3 internet dongle, yes or no ?

[bizzard]

My internet connection keeps cutting out this morning here in B,Stortford, every time an aircraft takes off from Stanstead seems to be only when they take off into the west. So my main task this morning when the bit of frost has cleared is to mount an twin barrel Bofors gun on the bow end complete with strap in swivel chair. Ammunition is on order from Astra fireworks.

B.....y Ryanair.

[blackrose]

Think that is true for all the phone companies, I had a long running dispute with T mobile and it was only when I got through to the problems solving department and requested that they either took me to court or leave me alone, and that if they didn't do either I would look into law regarding harassment that they decided that "while they could not agree with me, as a goodwill gesture they would remove all the charges and fees" from my closed account.

 

Yes, it can happen with any mobile phone company, but if it does happen I'd rather not be dealing with someone who's in a call centre around the other side of the world and who seems to have little understanding of UK customer service culture, customer rights or UK law.

[LoneEcho]

Another option would be to get something like a Samsung Europa (cheapest android phone with three) for £15 per month including 500 minutes and 5000 texts, then buy an "all you can eat" data package (truly unlimited with hotspot and usb tethering allowed) for £3 per month. You could also buy the Europa for £50 which has wifi hotspot app, buy a £15 add on and get unlimited data, 300 minutes and 3000 texts for 30 days for £15 per month with no contract. Officially you cannot tether with the second option, but I know someone who uses the wifi hotspot app on this plan with no problem.

Edited December 2, 2011 by LoneEcho

[Lady Muck]

I buy 3 sims from ebay for my mifi because it's cheaper and chuck them away once 'spent' - I don't have anything to do with 3 otherwise

 

. I stick with Vodafone for my mobile as they offer cheapish calls when you travel in Europe and the customer service is ok (i.e not a foreign call centre working from scripts). The all you can eat data is tempting but it's not really practical for me to have my phone stuck in the window all day.

[JDR]

The mobile industry is increasing emulating the European car industry where the same hardware is marketed with the major differentiation being brand. Most T-Mobile and H3G sites are now co-located. There is one Nokia base station which can support multiple carriers. The feeders, antenna system and part of the transmission are all shared.

 

Now T-Mob and Orange have merged it is possible that shortly you will have all three networks using the same basestations. The amount the networks will actually differ will depend on what goodies the Operators buy from Nokia plus any value added services provided by differing core networks.

 

I would have thought it would be in the operator's clear interest to offer excellent customer service but unfortunately operators appear to be valuing short term bean counting over long term customer loyalty.

[i love my narrowboat]

Anyone using the 3 network's mobile internet dongle ? is it any good ?

 

 

by far the best option. I have a virgin dongle on contract which will def not be renewd, i have not been able to use it for nearly 3 months..I have 3 on payg,,brilliant coverage

[Phil Ambrose]

3 not much use in the Fens. You be hard pushed to get a signal in the Marina. The two nearest masts are Orange and T mobile.

I use a Option 3G Data Card plugged in to the back of the PC with a outside Ariel. (£40 a year)

 

Firesprite

 

In the Office

 

I'm in the Fens too, 10 miles or so from Ely and find 3 works really well for us, guess it is down to location rather than the actual network. If you are in a good coverage spot Yippee! if not Boo Hoo.

 

Phil

[ditchcrawler]

3 not much use in the Fens. You be hard pushed to get a signal in the Marina. The two nearest masts are Orange and T mobile.

I use a Option 3G Data Card plugged in to the back of the PC with a outside Ariel. (£40 a year)

 

Firesprite

 

In the Office

Strange you say that, we are now moored at Floods Ferry and find that we get quite a good reception on most of the Fens with 3. I have a dongle that sits in the top of the wooden pigeon box.

 

I'm in the Fens too, 10 miles or so from Ely and find 3 works really well for us, guess it is down to location rather than the actual network. If you are in a good coverage spot Yippee! if not Boo Hoo.

 

Phil

Down your way last month, lovely little river, shame you cant get to Mildenhall

[Nightwatch]

I got a '3' dongle thingy when they were a freeby (you just paid for the postage). This was a couple of years ago. Haven't used it yet as I don't have the funds to treat my self to a laptop.

 

It is a ZTE MF627 USB Modem. Will this still work and is it the same as everyone else has?

 

You may well guess I'm not up to speed on computerisms.

 

Martyn

[bizzard]

My ''3''is back to normal and up to speed now.As i mentioned early this morning planes from Stanstead kept disconnecting me. I think their undercart wheels kept knocking my dongle over on the roof.

[14skipper]

its 3 For me.

14skipper

[Lady Muck]

I got a '3' dongle thingy when they were a freeby (you just paid for the postage). This was a couple of years ago. Haven't used it yet as I don't have the funds to treat my self to a laptop.

 

It is a ZTE MF627 USB Modem. Will this still work and is it the same as everyone else has?

 

You may well guess I'm not up to speed on computerisms.

 

Martyn

 

 

Yes it will - our oldest dongle still works - it's one of the old 'bar of soap' ones. It won't pick up the fastest speeds like the new ones, though.

[Nightwatch]

Yes it will - our oldest dongle still works - it's one of the old 'bar of soap' ones. It won't pick up the fastest speeds like the new ones, though.

Thank you.

[bizzard]

Yes it will - our oldest dongle still works - it's one of the old 'bar of soap' ones. It won't pick up the fastest speeds like the new ones, though.

Mines the original soap on a rope type too.seems quite fast though.

[onionbargee]

As far as problems with mobile phone companies they are all evil bxxxxxxxxs, it's just who's a bit less evil than the rest. t mobile pursued me for over a year for £ 600 bill for 3 days internet ! some thing they admitted was impossible, but they still sold the invoice to 2 bailiff companies.

[JDR]

3 are obviously doing something right regards coverage and waterways.When a new network is rolled out the first priority is always urban areas for obvious reasons followed by transport links, road, rail and airports. I wonder if boaters are benefitting from canals historically running close to railways? With 3G once a site becomes congested the coverage area of the cell contracts to reduce the signal to noise ratio to a level the receiving equipment can deal with. In theory you could have full coverage at 6pm in a city area, reducing as more people attach to the cell you are using. H3G probably simply have more 3G sites than their competitors. That's certainly what the responses here suggest, unless the H3G dongles are massively superior to the competition?

Edited December 3, 2011 by JDR

[IainW]

been using 3 'mifi' wireless dongle and it's great. Good reception all the way along the quiet bits of the Forth & Clyde & Union canals.

 

£120 for 12G on PAYG was a bit of a sting but it lasts 12 months and don't need to commit on a contract. Thumbs up from me.

[NBDensie]

Another vote for the 3 mobile dongle. On a 2 month journey from Fradley down to the Wey and back I got a good 3G signal every evening, except perhaps on 2 occasions. But I did find a Boaters Phone external aerial essential.

 

With the one problem I needed to discuss with India my question was answered correctly and they phoned back twice on subsequent days to confirm I was still happy.

[Chickadee]

3 mifi is a kind of dongle that creates a private network so you can connect upto 5? computers/ phones at the same time, very handy if 2 computers on boat as stops fights !!!

 

Haha we so need this for the above reason.

[sebrof]

I have a number of "3" dongles. The latest MiFi one is allegedly more sensitive than other dongles, and is capable of working faster.

[Chickadee]

But I did find a Boaters Phone external aerial essential.

 

 

Where did you get yours from? I haven't had a three dongle for a while as I found the extension cable it came with wasnt very effective.

[Alan Saunders]

I am using one now typing this. Its very quick as good as wifi most of the time and NEVER drops off the signal like others I have owned. Exellent coverage. I plug it straight into the laptop dont need to dangle near a window although this boat aint proper cos its got bus windows. Id deffo go for one again

Important point! However fast or slow the connection, disconnects are a pain. Vodafone works for me most of the time - 50% of 53kbps is good enough. In marginal areas GPRS an be faster than EDGE (2.5G, 236bps) but in my experience EDGE drops the connection more often. By 'disconnection' I mean the network monitor shows data being sent but nothing being received. Unplugging the dongle and reconnecting it after a while usually re-establishes a connection. Vodafone 3G near Devizes, Hungerford and Newbury is faster and more reliable.

 

e.g. Vodafone ID=01672 west of Burbage Bridge on the K&A; mooring within sight of the antenna it works reasonably well. Five miles west I hve found it best to block the signal from this cell.

 

I may yet try a 'Three' PAYG dongle or unlock my Vodafone dongle. I believe the three 3G network will drop back to Orange GPRS/ If the cellular network were nationalised or provided by a single supplier we would all enjoy a better sevice; maybe get 4G sooner? Blame the politicians, not the service providers.

 

Alan

[Jim]

Another vote for their MiFi - superb piece of kit.

 

Find it works best when "Blue tacked" to the window frame.

 

Always gets a signal.

 

Andy M.

 

Not at Norbury Junction it doesn't - or half a dozen other places on the Shroppie!

[NBDensie]

Where did you get yours from? I haven't had a three dongle for a while as I found the extension cable it came with wasnt very effective.

Boaters phone co

[The Black Knight]

Another vote for 3's mobile dongle...we use it aboard and link phones and PC to it at the same time with no issues other than the odd day of quirky connectivity which is maybe once a month.