland, this is almost certain.

Advantages

A typical dial-up modem connection to the internet using ordinary telephone wires will usually get internet connection speeds of around 40kbps. With full-speed Jetstream, you will be getting internet connection speeds of up to 3500kbps! Because the digital signals ride over the top of your existing telephone line, a further advantage of Jetstream is that your telephone line can still be used for telephone calls, even whilst you are surfing the internet. And since the ADSL connection is 'always on', there is no waiting for your modem to dial-up and dial in to your ISP's computers. E-mails arrive in a flash and webpages appear in an instant!

It is worth noting that if you cuurently have one telephone line and are thinking of getting a second telephone line (so your phone isn't always engaged whilst your children are surfing on the internet), the monthly cost of your dial-up connection fees ($28) and the cost of renting a second telephone line ($33) work out about the same as the monthly costs for various of the Jetstream plans. Free up your phone line and get faster internet connection at the same time!

Get the Line

To get your telephone line connected to Jetstream, the first thing you need to do is to contact Telecom and get your telephone line converted to ADSL. There are two ways that they can do this:
- connection only, costing $99
- on-site installation and connection, costing $248
In both cases, Telecom engineers need to switch your telephone line to ADSL at the telephone exchange. The difference between these two options is that in the second, Telecom will send an engineer round to your house to install a dedicated ADSL telephone jack. If you have a monitored alarm system at your house, then you will have to take this option - the ADSL signal will interfere with the security alarm system that runs down the telephone line and continuously set off your house alarm. If you don't have a monitored alarm, then you can go for the 'connection only' option. With this option, you will need to have phone filters for every telephone device in your house (phones, fax, sky digital etc). These cost around $20 each - but you usually get at least one for free with your ADSL modem.

It is worth noting that Telecom are frequently having 'special offers' whereby they offer to connect you to ADSL whilst waiving the $99 connection fee. They will also give you a free ADSL router modem. This is the time to get connected!

Get Connected

Typical charges from your ISP will be $29-$79 per month. So, after you have the ADSL line installed with Telecom, you need then to contact your Internet Service Provider to get a Jetstream account with them. It is important to note that not all ISP's provide Jetstream service so you may find that you have to change your e-mail address when you change from dial-up to Jetstream. See: Jetstream ISP's to find out if your current ISP can provide the Jetstream service. The costs also vary slightly from ISP to ISP, with Xtra customers benefiting most from their close relationship with Telecom.

Choose your Plan

Home Users should look at the following webpage to choose the plan that suits: http://www.telecom.co.nz/chm/0,5123,203086-202343,00.html Xtra have just introduced several new plans allowing 1GB, 3GB and unlimited downloads at speeds of 256kbps. This is six times faster than dial-up and costs from as little as $29.95pcm - that's only $2 a month more than flat-rate dial-up connection!

For details of plans for busineeses, see: http://www.xtra.co.nz/products/0,,5804,00.html

Get the Equipment

You are also going to need to get an ADSL modem. Just as with connecting your computer to the internet using dial-up you need a dial-up modem, to get Jetstream you also need a device to connect your computer to that service. ADSL modems cost around $100 for an external ADSL modem - though if you ssign up during one of Telecom's special offers, you will get an ADSL modem for free (!). External ADSL modems can come with built-in network hubs for connecting three or more computers to Jetstream simultaneously.

Which modem you get depends on your needs and your computer equipment. For an internal PCI ADSL modem, you must have at least a Pentium 266Mhz processor (or equivalent) and a spare PCI slot in your computer. If you have only one computer that you want to connect to Jetstream, this is probably the best option for you.

If you have two or more computers, the best way to go is to get an external ADSL modem with an in-built network router or an external ADSL modem and a network hub. The ADSL modem then acts as a DHCP server for the network and all the computers can connect to the internet at any time at all.

Once you have all of these things, then your Jetstream connection is set up.

Checklist

1) contact Telecom to see if Jetstream is available in your area
2) contact your Internet Service Provider to see if they provide Jetstream
3) sign up with Telecom for your plan
4) sign up with your ISP for your plan
5) arrange for Telecom to connect you (connection only or on-site visit)
6) buy telephone filters and an ADSL modem (these may be free!)
7) get it installed and get connected!

Points to note:

• your ISP will give you an ADSL username and password which may be different from your dial-up username and password. Make sure you know what this is!!
• when you have got your ADSL connection installed, remember to cancel your dial-up account. You won't be using this anymore, so there is no need to keep paying for it.

Links for Home Users

Xtra's Guide to getting Jetstream:
http://jetstream.xtra.co.nz/chm/0,,202853-1000,00.html

Xtra's Jetstream Plans for Home Users:
http://www.telecom.co.nz/chm/0,5123,203086-202343,00.html

Recommended ADSL modems and routers:
http://www.dynalink.co.nz/

To order Xtra Jetstream Home, go to:
http://jetstream.xtra.co.nz/chm/0,5123,202858-202321,00.html

Links for Businesses

Xtra's Jetstream Plans for Businesses:
http://www.xtra.co.nz/products/0,,5804,00.html

Order Jetstream for Businesses from Telecom:
https://www.telecom.co.nz/form/1,3905,3030-1424,00.html?SMIDENTITY=NO

General

Jetstream Usage Meter:
http://www.telecom.co.nz/chm/0,5123,200343-201736,00.html

ISP's who provide Jetstream:
http://www.telecom.co.nz/chm/0,5123,203110-202564,00.html