iibroadband2 huge response
Well, judging from the huge response to our next generation broadband plans -- iibroadband2 - many of you agree that this is broadband as it should be -- fast! iiNet's broadband speeds start where the others finish, at 1500 kbps, and go as fast as your line can handle.

In the first two months after unveiling the new product range, we've seen a huge response from customers who either switched to the new product, upgraded from dialup or joined iiNet for the first time, and are now enjoying super fast speeds.

March was a record month for broadband sales, with 40 percent of our broadband customers now using iibroadband2. On top of this, the vast majority of these customers have chosen to bundle their Internet with our full iiphone service for even greater savings and double the download quotas.

Web Accelerator accelerating!
Many of our dialup customers are taking advantage of the latest version of the free web accelerator software which greatly improves dialup speeds. In one week in April we had 11 times the number of customers download and enable the product, compared to our usual number.

Web accelerator version 5.0 provides improved image compression (see images below), giving you very negligible image loss when you choose the maximum acceleration speed. Web accelerator requires no new hardware, can be installed in a few clicks, comes with free pop-up and banner ad blocking, and best of all, it's free. So, if you're a dialup customer, what are you waiting for? Get it here today.

customer service update
Largely due to the new iibroadband2 and iiphone products, March was a huge month for our customer service centre, with over 80,000 calls to tech support and over 30,000 calls to sales. This is about a 50 percent increase in call volume over the same period last year, yet one of the best months in the past year in terms of reduction of call queue time.

This improvement in call times is attributed to increased hiring and front line training in the customer service centre. Additionally, a recent restructure has enabled more customer service representatives to provide front line support, so the majority of all support issues and questions are answered by the first representative that takes the call.

For customers on our bliink broadband plans who wish to upgrade to a new iibroadband2 plan, this process is really easy to do through toolbox and there's no fee to upgrade if you choose a plan of equal or higher value.

saving trees - doing our part
Thinking green, and of course being an Internet company, we encourage customers to receive their monthly invoice via email, and to go online to view monthly statements and invoices. Full billing details and itemised national, calls to mobiles and international call charges are available within your account management tool, toolbox, at any time and printable versions are available from Toolbox for your convenience.

Just a reminder that as of February 1, 2005, if you're a new customer or you change your details, and you want a printed invoice mailed each month, a charge of $1.49 per month now applies. However, if you previously chose to have a paper invoice and received it for free, you'll continue to get it for free.

customer feedback
We received this email from Dean, from Perth, who recently upgraded from a bliink plan to one of the new iibroadband2 plans:

"Just like to say I have been very impressed with the service so far since joining just over a year ago and heartily recommend your service to anyone who asks for advice on good service providers (I'm a computer techie btw).

Being in the industry myself I deal with some real horror stories on service and advice from service providers but my first hand experience with this company has been excellent at all times.

You do look after the little guy and I appreciate that, and can confidently say you provide the best internet service I have seen to date.

Keep up the good work!"

Thanks Dean. It's always great to hear from happy customers and to know you're enjoying the new, fast iibroadband2 service.

DSLAM expansion
Last month, iiNet unveiled the next phase of its DSL infrastructure rollout, which will enable an additional 111 exchanges, at an investment of $9.6 million over the next nine months. The large majority of the exchanges are in the Sydney metro area and represent 90 percent of customers in that city.

This latest phase of the project will bring the total number of iiNet DSLAM exchanges to over 200 by the end of the year.

Check out the news release for more details.

iiNet wins WAITTA for DSLAM project
Still on the DSLAM topic, iiNet's successful DSLAM project took the top honour in the telecommunication infrastructure category at the WA Information Technology and Telecommunications Award's (WAITTA)14th Annual ceremony held in Perth last month on March 18, 2005.

Winners were judged on criteria such as the benefits to users, innovation, performance and complexity. The purpose of the WAITTA is to recognise outstanding performance and contributions by members of the IT&T community in Western Australia.

Read more in the news release.

VoIP FAQ
There's been a lot of buzz about Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) lately and you may be wondering what it all means, if it's something you could be interested in, and if iiNet has plans for VoIP. Read on for an introduction to VoIP. We'll keep you posted on new developments and our upcoming VoIP offering.

What is VoIP?
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), or iinetphone as we call it, allows you to make telephone calls over the Internet, using a broadband connection, instead of using the fixed copper line telephone network.

What special equipment or technology do I need?
Firstly, you need a broadband (ADSL) Internet connection. Then you need either an Analogue Telephone Adaptor (ATA) for your regular phone handset which plugs into the broadband modem, or a special VoIP telephone which plugs into your computer. iiNet will have this equipment for purchase along with easy installation instructions. Once installed, you then make calls in the same way you would use your regular telephone.

What are the benefits of making VoIP calls?
VoIP calls are made over the Internet, and this means great news for customers in the form of much lower call costs -- especially for long-distance and international calls. For example, calls from Australia to the UK are available for as little as five cents per minute with some VoIP plans.

Is iiNet planning to offer VoIP and when?
Yes, iiNet has a VoIP product plan being finalised. We'll tell you more about our VoIP offering in the coming weeks, and we'll assist you in choosing the equipment you need to enable you to enjoy great Internet-based call savings.

tip of the month
Thanks go to Ben in the Perth customer service centre for this month's tip.

If you change any usernames and passwords, remember to make the same change for any other applications or devices, such as your router too. Because the router is always on, customers often forget to update the changes they've made for the router.

staff profile
Name: Helen Johns
Title: Customer Service Manager - Provisioning

How long have you been with iiNet?
I've been with the company for five years in June. I can't believe how fast the time has flown! I started in the call centre, taking support calls as a Senior Customer Representative. Over the years I've helped out in a few areas, such as the Dedicated Tasking Group, and even office administration. I moved to Provisioning in April 2002 as one of the processing team, and at the start of 2004 I took over the management of the team.

What does your current role involve?
My role involves overseeing the provisioning team which is responsible for managing a customer's broadband, phone or domain application from the time it's submitted, to providing the service, or in a few cases, regretfully informing them if the service is not available, such as ADSL in some areas. We are effectively the "middle man" for our customers providing support and information from our internal and external service providers.

What's been your most memorable experience at iiNet?
Memorable moments are when I've helped a customer get broadband service when we literally had to fight external powers to make it happen. Some of these "fights" take months, but when we achieve a positive outcome, I'm ecstatic - probably even happier than the customer!

Where do you think iiNet will be in five years?
Considering we're already the number one in WA for broadband, I believe we'll take the top spot in a few more states in the near future, and will then be challenging Telstra for the number one broadband provider position, Australia-wide.

customer profile
Name: Joel Ellul
Account type: iidialup2 with Web Accelerator
Customer since: March 2005
Location: Melton, Victoria

What is your occupation, and do you use the Internet for work purposes?
I work in the freight forwarding industry for a customs brokerage firm in their international logistics area. I use the Internet a lot at work - it's essential to my job as I have to coordinate shipments with various agencies and transport providers from all over the world.

What do you use the Internet at home for?
I download music, send and receive emails, search for information, and I do a little bit of online shopping, mostly on eBay where I purchase various Apple computer parts. Yep, I'm a Mac user. I'm not a techie, but I have a healthy interest in computers and the Internet. My partner also uses the Internet for online shopping, email and general surfing.

What you do think about iiNet's products and service?
I'm very pleased so far. I can't get ADSL at home as I'm too far from the exchange, so iidialup2 with Web Accelerator is the next best thing. I can definitely notice the increased download times by using the free Web Accelerator with my dialup service. Initially I had a little trouble enabling the latest version of Web Accelerator, and was very impressed with the speed at which my inquiry was answered, the problem solved and I was back online with faster speeds.

win stuff!
This month we have 10 ii merchandise goodie bags containing a cap and water bottle to give away.

If you'd like to win one, please email competitions@iinet.net.au with your iiNet username, full name, and physical address (to send the prize to), and answer this question: How many additional exchanges is iiNet enabling with the next phase of its DSLAM deployment? (hint: you'll find the answer in a story in this newsletter)

Winners with the correct answer will be drawn at random and prizes sent by mail.

new iiNet Games site launched

Out with the old, in with the new! Visitors to iiNet Games are in for a pleasant surprise, as the new site design is now live and active.

Past visitors and iiNet Games veterans will remember our previous design, which stood humbly for many years as the gateway to our Games servers and community.

Jump over to the Games site now, hit the forums and tell us what you think. There's also info on some of our free games titles, a cheap'n'easy means to get right into the thick of it.

movie review - Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

Thanks to Kathryn Tenger from the iiNet Marketing team for this movie review:

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous catches up with FBI Agent Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) shortly after she successfully disarms a threat against the Miss United States Pageant and becomes an overnight media sensation.

Gracie's boss, Agent McDonald (Ernie Hudson), talks her into serving the Bureau in the only way now possible, as "the face of the FBI." Capitalising on the greatest PR coup in agency history, the FBI presses their new poster girl into a whirl of photo opportunities where she re-enacts her pageant exploits to an adoring public. Gracie soon warms to the attention and it's not long before she's getting into her new role a little too much.

But when Gracie's best friends are kidnapped in Las Vegas, Gracie's crime-fighting instincts kick back in and she does all she can (against the best efforts of other FBI agents assigned to distract and sideline her) to rescue her friends.

The following, in true Bullock style, sees Gracie return to the values she held close in the original Miss Congeniality and some of the traits we have come to know and love, return in full force. Much cross dressing, girl slapping and her signature 'snortle' (a cross between a chortle and a snort) pepper the film.

Interestingly, as co-producer, Bullock decided to eliminate the romantic interest presented in the first pass of the script. A strong comedy heroine who doesn't need a man - this will definitely get the "girl power" vote and should attract an admiring young female fan base.

This is a light-hearted romp in the true Miss Congeniality vein - definitely not a mental challenge but a feel good movie you could take your nanna or girlfriends, or all of them to.

Distributed by Village Roadshow, Miss Congeniality 2 is rated PG-13, and is now showing at cinemas around Australia.

movie of the month
Hating Alison Ashley

A popular film for young teen girls over the school holidays, Hating Alison Ashley stars Delta Goodrem in her first major feature film as Alison, and Saskia Burmeister as Erica Yerkin, or Yuk or Erk as she's commonly known in the movie.

The movie is about the grown up Erk reflecting back to a time in her youth when despite her school and her family, she believed she was destined for better things in life. Erk felt a new teacher would soon recognise her potential and things would be so much better. That was until the new girl, the perfect Alison Ashley arrived.

Catch it in cinemas around the country now.

album of the month
Kylie - Ultimate Kylie

If you're like most and couldn't get tickets to Kylie's sold out Australian tour, then this new album is the next best thing. The two CD set, the only one to feature each of her 31 hit singles, also includes two brand new tracks (33 tracks in total), including the current hit, "I believe in you".

recipe of the month
Devilled Eggs

Great for a party and healthy too!

• 7 large hardboiled eggs (get mum or dad to hard boil the eggs if required)
• 3/4 teaspoon grainy mustard
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoons cider vinegar
• Salt and ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Peel eggs and slice each in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in small bowl. Arrange whites on serving platter.
2. Mash yolks with fork until no large lumps remain. Add mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste; mix well.
3. Fill egg whites with yolk mixture, using a pastry bag with a large open-star tip or fill a plastic Zip Lock bag with yolk mixture and snip small piece from one corner of the bag. (If you don't have either of these, just use a spoon)
4. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

iiNet - providing Internet and phone services all over Australia. This email was authorised by the GM Marketing, on behalf of iiNet. Postal address: Locked Bag 16, Cloisters Square, WA 6000. If you wish to unsubscribe to future iiNet newsletters, you can do so by visiting https://toolbox.iinet.net.au/