Is this a good deal for Mobile Broadband?

[Jen_P]

Wondering if this is a good deal for mobile broadband:

 

http://store.three.co.uk/view/product/ql_catalog/threecatdevice/2210;jsessionid=2996EBDC572347AF09CD05967570E98C

 

I know there are already threads about this but I got a bit confused! Wondering what I should get. I like this deal because for £16 a month and only a £40 payment upfront, you get 10GB of data, but you aren't tied into a long contract.

 

I would feel very cut off and isolated if I didn't have good internet access on the boat!

 

[alan_fincher]

I like this deal because for £16 a month and only a £40 payment upfront, you get 10GB of data, but you aren't tied into a long contract.

 

There are multiple deals on the page you have linked to.

 

However I'm seeing only 5Gb a month, (not 10), for the kind of costs you are saying, (and it's a 2 year contract).

 

Can you somehow pull out the exact deal you think you have seen?

[GUMPY]

Couple Of points

4g coverage on 3 is not good most places will only be 3g

A mifi would be beter than a dongle as it will allow other units (like your phone) to connect as well rathar than just your computer.

ETA

EE are doing 4g mifi for £20 a month for 15GB free mifi if 24month contract £40 for the mifi if rolling monthly and their 4g coverage is better than most.

Edited December 23, 2014 by Loddon

[valrene9600]

Have the EE deal and it is pretty good over the canal system.

When choosing you must eliminate boats in say marinas as the reception will refer to that area they are in. Use the suggestions of C/ c as they use the signal in all different locations.

Mi fi as mentioned is better but if you get a dongle get a lead lo g enough to hang in window for Max signal.

[Pete & Helen]

At the moment I would say that 3 have the better deals. I had the 10Gb for £15 on a monthly rolling contract then upgraded to 15Gb 24mth and the price dropped to £14.99. They only go as high as 15Gb at the moment. As said above a MiFi unit will be better as you can use it for all devices and if there are 2 or more of you then you dont have to pass the dongle around. You only get 4G in the big cities at the moment so not a big plus point at the moment for most people

[Jen_P]

There are multiple deals on the page you have linked to.

 

However I'm seeing only 5Gb a month, (not 10), for the kind of costs you are saying, (and it's a 2 year contract).

 

Can you somehow pull out the exact deal you think you have seen?

Sorry thought that did link to it!

 

Try this: http://store.three.co.uk/mobile/view/product/ql_catalog/threecatdevice/2210;jsessionid=C48D31941ED458C4B1BBB497FDAD178E?alltariffs=true&

 

It's basically the bottom plan under all the pay as you go plans!

 

Seems like a good deal though there isn't 4g on Three where I'll be!

[Guest]

Wondering if this is a good deal for mobile broadband:

 

http://store.three.co.uk/view/product/ql_catalog/threecatdevice/2210;jsessionid=2996EBDC572347AF09CD05967570E98C

 

I know there are already threads about this but I got a bit confused! Wondering what I should get. I like this deal because for £16 a month and only a £40 payment upfront, you get 10GB of data, but you aren't tied into a long contract.

 

I would feel very cut off and isolated if I didn't have good internet access on the boat!

 

If Internet access is realy important to you (and it sounds as if it is) you might want to consider an additional dongle from another provider, or an unlocked dongle that will take a SIM from any provider.

 

3's coverage is far from universal and would be complimented by access via. another provider.

[GUMPY]

if you are not worried about 4g then buy a mifi Huawei E5331 from ebay or similar (between £15 and £25) and go for this

http://store.three.co.uk/view/searchSimOnly;jsessionid=A36F9EE2B0C6B9DDF25374792EED3FD4?tariff=30310100

The only reason I don't is because I want 4g....

 

Eta I have an unlocked E5531 for sale as I now have a 4g mifi.

Edited December 23, 2014 by Loddon

[alan_fincher]

Sorry thought that did link to it!

 

Try this: http://store.three.co.uk/mobile/view/product/ql_catalog/threecatdevice/2210;jsessionid=C48D31941ED458C4B1BBB497FDAD178E?alltariffs=true&

 

It's basically the bottom plan under all the pay as you go plans!

 

Seems like a good deal though there isn't 4g on Three where I'll be!

 

Sorry, you are right.

 

My confusion is that they seem to be offering at near identical costs, (up front, and rolling thereafter), deals that are quite different, (5GB for some 10GB for others, one month contract on some 2 yeras on others).

 

Unless I'm missing something, their pricing structure is "odd" to say the least!

[Jen_P]

 

Sorry, you are right.

 

My confusion is that they seem to be offering at near identical costs, (up front, and rolling thereafter), deals that are quite different, (5GB for some 10GB for others, one month contract on some 2 yeras on others).

 

Unless I'm missing something, their pricing structure is "odd" to say the least!

 

Glad it's not just me! I didn't get it either! But the deal I mentioned does seem quite good doesn't it?

[Detling]

Check that you can use it in a mifi with multiple devices some deals are locked to one device and meant for use in tablets and not shared and don't like you using it as a wifi hotspot. Giff Gaff have some of these don't know about 3

[alan_fincher]

 

Glad it's not just me! I didn't get it either! But the deal I mentioned does seem quite good doesn't it?

 

Well given that you are only buying 10Gb per month of Internet to use through a dongle, it doesn't sound spectacular against the much discussed "One Plan", which was allowing unlimited Internet through tethering your mobile.

 

I know the "One Plan" deals vary from user to user, but my £20 a month for unlimited internet, and more voice minutes than I was ever likely to use, makes this at £15 sound less than spectacular.

 

But as everybody seems to think we are all going to have our "One Plan" contracts terminated, comparing to something that I currently have, but which will cease to exist soon, is I guess pretty pointless!

 

I haven't decided what I'll do next if the "One Plan" is taken from me, but have found Three's coverage to be pretty good, in places I am regularly, but no single provider is every guaranteed to work at every location - (nothing like!)

[Sea Dog]

 

3's coverage is far from universal and would be complimented by access via. another provider.

 

I thought this too, but I eventually binned Orange/EE and haven't looked back. They did have poor voice coverage in particular once, but not so now in my experience. For a while I had 3 and the Missus had EE and I never compared badly in a signal comparison, voice or data. We're both on 3 now (there just wasn't a compelling case for paying more to preserve a network choice) and we both find the mobile internet connection to be far more reliable.

 

Iirc, 3 is Hutchinson Telecom who were Orange back in their earlier days.

[john6767]

 

Iirc, 3 is Hutchinson Telecom who were Orange back in their earlier days.

Correct, ultimately Hutchinson Whampoa a Hong Kong company. They also own the ports of Felixstowe, Harwich and Isle of Grain, which I did not know until I just looked them up.

[Drayke]

if you are not worried about 4g then buy a mifi Huawei E5331 from ebay or similar (between £15 and £25) and go for this

http://store.three.co.uk/view/searchSimOnly;jsessionid=A36F9EE2B0C6B9DDF25374792EED3FD4?tariff=30310100

The only reason I don't is because I want 4g....

 

Eta I have an unlocked E5531 for sale as I now have a 4g mifi.

Do you use an aerial for your 4G mifi if so, where did you buy it from and how much did you pay for it please.

 

Regards

Fred

[GUMPY]

Do you use an aerial for your 4G mifi if so, where did you buy it from and how much did you pay for it please.

 

Regards

Fred

Not yet haven't needed it getting 20mb+ and full signal without one

Solwise would be a good place to start used to use their kit when I was dealing with WiFi and cabled networks for a living

 

http://www.solwise.co.uk/4g-lte-antenna-considerations.html

 

http://www.solwise.co.uk/4g-antenna-omni-xpol-a0001.html

Edited December 25, 2014 by Loddon

[Drayke]

Not yet haven't needed it getting 20mb+ and full signal without one

Solwise would be a good place to start used to use their kit when I was dealing with WiFi and cabled networks for a living

 

http://www.solwise.co.uk/4g-lte-antenna-considerations.html

 

http://www.solwise.co.uk/4g-antenna-omni-xpol-a0001.html

Thanks for that I will check them out.

[steveiom]

I have a HUAWEI E52220..which I use for mobile wifi on board barge.. the unit is fantastic for coverage...

 

its 3 I have the problem with..C **p... THERE AFTERSALES IS sh1*..

there web site is bloody hard to navigate around...

 

coming from the isle of man,trying to order a sim :-

3G SIM

Ready -to- go.

mobile broadband...

I GB...

 

LIKE I SAID FANTASTIC GREAT COVERAGE...

JUST 3 CRAP

[Phil Ambrose]

Check that you can use it in a mifi with multiple devices some deals are locked to one device and meant for use in tablets and not shared and don't like you using it as a wifi hotspot. Giff Gaff have some of these don't know about 3

We have used 3 for a number of years with no problem, we use the WiFi for lappy,netbook, Kindles and phones. 2 year contract,15gb, £14.99 a month.

As far as 4G is concerned I think the roll out for all providers is about par with them all concentrating on large towns and cities first.

Phil

[Nickhlx]

If you use data via a phone and tether to the PC, it will be subject to throttling at peak times to slower speeds. For most consistent data speeds, or internet as the priority, you should opt for a MiFi or data dongle.

 

Nick

[smileypete]

If you use data via a phone and tether to the PC, it will be subject to throttling at peak times to slower speeds. For most consistent data speeds, or internet as the priority, you should opt for a MiFi or data dongle.

 

 

That's down to the SIM/provider/contract, not the hardware, surely.

 

If buying outright, smartphone may be more versatile and even cheaper than mifi, OTOH the latter may come with an aerial socket.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~.

Edited December 27, 2014 by smileypete

[Alan de Enfield]

On the 1st January 1985 the first 'mobile' call was made. The call was made on the Transportable Vodafone VT1, a 4.7 kilo device that cost a whopping £1,650 (equivalent to £4,600 today) and was the size of at least two bricks stacked on top of each other.

 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2014 by Alan de Enfield

[Paul C]

On the 1st January 1985 the first 'mobile' call was made. The call was made on the Transportable Vodafone VT1, a 4.7 kilo device that cost a whopping £1,650 (equivalent to £4,600 today) and was the size of at least two bricks stacked on top of each other.

 

 

 

 

Not sure how this is relevant, and not sure if its true either - there were analogue radiotelephone networks in the 60s for specialist uses, etc.

[Peter X]

This article says the first mobile phone call was made in 1973:

http://www.knowyourmobile.com/nokia/history-mobile-phones/19848/history-mobile-phones-1973-2007

and I'm pretty sure car phones existed long before that.

[Paul C]

This article gives 1946 as the first mobile usage: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Telephone_Service