16 replies to this topic

[JKay]

What does the forum know about the pay as you go mobile broadband? any good?
Do you just buy a Dongle, plug it in and away you go or does it require registering with a debit/credit card so you can top it up or do you just buy a top up like you do with a vodafone mobile.

[gurtat]

I had a t-mobile dongle, I had to remove the content lock to access site likes this.
T-mobile did this by taking a £2 payment from my credit card and then refunding it straight back, this confirms over 18 status.
To top was just like topping a up a pay as go phone, either register a card with the dongle or buy a top up voucher from any shop.

[AdorableAmy]

I've got a Vodaphone PAYG dongle which I use when touring - it's the only one I know of where you don't have to use up the credit within a certain timespan or they cut you off, and I think it cost about £25 including £15 of credit already on it. I registered mine on the site and got the Adult Content block taken off which more and more phone places seem to have now; I've had to do that twice as they must have reset it or otherwise buggered it up, but it's been OK for a while.

I just top it up online - I think you could probably top it up by phone if you just entered the number of the dongle when prompted instead of the number you're calling from, which is probably where the voucher code could go in. I've never tried it so I don't know.

[S Punky]

It works on 3G (dont expect it to be as fast as your home or work PC), check on the vodafone website for coverage in your area or the area you are intending to use it. There are 2 ways of topping it up, first one you have mentioned and the second is by going into any shop and buying a normal mobile top up (minimum top up is £15 if my memeory still works!) and it lasts for either 30days or until you use it all up. If you buy the dongle in for example a currys or comets etc you will not be registered and they (vodafone) will block your content as they cannot verify if you are over 18!. You can overcome this by going into a vodafone shop and proving who you are (make sure you have the number dongle number - same as number for a mobile phone) or by doing it online.

Hope this helps?

[frankturner1997]

Or just use your smart phone to tether .
I use a Tesco Payg smart phone with tesco payg sim ( no registering) . No content bar . Just buy credit in tesco shop .
Tesco uses O2 bandwith ,
I can use 3g on my phone , and can tether to my tablet via wifi .

[slowhand4u]

What frank said is a good way, as long as your phone has the capability you can ether purchase a lead that has a connecter that fits your phone at one end and USB at other end for computer.

Even better if both phone and computer have Bluetooth as you can make a connection that way so no lead.

Or if you want to use a Dongle, lots for sale on ebay, around the £10 mark, also on ebay lots of Sim cards that come preloaded with data time, I just got a 3 mobile broadband sim with 1gb data for 99p free post. Use it for one month than buy a new sim

[frankturner1997]

Don't need a lead , I set my phone AP setting (Samsung Android 2.2) on , it gives a mifi type of wifi , where other computer/tablet/phone can connect through their wifi settings .. You can also set a password for it too . Ofcourse , consider the data charge or whats included in your package .

[slowhand4u]

Don't need a lead , I set my phone AP setting (Samsung Android 2.2) on , it gives a mifi type of wifi , where other computer/tablet/phone can connect through their wifi settings .. You can also set a password for it too . Ofcourse , consider the data charge or whats included in your package .

I like that Frank, that’s a cool way to do it

Edited by slowhand4u, 17 January 2012 - 20:50.

[Hampton]

I like that Frank, that’s a cool way to do it

It is a good idea - for me the though, the cost of using my phone for tethering is prohibative, so I have is one of these
http://store.three.co.uk/Mobile_Broadband/MiFi
which allows you to use a 3 sim card to generate a wifi hotspot and tether up to 5 devices. you can similar devices that can accept Vodafone etc. sim cards.

I wanted it so I could share my 3G data package which I have for my iPad with other devices (as iPad can't generate a wifi hotspot). The nice man in the 3 shop gave me the adaptor neede to convert a iPad microsim into a standard size one that will fit in the mifi, so if I have my iPad and other device such as a laptop and am out on the road, if i can use the mifi and share the 3G data plan between the two devices. Their iPad plan is 10 GB for £15 per month, which is better value than many phone data plans or standard dongle ones (depending on how much you use it)

This type of device (or phone) also has the advantage over a standard dongle, that you can place the mifi or phone at a place that gets the best signal (e.g. windowsill) and you can use your laptop etc at a desk/table/bed. I have found in the past, when I had a netbook, and after trying different network's standard dongles, that the reception in some buildings could be pretty crap and in one case, had to stand at a window to get a signal.

Kinda depends on how built up the places are that you intend to use it. They may have gotten better, but my experience of a couple of years ago, was that they could struggle to get a signal in quite a few places.

Make sure you look at how much you are likely to use up per month as the cost of the plans vary wildly, and as has been said above, some credits on a dongle stay active longer - many time out after 30 days.

[frankturner1997]

I think the OP does not want to register any detail or have an account with any shop , Hence he wants the PAYG option , of just topping up with a voucher .With payg dongle option , i think only Three allow topup via voucher. All others you top up via website with card . But with Three payg , you don't get 15Gb for £10 option .

[Helen Jones]

What does the forum know about the pay as you go mobile broadband? any good?
Do you just buy a Dongle, plug it in and away you go or does it require registering with a debit/credit card so you can top it up or do you just buy a top up like you do with a vodafone mobile.

If you would like my Ha'penneths worth JKay I wouldn't have another Vodaphone dongle if they paid me monthly!
I found the reception in my area dire the customer 'care' dept was dismal and I felt as I was paying for next to nothing. It was slower than David de Gea taking a goal kick at 93 minutes.

Howeve I've found my mobile phone has a 'wireless hotspot' app and I can connect easily and with confidence to my mini notebook while I'm out and about.

To flip that ha'penny I do have friends who rent while theyre between houses so have no broadband and they swear by an Orange dongle.
Maybe it was my reception or maybe it was something else but I couldn't wait for my contract to expire.
I would defenately suggest a PAYG rather than sign any contracts.

[bacchus]

If you would like my Ha'penneths worth JKay I wouldn't have another Vodaphone dongle if they paid me monthly!
I found the reception in my area dire the customer 'care' dept was dismal and I felt as I was paying for next to nothing. It was slower than David de Gea taking a goal kick at 93 minutes.

No complaints here about Voda. Been using it as my main source of Internet for about the last year and generally faultless, but mine is embedded into my laptop rather than a dongel.

B

[JKay]

If you would like my Ha'penneths worth JKay I wouldn't have another Vodaphone dongle if they paid me monthly!
I found the reception in my area dire the customer 'care' dept was dismal and I felt as I was paying for next to nothing. It was slower than David de Gea taking a goal kick at 93 minutes.

Howeve I've found my mobile phone has a 'wireless hotspot' app and I can connect easily and with confidence to my mini notebook while I'm out and about.

To flip that ha'penny I do have friends who rent while theyre between houses so have no broadband and they swear by an Orange dongle.
Maybe it was my reception or maybe it was something else but I couldn't wait for my contract to expire.
I would defenately suggest a PAYG rather than sign any contracts.

The places I going to be spending most of its use is next to a lake in kent and Vodafone is the only signal that works, my Orange phone will empty a full charge in about 12 hours just by hunting for a signal! and at home the mobile drops calls and no chance of 3G!

[curry]

There is a device out there that will take any operators sim card and work in conditions that others will not. However it is rather bulky (in comparison to a dongle) and requires separate mains power. Those two points are its biggest drawbacks.

I have 2 of these devices and I keep one in the boot of my car. I have used this device in some extreme locations in the middle of a field in the middle of nowhere. I could not get a signal on my phone 2g, 3g or just anything to make a call. When I put my sim in this and tried it I got 3g.

Like everything it does have its drawbacks i.e. it will only pick up 3g signal and not 2g as where as a dongle will pick up anything going. It does have two hardwired network ports and also acts as a wireless hotspot with all the normal security features, has a reasonable firewall where you can do all your port forwards etc. But unfortunately it won’t fit into a laptop bag.

http://www.deltenna....ducts/wibe.aspx

http://www.ispreview...Booster_Review/

http://fibrevalley.n...-to-the-rescue/

[Helen Jones]

No complaints here about Voda. Been using it as my main source of Internet for about the last year and generally faultless, but mine is embedded into my laptop rather than a dongel.

B

Maybe it was the actual dongle (vodaphone supplied ) rather than the reception. Either way it was a waste of effort in my case.

[JKay]

Dongle works fine now but took ages for it to sort its self out when I first plugged it in, went to the Vodafone shop and got the content control removed, they did not ask for my name or for any id which is what I wanted, now I can do my little venture without anyone snooping.