Mobile broadband costs

[Yoda]

Click here to choose. http://www.top10-broadband.co.uk/types/mobile_broadband/

[John Bean]

Great info Yoda

 

I'm just on the point of buying mobile broadband and so far T mobile is ahead because they don't immediatly charge if you go over the 3 gig download they send a slap on the wrist first.

I think Orange has the best coverage on the canal system but have heavy over use charges.

choices choices

 

 

John

[Stourbridgeguy]

Advice needed please, as a total idiot when it comes to all this 5GB and 3GB thingymebob. What I need to know is how much of these GB's will I need to browse the web, the info on Vodaphone tells me I can download this and that but I dont want to download films and the such, all I want to do is use the chat rooms, read forums, do a bit of research. I am usually on line for 3-4hrs a day if I am just relaxing, can someone please point me in the right direction, I dont want to have too many GB's that I waste then but then again I dont want too few as to not have enough.

 

Dave

[Oliver1954]

Advice needed please, as a total idiot when it comes to all this 5GB and 3GB thingymebob. What I need to know is how much of these GB's will I need to browse the web, the info on Vodaphone tells me I can download this and that but I dont want to download films and the such, all I want to do is use the chat rooms, read forums, do a bit of research. I am usually on line for 3-4hrs a day if I am just relaxing, can someone please point me in the right direction, I dont want to have too many GB's that I waste then but then again I dont want too few as to not have enough.

 

Dave

 

<H2 id=HD2>

What can I do with my Mobile Broadband download allowance?

 

It can be difficult to work out which package is right for you based on download allowances, but you can use this as a rough guide:</H2>

• 1GB of data lets you send 650 plain text emails and surf the web for 30 hours and download 30 two minute videos and download 60 music tracks
  
• 3GB of data lets you send 2,000 plain text emails and surf the web for 100 hours and download 100 two minute videos and download 200 music tracks
  
• 7GB of data lets you send 4,500 plain text emails and surf the web for 200 hours and download 200 two minute videos and download 400 music tracks
  

[Stourbridgeguy]

<H2 id=HD2>

What can I do with my Mobile Broadband download allowance?

 

It can be difficult to work out which package is right for you based on download allowances, but you can use this as a rough guide:</H2>

• 1GB of data lets you send 650 plain text emails and surf the web for 30 hours and download 30 two minute videos and download 60 music tracks
  
• 3GB of data lets you send 2,000 plain text emails and surf the web for 100 hours and download 100 two minute videos and download 200 music tracks
  
• 7GB of data lets you send 4,500 plain text emails and surf the web for 200 hours and download 200 two minute videos and download 400 music tracks
  

 

How about if I dont want to download music or vidieo's, how many hours surfing can I do with either option?

 

Dave

[Robbo]

Advice needed please, as a total idiot when it comes to all this 5GB and 3GB thingymebob. What I need to know is how much of these GB's will I need to browse the web, the info on Vodaphone tells me I can download this and that but I dont want to download films and the such, all I want to do is use the chat rooms, read forums, do a bit of research. I am usually on line for 3-4hrs a day if I am just relaxing, can someone please point me in the right direction, I dont want to have too many GB's that I waste then but then again I dont want too few as to not have enough.

 

Dave

 

3GB will be about enough for you (guess you'll be using around 1.5-2.5GB a month), I would keep an eye on how much your using (three and I;m sure others have a monitor software / website so you can keep an eye on it).

 

If you go with three PAYG you'll be able to pick and choice your usage #GB if your finding your using more/less, etc.

Edited May 23, 2008 by Robbo

[nigel carton]

I'm paying 30 quid a month with Vodafone and a 'dongle' fortunately the contract runs out soon.... time to move on! I have found on my travels, phone wise that orange has got worse, O2 seems pretty good.

Edited May 23, 2008 by nigel carton

[valrene9600]

Since getting T Mobile web/walk in Mkt Harborough i`ve C/C Rugby Stoke on Trent Bridgewater Leeds & Liverpool York and have found reception ok all along the way.

I gave Orange the elbow as when only a GPRS signal was available it was s..t. An occasional GPRS with T Mobile i have found is far stronger and doesn`t stop me surfing or downloading pictures etc to my blog.

So i am well pleased with the change and it`s costing me a lot less per month.

[magnetman]

I have t mobile web n walk added to a Nokia 6131 phone (no computer), 7.50 a month on top of the phone bill. Its a small screen but very good resolution no down/uploading, text message typing etc but its very fast 3G and doesn't cane the domestic batteries like a laptop would, the phone has 'Opera' browser on it which apart from up and downloading is a fully featured browser can do ebay etc etc.

 

.. It is possible to upload pics from the phone by emailing them to yourself at 'mobile photobucket'. The handset needs to be set up right first re email settings.

[John Bean]

To monitor your useage of the net try Netmeter it runs in the background and you can set your limit and it will warn you when you get near it.

It will also show daily useage and its free!!!!

 

Iv'e tried it on my home pc and you use less than you think

 

John

[Tiger]

I use '3' without any problems, its 'pay as you go' so nasty surprises at the end of the month as its impossible run over your limit. I pay £10/month (1gb) which covers all my internet useage with loads to spare, the only downside being it wont 'roll over' to the next month and I never use 1gb per month. I have found it just as fast as when I was running on broadband, but a whole lot cheaper

 

Tiger.

[bottle]

To monitor your useage of the net try Netmeter it runs in the background and you can set your limit and it will warn you when you get near it.

It will also show daily useage and its free!!!!

 

Iv'e tried it on my home pc and you use less than you think

 

John

 

I to was going to recommend Netmeter, so thats two votes for.

[Robbo]

I to was going to recommend Netmeter, so thats two votes for.

For those not using Windows, I would recommend vnstat for Linux and OS/X (it's terminal based), for a non-terminal one there's a widget for OS/X called Traffic-Stats.

Edited May 24, 2008 by Robbo

[whammy]

I can confirm that the software that comes with the 3 mobile usb dongle lets you know exactly how much time you have been on and how much you have downloaded. unless you want to download lots of films and music the 3gb allowance for £15 a month would suit most browsers.

[Justme]

Just been told that Carphone Warehouse now do one with a "free" laptop for £29 per month 18 month contract.

 

 

 

Justme

[bottle]

Mmmmmmm!!!

 

A free laptop, maybe, maybe not.

 

At the moment you can get, on average, an 18 month contract for £15, total cost, £270

 

Car phone Warehouse 'offer' 18 months at £29, total cost, £522

 

Difference, £522 - £270 = £252

 

At a guess that is about the sum Carphone pay for them, maybe less, yes it may be a cheap laptop (but not free) but check its specification and compare with PC World/Currys etc.

 

Sorry to be a cynic.

[Justme]

Did exactly same calcs myself cos I'm a cynic too which is why the free was "free". Having said that it is a no interest HP if you actualy need a low ish spec (cant see it being more than that) laptop.

 

Justme

[Flexiflyer]

I wandered into Maplins last week and saw a gismo called the PocketSurfer2 selling for £149-00 and free surfing for the first year and very cheap after. Going by the 'Bumf' on the website it would seem an ideal system but before I 'commit to buy' I'd like to know if anyone here has any experience of it.

 

web site -- www.pocketsurfer.co.uk

[bottle]

Did exactly same calcs myself cos I'm a cynic too which is why the free was "free". Having said that it is a no interest HP if you actualy need a low ish spec (cant see it being more than that) laptop.

 

Justme

 

Missed the "" on free,

[grunders]

How about if I dont want to download music or vidieo's, how many hours surfing can I do with either option?

 

Dave

 

The best site I've found for working this sort of thing out is http://www.mybroadbandusage.co.uk

 

I don't know how accurate it is but it lets you specify quite precisely what you will be using the net for and will then calculate how much bandwidth (is that the right term?) you will use in a month.

Edited May 26, 2008 by grunders

[Robbo]

I wandered into Maplins last week and saw a gismo called the PocketSurfer2 selling for £149-00 and free surfing for the first year and very cheap after. Going by the 'Bumf' on the website it would seem an ideal system but before I 'commit to buy' I'd like to know if anyone here has any experience of it.

 

web site -- www.pocketsurfer.co.uk

 

Seen that in PCWord (where you could play with it), wasn't impressed. IMHO save your money or spend extra on a laptop/dongle.

[magnetman]

Or for true mobile internet get a 3G mobile phone with a built-in web browser with a t-mobile web n walk data option added to the contract. The pocketsurfer seems to be a GPRS device which would make it a bit slow i'd have thought ?

[Mat B]

I can confirm that the software that comes with the 3 mobile usb dongle lets you know exactly how much time you have been on and how much you have downloaded. .......

 

It depends which make of dongle you end up with - the software with the ZTE one does.

 

You can also check by logging in to the My3 website at <https://my3.three.co.uk>

[bargiepat]

Hi, If you need to download large files ( Music, Video etc. ) go into your nearest Weatherspoons for FREE Wi-fi ....................

User name . Sponsored

Password. Service ( This is case sensitive )

Regards Patrick.

ps. Watch you don't spill your pint on the Laptop !!!!!!!!!

Edited May 28, 2008 by bargiepat

[Hekaterine]

Hi. My question is less about download space and more about speed. We are currently in a marina with access via ineedbroadband.co.uk which is not brilliant but we get by (although I can't load Facebook - presumably because it's too slow).

 

Anyway, we may well be off on the move soon so need to look into this.

 

Some of the mobile broadband speeds look v slow. I notice Vodaphone have much higher speeds available. Has anyone found mobile broadband to be quite slow?

 

Thanks for the tip of Wetherspoons btw. Good excuse for a beer :-)