Ultra mobile (addendum to ultra portable thread)

[JiveLad]

The following was news to me (which I read in the BA Business Flight Mag a few days ago)...............and which probably addresses my underlying need (ie connectivity in different countries at lo-cost).

(I am sure the geeky people will know all this - but it was news to me). So - Huawei and ZTE (both Chinese companies) have started selling USB dongles - with 3G (or more?) capability.

And (from what the article said) there are monthly subscriptions from £10/1Gb or pay as you go options. And with '3' - it works across borders (apparently) - if '3' is in both countries.

So........it's moving towards my ideal - which is WiFi - if available - or if not then 3G at a reasonable cost - so 'always on'.

I ws just interested to know if anyone has bought/used/experienced...?

I guess this is similar to the 3G cards (PCMCIA - or whatever it is) - but seems a better alternative in some ways - or packaged better at least...any views?

PS Thx for the tips/ideas on the other thread. It is good to get a wider perspective on this. The HTC Diamond looks quite a powerful tool.

** Mod - please correct spelling mistake in title - if u feel so inclined..... **

[frodo]

...I guess this is similar to the 3G cards (PCMCIA - or whatever it is) - but seems a better alternative in some ways - or packaged better at least...any views?...

Well it is better, in terms of reception, to be able to move the 3G card away from the computer (with a long USB cable) - sometimes the only place decent reception can be achieved is an awkward place to work.

One alternative is that lots of phones effectively can act as a USB modem and charge from USB, and a phone has the advantage of a display to tell you what the signal strength is, even if you don't use it as a phone.

Additionally bluetooth can usually be used where you don't want to be bothered with a cable.

[StokeBloke]

One alternative is that lots of phones effectively can act as a USB modem and charge from USB, and a phone has the advantage of a display to tell you what the signal strength is, even if you don't use it as a phone.DO NOT use your mobile phone as a modem! It is possible to do this quite easily, but I have personally seen a case where someone has racked up a £16,000 bill in a month doing just that! :eek::eek::eek::eek:

[frodo]

DO NOT use your mobile phone as a modem! It is possible to do this quite easily, but I have personally seen a case where someone has racked up a £16,000 bill in a month doing just that! :eek::eek::eek::eek:

Well worth pointing out.


However it isn't strictly the hardware, but the tariff which is the key thing here.


If you use a phone as a modem (or you use USB dongle), it should be with a suitable data tariff.

[StokeBloke]

Well worth pointing out.


However it isn't strictly the hardware, but the tariff which is the key thing here.


If you use a phone as a modem (or you use USB dongle), it should be with a suitable data tariff.
Do not use your mobile phone for a modem - full stop

You will usually find that handset data allowance in a tariff will not cover usage as a modem at all. If you want this sort of mobile solution get a USB dongle. I know that the official line from Vodafone is that whilst the handset can function as a modem they do not recommend doing so.

I will say one more time ... seeing a £16,000 bill for one month's phone bill is very sobering.

[Filthy Monkey]

I have personally seen a case where someone has racked up a £16,000 bill in a month doing just that!

Good advice, but I think the more critical factor would be to check the terms of your contract with your service provider. Vodafone, for example, offer unlimited access for approx. £5 per month, subject to their fair usage con, which actually limits you to 500mb per month. Hardly unlimited then!

As for the dongle option, I use the Huawei 7.2Mb stick on Vodafone and it is a bit hit or miss as to whether or not you get a decent signal, but when you pick up strong 3G, it is very quick. The onboard software tells you the quality of the signal, which is useful and it all comes pre-loaded on the USB stick, so it really is plug and play. I signed up to an 18 month contract at £25 a month, but that gave me the hardware for free and I got six months free on my contract, so it should balance out over the term.

[StokeBloke]

Good advice, but I think the more critical factor would be to check the terms of your contract with your service provider. Vodafone, for example, offer unlimited access for approx. £5 per month, subject to their fair usage con, which actually limits you to 500mb per month. Hardly unlimited then!The new Voda tariffs give 500MB of handset data usage a month, and this is now bundled in at no extra charge on all tariffs. It's worth noting that this usage is for HANDSET mobile internet and email. HTH

[JiveLad]

Good advice, but I think the more critical factor would be to check the terms of your contract with your service provider. Vodafone, for example, offer unlimited access for approx. £5 per month, subject to their fair usage con, which actually limits you to 500mb per month. Hardly unlimited then!

As for the dongle option, I use the Huawei 7.2Mb stick on Vodafone and it is a bit hit or miss as to whether or not you get a decent signal, but when you pick up strong 3G, it is very quick. The onboard software tells you the quality of the signal, which is useful and it all comes pre-loaded on the USB stick, so it really is plug and play. I signed up to an 18 month contract at £25 a month, but that gave me the hardware for free and I got six months free on my contract, so it should balance out over the term.

Thx for this guys. Yes - I just went into a couple of shops over the weekend to check it out a bit more.

The deal with '3' seems good in that it works across borders without roaming charges - so that would cover me for Sweden and Australia (2 of my target countries).

The main other country is Spain - and '3' are not there. So the best option for Spain I think, will be a Spanish specific Voda-dongle.

I was interested to hear about the 'patchiness' of the 3G signal in the UK - and when I looked at the coverage map - well it didn't inspire a lot of confidence.

Roll on Wi-Max............

[StokeBloke]

If only 3's coverage was as good as their prices :whistle:

[Filthy Monkey]

The new Voda tariffs give 500MB of handset data usage a month, and this is now bundled in at no extra charge on all tariffs. It's worth noting that this usage is for HANDSET mobile internet and email. HTH

...but only if you sign up to an extended tarrif. I tried to change to the new one, but they wouldn't let me unless I extended my existing handset contract by a further 6 months! :angry:

Depending on where you are, particularly in the South East, O2 are worth considering, as they seem to have really good coverage.

[RedFox]

The HTC Diamond looks quite a powerful tool.

User manual here (http://x.msmobiles.com/portal/images/htc/HTC-Touch-Diamond-User-Manual.pdf) (pdf).

The similar version with the slide-out keyboard is the HTC Touch Pro, aka T-Mobile Vario IV.

[TheTramp]

I have mobile broadband on T mobile.

It costs me £20 a month, for unlimited useage. Seems okie so far. A bit slow at times. But I was expecting that. I was playing World of Warcraft at both Camber and Southport on it, so that's not too bad. In fact, I'm on it at the moment, while I write this post :na:

[JiveLad]

I have mobile broadband on T mobile.

It costs me £20 a month, for unlimited useage. Seems okie so far. A bit slow at times. But I was expecting that. I was playing World of Warcraft at both Camber and Southport on it, so that's not too bad. In fact, I'm on it at the moment, while I write this post :na:

What device are you using?

[robd]

We use the 3G devices (the PCMCIA cards initially and more recently the USB dongles) to provide online connectivity from mobile libraries to the library IT system. We use software from Brand Communications to manage the link to the corporate network so we bypass the software supplied by Vodafone or 3 (our two tested network providers) and thus I can't comment on the user friendliness or stability of that.

Connection stability and speed varies. Some of our mobile routes are better served by Vodafone, some by 3. Some drivers prefer their device locked at GPRS given the scarcity of 3G coverage in their areas as it provides a more consistent if slower experience. Supposedly there's a really high % coverage figure for 3G nationwide now (97%?) but that's population coverage not geographical coverage and when you are operating in deepest Cambridgeshire fenland that's an important distinction. :sad:

We have found that external antenna have helped the effectiveness of these devices but unfortunately some of the new USB dongles - the Huawei - do not have a socket for an antenna connection - whilst those that do - the ZTE (now discontinued apparently) - have no-one who supplies a suitable terminating cable (at least not that I found online)