Press & PR

Backpackers planning to spend some time down under could find that staying in touch with loved ones back home is easier thanks to improved broadband speeds.

Telstra, one of the country's major providers, has announced that Sydney and Melbourne, two of the most popular destinations among UK travellers, will now have download speeds of 30Mbps.

Internet access can be used to take advantage of messaging, email and VoIP phones. This could enable cheap callsback to the UK.

In addition, those planning to spend some time in less populated areas could also benefit too, with 17Mpbs speeds available outside of the urban zones.

"Bandwidth of the type that we're offering now means that a household can run multiple online connections on multiple computers and everyone goes fast," Telstra BigPond managing director Justin Milne said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Backpackers in the area, visiting sights such as the 12 apostles and the Sydney Opera House, could use web cafes if contacting the UK with VoIP products.