Mobile Broadband

[Road Runner]

How long will 3 GB last on normal surfing?

PRESS Broadband

 

[moandick]

Hi John

I use the 3 'dongle' on 3Gb per month - and surf on average at least 3 hours per day (not counting Arcade Games playing time)! and I have only ever managed to use about 1Gb per month - however, I don't download music programs or films because they are very expensive in file size.

 

[Road Runner]

So for occasional use and very few downloads the 1 GB would do me?

 

[keith]

So for occasional use and very few downloads the 1 GB would do me?

John
Make sure you don't have any programs that auto update as this can be a killer if you have a download limit as you may not know they are gobbling up tour MB's

 

[Floozie2]

Broadband

Hi Roadrunner,

I've just looked at my usage and I'm hard pressed to go above 1.5GB per month for some fairly prolonged surfing (hence the square eyes ) I don't download music or movies, but occasionally movie clips (YouTube etc). So wih 3GB month you'll be laughing. I've read good reports about 3 products and it seems reasonable. Question is, how much does it cost to use abroad? Don't seem to be able to find that information.

Cheers

Richard

 

[keith]

Hi Roadrunner,

I've just looked at my usage and I'm hard pressed to go above 1.5GB per month for some fairly prolonged surfing (hence the square eyes ) I don't download music or movies, but occasionally movie clips (YouTube etc). So wih 3GB month you'll be laughing. I've read good reports about 3 products and it seems reasonable. Question is, how much does it cost to use abroad? Don't seem to be able to find that information.

Cheers

Richard

The first company that comes up with a reasonable cost for surfing abroad should get a ton of business from us motorhomers

 

[artona]

Hi

There is another way to view this.

With Three you get 3 gigs for £15 and then get charged per meg after that.

With Vodaphone you get 3 gigs for £15 and if you go over you do not get charged you just get told off.

What would you prefer?


stew

 

[Rapide561]

Hello

The other plus point with Three though, is that you can use the system overseas on one of their sister networks - eg Three Italia, Three Austria and you are treated as though you are in the UK, ie, roaming charges do not apply.

Note - when making a call, make sure you are on the Three network or you will be charged. I speak from experience! The phone does not always default to the Three network in (Italy) for example if there is a stronger signal from another operator such as WIND.

Russell

Russell

 

[Digger Driver]

I use T-Mobile and get unlimited Web n Walk on the handset, Unlimited internet on the laptop, £34 worth of calls and free weekend calls for £32 a month!

T-Mobile have just joined network forces with 3G too so coverage is excellent!

 

[artona]

Hi Digger

T-Mobile have just joined network forces with 3G too so coverage is excellent!

Not yet they haven't but you are right it is planned. I know they haven't yet because sitting here I get very slow gprs connection on my state of the art, only just released bang upto date T Mobile phone and yet very fast 3G connection on my Three phone purchased two years ago.

You will find that your T Mobile internet is unlimited browsing but limited to either 1, 3 or 10 gig dependant on the package you pay extra for. However it is only a fair useage policy so you should not get charged extra, they will simply slow it down even further if you exceed.

Are you sure you can use it as a modem? A lot of inclusive packages do not include the plus or max web and walk which is what you need for modem use.

Don't trust what the operator tells you, they are often confused about it all

stew

 

[Road Runner]

Surely one is faster as broadband?

 

[GJH]

After thinking about mobile broadband for a while and looking at web sites I decided to take the plunge last Wednesday. Before finalising choice of operator I went into T-Mobile, Vodafone and 3 shops in Stockton and spoke to staff there.

As mentioned previously, 3 charge if you go over the limit. The Vodafone current £15 per month deal is only for the first 6 months then it goes up to the normal £30 a month cost.

T-Mobile had just come down from £20 a month to £15 a month for 3GB limit on a 24 month contract. There is no charge for exceeding the limit just a reminder message. The current offer also includes access to the T-Mobile WiFi hotspots - Option 1 HERE.

Coverage for T-Mobile looks to be as good as the others (I expect all will improve as time goes on).

As with earlier posters, I don't download large music/video files so I don't expect to exceed the limit, especially as I shall only use it on the laptop when not at home. The only program I have on auto updates on the laptop is AVG anti-virus so pretty small files. Other program updates are on an "ask me first" basis so I can catch large ones and wait until we are home again.

Setup was a bit iffy - modem was recognised but it wouldn't load the management software until I rebooted (running under Vista) which wasn't made clear in the brief instruction leaflet - but that isn't unique to this software.

So far I've only used the service at home to test and on a visit to Derbyshire over the last couple of days but it seems to be pretty good - certainly acceptable for the usage I need.

Graham

 

[artona]

Hi Graham

Have you got a link for the vodaphone going upto £30 a month after 6 months please


stew

 

[Digger Driver]

Hi Artona!
I have been with T-Mobile now for nearly two years with a data card, a MDA Vario 2 and now a Nokia N73!
The only thing i get charged extra for is when i call freephone numbers which for some unknown reason is not included in my package!
I did get one warning once but that was when i rebooted both my PC's at the same time and downloaded solid for about a week!
Otherwise i can spend all day every day browsing and have had no trouble at all!
As for service!
I have a T-Mobile shop in Lancaster and the people there are suberb and will bend over backwards for you!
To date T-Mobile have been excellent for me!

Buy the way guys!
The Nokia N73 is awesome with Vista!

 

[artona]

Hi Digger

I have no problem with T Mobile as such and have in fact had the same number with them for 15 years (although it used to start 0860)

Currently I have the new T Mobile Touch. The deal I have is incredible - approx 12795 minutes per month thats 1275 minute anytime cross network minutes plus free calls cross network all weekend/every weekend plus web and walk all for £26 per month. I have another contract with them that gives me 3000 minutes per month off peak to landlines and T mobile numbers for £10 per month.

These contracts are not generally available, I have built up massive discounts over the years.

I have been using them for gprs connection since march 2006 and using the sim card in a gprs fixed terminal got internet connection in almost zero signal areas. The terminal gave me an aerial on the roof which helped. This terminal also gives me BT output sockets so I can use a normal BT phone to make calls and connect a fax machine/merchant credit card machine etc.

T Mobile have been promising us high speed packet data access (HSPDA) for a while now and when you do find it then it is very good but they have not reached the coverage they claimed they would


stew

 

[GJH]

Hi Graham
Have you got a link for the vodaphone going upto £30 a month after 6 months please
stew

I didn't get the information from a link Stew, it's what the lady in the Vodafone shop told me. Prompted by your question I had a look at the Vodafone web site and it says HERE (for USB Modem under Plan Details) that it is £15 per month for the duration of the contract - so maybe the lady in the shop gave me outdated information or they have changed it to match T-Mobile in the last few days. Whichever is the case, it lost them the contract

However, there is a £15 per GB penalty for exceeding the 3GB allowance, which doesn't compare well to the T-Mobile equivalent (quoted below) and which would have lost them the contract anyway.

To ensure a high quality of service for all our customers, a fair use policy of 3GB (of data both sent and received in the UK) per month applies. If you exceed 3GB per month, we may tell you to reduce your future use. If you again exceed 3GB per month, we may tell you that we are going to apply network protection controls, resulting in a reduced network speed for 14 days. If you exceed 3GB per month for a third time, we may tell you that we are going to apply further network protection controls, resulting in a reduced network speed until you upgrade your price plan to include a larger data allowance.

Graham

 

[largodandle]

Novice here

Hi Digger

T-Mobile have just joined network forces with 3G too so coverage is excellent!

Not yet they haven't but you are right it is planned. I know they haven't yet because sitting here I get very slow gprs connection on my state of the art, only just released bang upto date T Mobile phone and yet very fast 3G connection on my Three phone purchased two years ago.

You will find that your T Mobile internet is unlimited browsing but limited to either 1, 3 or 10 gig dependant on the package you pay extra for. However it is only a fair useage policy so you should not get charged extra, they will simply slow it down even further if you exceed.

Are you sure you can use it as a modem? A lot of inclusive packages do not include the plus or max web and walk which is what you need for modem use.

Don't trust what the operator tells you, they are often confused about it all

stew

Please help. Are you all talking about using a laptop in the mobilehome while away from home. if so Please tell me where to start.- If you have time. Thanks.

 

[Digger Driver]

Hi largodandle!
Its very simple nowadays to get mobile internet on your laptop!
In fact some phone suppliers give the laptop free with the contract!
I am using a mobile phone to connect mine but you can use a Dongle too!
Heres a link to T-Mobile to get you started!

Mobile Internet and Mobile Broadband from T Mobile

 

[GJH]

Hi largodandle!
Its very simple nowadays to get mobile internet on your laptop!
In fact some phone suppliers give the laptop free with the contract!
I am using a mobile phone to connect mine but you can use a Dongle too!
Heres a link to T-Mobile to get you started!

Mobile Internet and Mobile Broadband from T Mobile

I agree, it's getting simpler all the time.

Until this last week I used a bluetooth connection from my laptop to my mobile phone - which uses the phone as a modem on GPRS. It's OK for e-mails but can be a bit slow for browsing. On Vodafone pay as you talk there is supposedly a maximum charge of £1 a day but I think that strictly speaking it's aimed at using the phone direct than as a modem.

The mobile broadband modems offered by T-Mobile, Vodafone and 3 all look to be the same piece of kit. I have a cousin in South Africa using the Vodafone version and he reckons it appears to be very like the T-Mobile one which I have.

My "market testing" described in earlier post was based onthe fact that I already have a laptop. If you don't have a laptop then, as Digger Driver says, there are companies now offering bundles - PC WORLD is an example. It's still worth doing your research though as you may find that buying a laptop elsewhere and then going with one of the mobile phone companies direct is better for you.

Graham

 

[artona]

Hi

I looked at the deal at PC World and yes with the Three dongle they were giving you a free laptop but at £35 per month you were actually paying for the laptop as well.

T Mobile brought their price down to equal Vodaphone and T Mobile and Vodaphone have exactly the same fair use policy so it really does not matter at the moment which company you are with. In East Anglia the 3G coverage with T Mobile is poor.

There are many ways of using the simcard to connect your laptop to the internet largodandle. What sort of useage do you anticipate requiring?

The other thing to consider is onspeed, speeds up your connection no end

stew