Mobile data advice please. (2 Viewers)

[Clarky]

The memsahib enjoys her cricket, Ashes later this year, and I enjoy F1.
Although I have a dish and box I don't want to take out a Sky subscription because I think we are paying for a lot of junk that we will never watch, also, we are away in the van a lot.
So, I'm thinking of increasing my phone data allowance and using that to stream live TV when we want to watch. Vodafone have a deal at the mo with 50gb data for £30pm but with a £90 cashback......in effect about £22pm.
My questions are:-
Does anyone use Now TV with Sky Sport passes and is it any good?
How much data does one hour of downloaded TV take, not HD?
Is this a viable and cost effective solution for keeping us both happy bunnies?

Many thanks
Richard.

 

[namwaldog]

Evening Richard, cant help with the first question but regarding the second, we watch a small amount of TV when we are here in Spain, and the last time we monitored it we used just over 1 GB to watch one and a half hours TV.

What you have to check though is how much of your data you can use for Roaming. We have a 20 GB per month Three sim in the mifi and up until 28 Dec were only allowed to use 15 GB for roaming. This has now increased from 28.12.2018 to 19gb per month.

My wifes phone, with EE has 20 GB data per month of which we can use 15 GB per month for a portable hotspot whilst roaming.
So by rough calculation we limit ourselves to about 40 hours a month or 8 to 10 hours a week but in practice don't watch that much and we never get close to running out of data.

Hope this helps

Barry

 

[Clarky]

Evening Richard, cant help with the first question but regarding the second, we watch a small amount of TV when we are here in Spain, and the last time we monitored it we used just over 1 GB to watch one and a half hours TV.

What you have to check though is how much of your data you can use for Roaming. We have a 20 GB per month Three sim in the mifi and up until 28 Dec were only allowed to use 15 GB for roaming. This has now increased from 28.12.2018 to 19gb per month.

My wifes phone, with EE has 20 GB data per month of which we can use 15 GB per month for a portable hotspot whilst roaming.
So by rough calculation we limit ourselves to about 40 hours a month or 8 to 10 hours a week but in practice don't watch that much and we never get close to running out of data.

Hope this helps

Barry

Thanks Barry, very useful.
1GB for an hour and a half is about what I thought.
Vodafone allow you to use all the data allowance so that isn't a problem.
I have been using Vodafone for the last year and have used just about all of the 16gb that I pay for when on a long trip. 4G just about everywhere in France and Spain plus you can tether without drama, unlike Three Network.

Richard.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DBK]

I have a 50Gb contract with Vodafone and have used it to watch TV while away. It certainly works but for future proofing get a MiFi with 2 aerial connections, not the single one you generally get with the budget ones. This will allow you to add an external antenna later if you want a better chance of having a connection. Mine is permanently mounted on the roof and these work very well but the parts will cost you about £150+ so you might want to see how you get on without one first.

I've found Vodafone is good in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Switzerland but coverage in Germany in the Mosel, Rhine area was a bit patchy.

 

[Clarky]

I have a 50Gb contract with Vodafone and have used it to watch TV while away. It certainly works but for future proofing get a MiFi with 2 aerial connections, not the single one you generally get with the budget ones. This will allow you to add an external antenna later if you want a better chance of having a connection. Mine is permanently mounted on the roof and these work very well but the parts will cost you about £150+ so you might want to see how you get on without one first.

I've found Vodafone is good in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Switzerland but coverage in Germany in the Mosel, Rhine area was a bit patchy.

Thanks John.
I do have a MiFi which we have used with a Three sim. Never felt the need to use a roof antenna but did use a square window one which always worked well. Since I changed my phone sim to Vodafone I haven't bothered with the MiFi as the phone reception has been good and I can tether. I still have a 12Gb Three data sim which I haven't opened but keep as backup.
If I use the MiFi I will presumably need a separate data only sim for that plus another account for the phone.
The object is to try and keep the costs at a sensible level.

Richard.

 

[namwaldog]

On the subject of connectivity when using a mifi; we have a Huawei E5372 with two antenna ports which we never attach to anything.

I have noticed over a period of time that on switching the mifi on, I get the message "no service", I wait the 10 or so seconds for it to timeout and then press the power button again and then it connects.
The other day I noticed that the battery was low so I plugged in the mini USB power lead and it connected immediately. I haven't a clue why but as an experiment, I now connect the power cable before switching the mifi on and it connects to service nearly every time.
Could the power lead be acting as an antenna?

Barry

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Just smiffy]

Can’t help with the cricket.....

F1 is only highlights on uk tv this year, no live at all I think....

I watched f1 on RTL and got it all over Europe including Portugal, it’s in German of course but at least I could watch it...

Watching tv on my iPad was about 1hr 10mins to 1gb

Had the monthly 50gb with Vodafone and mostly 4g everywhere on mifi...

Oh, and you’ll need a VPN to watch on iplayer etc

But last time away got itv+ on £3.99 a month which keeps Corrie lovers happy and plays in Europe...

 

[DBK]

Can’t help with the cricket.....

F1 is only highlights on uk tv this year, no live at all I think....

I watched f1 on RTL and got it all over Europe including Portugal, it’s in German of course but at least I could watch it...

Watching tv on my iPad was about 1hr 10mins to 1gb

Had the monthly 50gb with Vodafone and mostly 4g everywhere on mifi...

Oh, and you’ll need a VPN to watch on iplayer etc

But last time away got itv+ on £3.99 a month which keeps Corrie lovers happy and plays in Europe...

I don't use a VPN to watch iPlayer, it changed a couple of years ago and isn't required any more.

It may be different for those resident outside the UK.

 

[Just smiffy]

I don't use a VPN to watch iPlayer, it changed a couple of years ago and isn't required any more.

It may be different for those resident outside the UK.

Yes I did too but I’m pretty positive in Portugal and Spain last November I got the “not available in your area” including itv but if you subscribe to itv+ hub for 3.99 you’d get it...

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Just smiffy]

Ps: I don’t use a VPN...

 

[Chris]

You need to be careful about what you can use abroad. I don’t think ( with O2 at least ) that it equates with what you can use in the UK.

 

[Clarky]

You need to be careful about what you can use abroad. I don’t think ( with O2 at least ) that it equates with what you can use in the UK.

Vodafone allows 100% as far as I know. At least it has for me during the last year.

Richard.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Clarky]

F1 is only highlights on uk tv this year, no live at all I think....

That's why I want to try and get it via Sky Sport.
It appears that Now TV have 'passes' that you purchase for a day, weekend or month that will give access to Sky Sport and you can select your channels.
I was hoping that someone had knowledge of how well it works and is it worth using or a waste of time.

Like you, I have tried watching F1 on RTL but the German commentary drives me mad.

Richard.

 

[pappajohn]

I watched f1 on RTL and got it all over Europe including Portugal, it’s in German of course but at least I could watch it...

As a bonus, the cars make the same noise in any language....


Sorry.

 

[Clarky]

I don't use a VPN to watch iPlayer, it changed a couple of years ago and isn't required any more.

It may be different for those resident outside the UK.

I seem to remember some changes to IPlayer.
If my memory is correct I think you have to sign up and register with the BBC then you can use it abroad.
Something like that anyway.

Richard.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Just smiffy]

That's why I want to try and get it via Sky Sport.
It appears that Now TV have 'passes' that you purchase for a day, weekend or month that will give access to Sky Sport and you can select your channels.
I was hoping that someone had knowledge of how well it works and is it worth using or a waste of time.

Like you, I have tried watching F1 on RTL but the German commentary drives me mad.

Richard.

I’ve recently joined Nowtv for the same reasons....

 

[Clarky]

I’ve recently joined Nowtv for the same reasons....

Is it any good?
How well does it work?
Are you doing the short 1/2 day passes or taking a continuous package.

I've looked at their website but it just seems very opaque to me...........perhaps I'm just being thick.

Richard.

 

[Landy Andy]

We are just back from France and Germany. Used iPlayer, itv, channel 4 and 5. All ok via mifi, and no VPN required. Data allowance has upped to 19Gb on three card, but Vodafone you can use as much as you want. We do pre paid card so just use until the stop it working, then swap to another card. As long as we use the data on the card within two years we don’t loose. Understand for high, and more frequent users that Vodafone do some great contract deals, but we aren’t away enough to use that, and like the ability to swap between providers, incase of poor signal, (which we’ve not yet had, as we have roof mounted antenna).

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Just smiffy]

Is it any good?
How well does it work?
Are you doing the short 1/2 day passes or taking a continuous package.

I've looked at their website but it just seems very opaque to me...........perhaps I'm just being thick.

Richard.

I’ve got it on my smart tv and you can have it on four devices.... £7.99 a mth.
I’ve only watched band of brothers (still) on it and haven’t really looked at it but it appears, as you say you can buy 1 day passes and I’m hoping that I can watch f1 that way....

My Mrs wanted it as she’s catching up with Greys Anatomy and we like the sky Atlantic channel...

At the moment we’re just using it as a box set and catch-up tv...

 

[Just smiffy]

Is it any good?
How well does it work?
Are you doing the short 1/2 day passes or taking a continuous package.

I've looked at their website but it just seems very opaque to me...........perhaps I'm just being thick.

Richard.

Looks like it’s £7.99 for a 24hr pass for 10 channels .... cricket too...
how much do you like watching? It’s the only interest/hobby I watch so £8 for when I can’t get it any other way will do me...

 

[DBK]

I seem to remember some changes to IPlayer.
If my memory is correct I think you have to sign up and register with the BBC then you can use it abroad.
Something like that anyway.

Richard.

You just have to give them an email address and tell them you have a licence. How they check I don't know. A bit like the US visa card which asks if you have been a member of a terrorist organisation. Easy question to answer.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

You can watch anything on Mobdro.com still users data.

 

[Clarky]

You can watch anything on Mobdro.com still users data.

Not heard of that.........tell me more.

Richard.

 

[Clarky]

Not heard of that.........tell me more.

Richard.

Just had a peek and its Android only.
All our kit is Apple/IOS.

Thanks anyway.

Richard.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Marty Gilly and Pup]

I bought a little tablet for £50 or so and watch all the sports via Mobdro. Sometimes when popular stuff is on like the F1 or whatever it seems to go gaga and not let you watch. I then switch to the Canadian sports network (there are loads of foreign tv channels) and watched on that. It’s the sky pictures and commentary without being blocked or oversubscribed.

 

[Mother Ship]

I am in Spain and can report that BBC iPlayer does not work without aVPN. I even have UK as location in all settings on computer and signed into BBC and without VPN it says does not work in this area.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Thanks for the heads up @chesterfield hooligan & @Marty Gilly and Pup for the heads up...
Just downloaded & installed on my phone - and Skysports Main Event is currently streaming in a decent resolution via NordVPN.

Will be interesting to see how it performs when the demand goes through the roof for popular events.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DBK]

I am in Spain and can report that BBC iPlayer does not work without aVPN. I even have UK as location in all settings on computer and signed into BBC and without VPN it says does not work in this area.

Are you using a local sim card or camp wifi? I remember now a UK based sim card is needed such as Three or Vodafone.

 

[Mother Ship]

Am using with iBoost to campsite WiFi.I will test later with 3 on mifi and report back.

 

[Langtoftlad]

I am in Spain and can report that BBC iPlayer does not work without aVPN. I even have UK as location in all settings on computer and signed into BBC and without VPN it says does not work in this area.

I've recently subscribed to NordVPN and have a few issues playing iPlayer even in the UK... it seems that the BBC play whack a mole with VPN servers, even the UK ones, and blacklist those they consider are being used to circumvent the location blocks... then they VPN's create new IP's and the 'game' continues.
You simply have to find one that isn't blocked ...

Additionally, I've discovered that even if you think you're going through a UK VPN server, you may not be - I've been connected to Germany before now when choosing UK.

It does see morally wrong for the BBC to block licence payers just because they're temporarily abroad... as long as the condition of only one TV being watched at a time is met.
...and it's contradictory that the BBC is perfectly happy for their radio listeners to be worldwide, even taking requests from Joe Bloggs listening in Florida

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}