Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Debs. on 27 January 2011, 21:06:44
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If anyone uses one......I wonder if the advertised speeds for mobile broadband (typically 3.6 Mbps) are hopelessly optimistic or not? :-/
Vodafone have a PAYG with 3Gb of bandwidth preloaded for £19.99.....coverage is forecast to be good where I`ll be using it; but wouldn`t be able to stand only having 'dial-up' type speeds. ;)
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If you want to try-before-you-buy, I'll pop round and show you my dongle, Debs. :-*
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If you want to try-before-you-buy, I'll pop round and show you my dongle, Debs. :-*
::) Satisfaction guaranteed? :P
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If you want to try-before-you-buy, I'll pop round and show you my dongle, Debs. :-*
::) Satisfaction guaranteed? :P
I don't make rash promises, although you could end up with a rash. ;D
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depends on signal strength and how many people are using it in a cell area, can't imagine many people in your part of the world, so biggest problem would be signal.
Don't belive Vodafones signal map, its about as reliable a politician's promise!
When I had one, in central London, best I could get really was 512mb connection speed, which meant in real world, downloads of 40/45 kb/s at best!
Maybe grab a Vodafone PAYG sim and see what signals like near you?
Don't have Sky do you? As they just bought The Cloud, so almost over night, Sky has become the biggest WiFi provider in the UK :o
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here , dsl connections better then 3G dongles ..
seems no different for UK
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100519150455AAlU8An
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I`m not going to have any access to a DSL for a month (or so); just thinking how I can get online (without having to sit in McDonalds using free WiFi). ;)
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I have used Vodafone Mobile Broadband for 4 years and it is satisfactory - displays 7.2 speed but no idea of real performance. It does a good job - I use it abroad a lot.
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you know they say little things please little minds.......
''dongle'' hahahaha
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I use an orange dongle on my computer at work,shows a full signal but edge not 3g so slow as hell,ok for browsing tinterweb but crap for downloads,youtube etc
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if you cannot get 3G it will be a pain. does your mobile phone have intermet connection capability working on 3G - you can try this option first linking to your laptop via bluetooth or cable and using your phone as modem
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I used to do that before I had my dongle but had an epic bill once and thought sod that for a game of soldiers ;D
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I use one of the Vodafone dongles everyday, and in different places, genrally the signal is good and using 3g. When it drops to the edge its painful!!! Signal strength tends to be really good on the motorways, handy really as i spend so much time sat in traffic!!!!
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Debs, I have tried most of them over the last few years and have ended up with two dongles lol, both are unlocked so I could just as easily just swap sims, but got both dongles on ebay cheap and find it easier/quicker to swap dongles.
Coverage, overall is much the same for most of them (Vodafone, T Mobile, O2, Orange) and that is good in most respects in and around most towns and along major routes, but most of them drop out into a GPRS/EDGE signal outside these areas, which means dial up speeds, groan.....
The best one for 3G coverage in my experience is the 3 network. I get 3g coverage from Dover to Balloch, certain areas on the East coast of England dont get a lot of 3g coverage, but 3 are working on it, on the west, down the M5 corridor has good coverage too, you really have to be off the beaten track before you lose their 3G, but dont go by their "coverage checker" I got the 3 dongle at first as they claimed I would get a signal at Loch Lomond, they lied. lol. However, 3 years later, there is 3G there now cos I kept pestering them, lol!
As for tarrifs, it all the usual choices of fone networks, but I have settled with 3 and Vodafone. With 3, if I am going to be downloading a lot, I'll top up with £25 for the month,which gives you 7GB of data to download, its not ideal as I can use that 7GB quite quickly at times,I could pay £30 a month with e.g. T Mobile and get unlimited downloads, but found at times that wherever I was at the time, only had GPRS with T Mobile so was no point even trying to download anything. Also, with the Vodafone, heres the odd bit, I will top up the Vodafone with £15, that gives you 1GB (3 give you 3GB for £15) but that 1GB can last longer then the 3GB from 3 :-? I listen to radio online, all day, everyday and can run out of data on 3 (3GB) in about two, nearly three weeks, before the month is out, yet the Vodafone carries on, the longest it lasted was nearly six weeks. Must mention here that the Vodafone doesnt have a monthly expiry time, it keeps going till the credit runs out, unlike the 3 which runs out monthly whether you have used your allowance or not and doesnt carry over.
Have rambled on, lol, so last couple of things, pay as you go for me is better as, with most networks, if you run over your monthly allowance when on a contract, they then charge you £1/1MB.... ouch, watch out, lol, best way you could check 3 coverage in your area, find somene with a phone on 3 in your area, esp a phone that can access t'interweb.
3.6 speeds are there but usually in bigger towns etc, 7.6 on its way to most areas, have experienced it and its Bloody fast!!! Way faster than a lot of home broadbands!
HTH
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Must mention here that the Vodafone doesnt have a monthly expiry time, it keeps going till the credit runs out, unlike the 3 which runs out monthly whether you have used your allowance or not and doesnt carry over.
I have one of those vodafone dongles, 3G connection good here in Swindon. However i believe the 'non expiry of credit' dongles have been stopped by voda, only available if you already have one.
I topped mine up with £15 yesterday, the time before was end of last August.....so its lasted nearly 5 months :y I use it nearly everyday, for an hour or two but only for surfing/emails, no downloading :y
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3g signal is ok at home.. but whenever I connect to wifi from mobile (current DSL is 2 mbps) mobile seems to be flying .. so that 7.2 mpbs is practically a lie..
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Forgot to mention mine is on contract, you can get some really keen prices! When I 1st had mine it was £25 month, same as most pay as you go, but I am now only paying £7.00 a month!!
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:y Thank you for the helpful and informative replies, chaps; the place I`ll be using the dongle is at a house an urban area and all the networks show 3G coverage on their maps. This is a temporary arrangement and I like the Vodaphone deal, as it`s 'all in': a month/3Gb. for £20.....There is a Carphone Warehouse shop a couple of miles away for the intended use-location, so I may call in and ask if they know any more-accurate coverage details (from personal knowledge) before buying.....My mobile ph. is a old-fashioned type w/o t`internet, so can`t check using that. ;)
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Lizzie, best method is to invite one of your young neighbours with a mobile having internet and using 3G for tea :y
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best method is to invite one of your young neighbours with a mobile having internet and using 3G for tea :y
"No officer, I only invited the young lad over to see how fast his dongle was in my house!" ;D
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best method is to invite one of your young neighbours with a mobile having internet and using 3G for tea :y
"No officer, I only invited the young lad over to see how fast his dongle was in my house!" ;D
;D
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i use a 3 dongle whilst at work for my laptop and i think its ok...i`m on the 15gb for £15 a month contract it has dropped out a few times but been mainly down to being in a steel portacabin so usually i have to use a usb to connect the laptop to the dongle and put the dongle out of the window... :y