Internet access abroad. (1 Viewer)

[Bushtrekker]

In the UK I have a phone which acts as a wireless router and a 3 dongle, the latter giving me access almost anywhere, but I wondered what the situation is in Europe. Can anyone advise me on the best option to give me internet access on the move without using insecure public WiFi hotspots?

 

[hilldweller]

Can anyone advise me on the best option to give me internet access on the move

Not good news.

You can pay an arm and a leg to your UK provider for roaming.

You can buy a sim for the country that you are in.

You can buy WIFi and prices from good to extortionate.

 

[Bushtrekker]

I had a feeling that might be the case.

I don't like using public internet access because it really isn't secure and I use internet banking. There are other problems as well, as I discovered in Bratislava, trying to send an email using a Slovakian keyboard

I really need to get online at least once a day, so it looks like I'm going to have to pay out for contact with the outside world.:Sad:

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[hilldweller]

trying to send an email using a Slovakian keyboard

I had that in Morocco, one essential key was not there, however a Moroccan kid showed the old English fool where it was hidden.

I gave up looking ages ago but I do remember one UK provider doing an almost decent roaming deal if booked in advance. Naturally I can't recall who it was. There was all sorts of talk last year about sane roaming being made obligatory by the EU but if anything has happened I've missed it.

 

[lesleyjean]

What I done is this:-

I bought an unlocked 3 mifi from eBay it came with a 3 simcard included in the price. In the uk use the 3 card to set up new profiles for the country you are visiting.

I purchased a Spanish simcard from eBay then entered the profile into the mifi in the uk.

When in spain I put the Spanish simcard into unlocked mifi and was online using the Spanish simcard

Hope this helps.

Lesley

 

[activecampers]

I don't like using public internet access because it really isn't secure and I use internet banking. There are other problems as well, as I discovered in Bratislava, trying to send an email using a Slovakian keyboard

I really need to get online at least once a day, so it looks like I'm going to have to pay out for contact with the outside world.:Sad:

Absolutely incorrect. Internet myth and rumour. Sorry. I wrote this ages ago: Link Removed which may help. (And yes, fair to say I know my stuff on this topic :thumb

Our general tips for internet abroad are detailed here: http://www.doyourdream.co.uk/2010/08/tip-our-guide-for-easy-free-internet-access-abroad/ but they don't cover "on the move". In the UK I use a giff-gaff SIM wifi-tethered to my Android phone. But abroad you need to hunt out a local SIM with data enabled. That I can't help with....

But really, I've always found it easy getting internet daily to check emails, across Europe and even SE Asia!

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[callumwa]

As posted before,

France is expensive even using a local sim. I'm still hoping to hear of a relatively cheap PAYG French Sim.
So I just use a UK Vodafone sim tethered to my iPad. £2 per day for 25 mb. It's ok for e-mail, chat and a reasonable amount of surfing.

In Germany I use a Fonic Sim, €2.50 per day, Unlimited data, first 500mb at fast HSDPA speed, remaining data for the day limited to GPRS speed.

In Belgium I use a BASE sim, €10 per month 1 Gb monthly limit.

In Holland I use T-Mobile International, € 10 per month 1 Gb monthly limit.

In UK, I have 3 unlimited "all you can eat data" so I can tether to my iPad or or laptop.

I also have a Wifi antenna like this Broken Link Removed which I also use on the ship. It works at up to about 500 / 600m as long as there is about 38% + signal strength. You can also use it outside Macdonalds in France, or other open wifi hotspots. I also have BT Fon which I have used occasionally abroad for wifi.

Hope this is of some use.

 

[ShiftZZ]

I have a Repeait external wifi ant to use in the van. Works when you can find an open wifi.

Failing that I have a kindle 3g which has free internet access and works very well (connection) the software is a bit iffy, but after the purchase its free access.

I recently changed my mobile phone to Vodafone and my package allows for 25meg a day in certan EU countries and Vodafone send you a txt when your usage is 80%.

In the UK, I have an unlocked mifi dongle with a non expiring Vodafone sim card.


Hope that helps.

 

[chatter]

I use Tmobile payg in europe (roaming data bundle) 200mb for £40 which has been the most reasonable for me when we are travelling with the van, although for spain i do have a spanish dongle-having family there i do tend to go over quite a bit normally by plane

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[callumwa]

We have just switched our contracts from Vodafone (after more than 10 years) to "3".

I have found the Vodafone 3G signal all around UK to be dreadful, whereas the "3" 3G signal is really strong. I spoke with Vodafone who basically admitted as much. They offered to reduce my bill by 60% and give me a free "booster" for home use. All well and good I said, but if I still can't get decent signal when travelling, what's the point On my iPhone on Vodafone I frequently had to switch off the 3G to get any data at all.

This has not just been in one location. This is all around the UK, and off the coast on the ship, normally you can get decent signal up to 12 miles offshore, before Vodafone was ok and "3" was poor. Nowadays it's the reverse. I have found the same in Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, and on the recent meet at Chester.

Today in Edinburgh city centre Vodafone took about 2 minutes to load the same data page that my "3" loaded in 4 seconds. With the "all you can eat dat" I can also tether several devices and there are no additional charges, and it is genuinely unlimited..
I was recently streaming live, the cricket test match on Sky Go, so it was connected and running for 6 hours straight. Dread to think what that would have cost on Vodafone......

I keep a Vodafone PAYG to use in France for the 25 mb/day allowance. At least the signal is ok there as it is roaming on a French network..

 

[slobadoberbob]

good old macdonalds does for me

When I am away.. I do not really want to be bothered with the internet.. I am on holiday.. not sitting in my RV worried about what others are doing ..sorry MHF .. but if I need wifi.. there are plenty of McDonalds in France and if I am on a site I may pay for wifi. b ut I do not let it rule my trips.

Bob:Blush:

 

[Craig Rogers]

What makes you think that public WiFi isn't safe for online banking?

All banks use port 443 (https) to transmit data from your device to their webservers.

Therefore any data transmitted is secure and encrypted whether you are on a secure hotspot or not.

Public WiFi in Europe is the cheapest way to go.

As long as you've got up to date security on your device, it's very unlikely that anybody is going to gain access to your device.

EDIT: Just to say, if you are really stressed about the security side. Leave your PC on at home, connect through a public WiFi on your laptop and "remote" back to your PC at home to do any secure stuff.

SORRY EDIT 2: If you are on a site that requires a key to login (WEP or WPA) then the wireless data is encrypted......... Most Campsites I've been to will have a key that they give you to access the WiFi.

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[Barclaybasher]

When I am away.. I do not really want to be bothered with the internet.. I am on holiday.. not sitting in my RV worried about what others are doing ..sorry MHF .. but if I need wifi.. there are plenty of McDonalds in France and if I am on a site I may pay for wifi. b ut I do not let it rule my trips.

Bob:Blush:

Two weeks in France used wifi once (2euros 24 hrs on site), gave up on satnav as well - used maps and my Aire guide. Got home - most of email was of no interest - figure if anyone wants to contact me they will phone. Spend too much time in front of my computer as it is.
Old Vic

 

[hdvrod]

As an aside,Have Skype on my laptop for phone calls, put on £10 and only used abour a fiver in 3 weeks in France last year,also free video chat to family.(obviously needs wifi connection)