INTERNET FAQs

Q. How much does it cost?
A. The internet cost is 4c per megabyte.
It is a prepaid account.

Q: How much does it cost per month?
A: There is a $15 monthly charge of flat rate internet. You will pay when your credit has run out. Our system will send a message to alert you.

Q: Why not have a flat monthly fee?
A: We offer you a flat fee standard speed internet connection at an affordable $15 a month unlimited access to the World Wide Web, community news, email, surfing, chat, blogging, listening to music, radio etc.

Q: Can I get unlimited access from ISP X for $Y / month?
A: If you can bet a better deal from somewhere else we encourage you to go ahead and do it. Our objective is to "bridge the digital divide" and provide internet access to people who would otherwise not be able to get it. Our focus is to provide access as cheaply as possible for people who don't make heavy use of the internet. People who want unlimited downloads are already catered for by other ISPs.

Q. How to pay?
A. All you need to do is deposit money to eACE account at the Fitzroy & Carlton Credit Cooperative 141-145 Brunswick Street-Fitzroy. You need to fill in your details including customer ID, name, address and amount payment in payment slip and give it to teller at the bank. Your internet will be process at 3 pm on the same day. Remember to keep your receipt as proven of payment.

Q. When can I sign up?
A. You can start your internet account at any time by visiting our eACE IT and Learning Hub at 90 Brunswick St and fill in the Internet Application Form. Contact Johnny or Jason on 9415 6170 for more information.

Q. How fast is the connection?
A. Up to 65kbs

Q: Will we have a broadband/cable/ADSL connection?
A: No. The internet will be available 24 hours a day, with no time limits. However, the speed will be limited to about what you would get using a 56K modem over a phone line.

Q. Do I need a modem?
A. No. Each computer will connect through the data point in the wall to the server which will connect you to the Internet.

Q. What is a network Set Up?
A. A Network Setup is when we connect your computer to the data point in the wall with a cable, and provide you with a free Atherton email account. (name@atherton.org.au) and free access to the Atherton Website (www.atherton.org.au). You will need a network setup configuration before you can start an internet account. Call Johnny or Jason on 9415 6170 for more information or email e-team@atherton.org.au .

Q. What happens when my credit runs out?
A. You will get an alert on your computer when your account is getting low. Once your credit has run out you won't be able to connect to the internet. Remember to make payment as soon as you see the message otherwise your internet will be disconnected.

Q: What counts as downloading?
A: Everything you do on the internet involves downloading something. Before you can look at a web page, you have to download it and all the images in it. Some internet activities involve more downloading than others. Web pages with lots of images are much bigger than ones with mainly text. Music, videos, etc usually mean lots of downloading. Messaging (ICQ, MSN Messenger, etc) usually doesn't cause much downloading, unless someone sends you files.

Downloads from the Atherton network (anything with atherton.org.au in the address) are not counted. Neither are downloads from the Infoxchange network (anything with infoxchange.net.au in the address). The first 10 megabytes of email you receive each month is free.

Q: How do I know how much downloads I have left?
A: When your quota drops below a certain point you will be sent an email letting you know that you are running low. If you use up all your downloads you will be sent another email. To enquire about this contact the eACE helpdesk at 9415 6170.

Q: Can other people access my computer through the internet?
A: No.

Q: What is a Megabyte (MB)
A: A megabyte is a measurement used to describe the amount of data you download when you browse the internet. Every time you look at a web page you download data. A Megabyte (MB) is 1000 Kilobytes (KB) and is roughly the amount of data you can store on a floppy disk.

You will use more megabytes when you download games, music, graphics etc