Chromebooks Work With Australian 3G Networks


We’ve complained frequently that Google’s Chromebooks haven’t yet seen an official Australian release. No word on that changing yet, but if you do score one, they appear to work just fine with local SIM cards with a little tweaking, as Lifehacker reader Owen explains.

Owen obtained a Chromebook by getting one sent to a friend in California. Working on the go is one of the browser-only-notebook’s main selling points, so he decided to put it to the test:

I wanted to see if it would work on Australian 3G networks, so I purchased a Telstra mobile broadband starter kit and a $30 recharge voucher. I entered “modem set-carrier Generic UMTS” into crosh, inserted the SIM card into the slot underneath the CR-48’s battery, and after booting, the Telstra 3G network appeared in the network list! It works flawlessly.

Good to know if you’re tempted to import a Chromebook or grab one on a holiday or work trip. Thanks Owen!


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