How to connect via USB dongle in Australia?

[DougB]

I'm running LMDE. I have a Huawei E1750 dongle already working fine in Italy. usb-modeswitch is installed and wvdial.conf is edited to suit the Italian ISP Alice TIM as follows:

[Dialer Defaults]
Init1 = ATZ
Init2 = AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","ibox.tim.it",,0,0
Modem Type = Analog Modem
ISDN = 0
New PPPD = yes
Phone = *99#
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
Username = abcd
Carrier Check = No
Password = 1234
Baud = 921600

My question is, can I get a Huawei E1750 (or similar) in Australia and just use the same set-up, only changing line Init2?
If so, where would I find the correct string for say, Telstra?

Or what would people recommend?

[kurotsugi]

if your system could detect your usb dongle as modem then it is fine since nm-applet didn't use wvdial.conf for their configuration. you'll need to plug your usb dongle and configure it via nm-applet.

[DougB]

Thanks. I'm not clear about what sort of configuration I'd have to do with nm-applet (or how).
Can you give some more instructions?

[kurotsugi]

the setting is on network connection. press alt+f2 and type network. it will showed up there. you can also find it on control panel. from there press add (or plus sign). choose mobile broadband. the setting is automatic. you only need to choose right country and right provider.

[py-thon]

If Huawei E1750 works with your PC in Italy it will most probably work with your PC in Australia as well.
Normally you don't have to do any configuration, it's plug+play (you just need to know username and password assigned to you by your internet provider). Don't touch wvdial.conf or other files. You just plug the modem and create a new wireless broadband connection within the network-manager-applet (right click on the applet's icon). It uses an internal database of settings for ISPs worldwide, telstra is included with various tariffs. You just have to select modem, country, ISP, tariff etc. from the listed choices.
But check two things first:
Does the modem work with the frequency used by the Australian internet provider? Not all modems work on all frequencies. If you buy it in Australia it should work there.
Is the modem SIM-lock free? If you bought it from an internet provider it won't work with other providers. If you bought it without a contract from a neutral dealer it is.

[DougB]

Many thanks, everybody. I should have enough info now for my trip!