Smartphone or 3G dongle as modem? |
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 Jul 8 2008, 08:04
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#1
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Regular  Group: Posters Posts: 55 Joined: 8th November 2005 Member No.: 157,538 Device(s): SPV E650  |
Right.. I have a dilema.. I'm looking to upgrade my HTC Vox soon but I also need to mobilise my laptop (new job, no real internet etc.).. So i'm looking at all the 3G usb dongles out there, offerings from Three, Orange (who my mobile is with at the mo, may change), O2 etc.. The Three deal seems to be the best (I won't be doing huge traffic), the Orange deal seems hideous (£25/month for 2 years for 1GB/mo)..
BUT.. the question is.. should I just use my future smartphone as a 3G modem? Is it as good as using the dedicated dongles above? My future smartphone will most likely be candybar, although I am tempted by the HTC Diamond.. |
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Jul 8 2008, 08:32
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#2
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TOMnia !  Group: Moderator Team Posts: 953 Joined: 26th November 2007 From: Right Here, Right Now! Member No.: 326,361 Device(s): Samsung SGH-i900 Omnia |
Hi,
It seems you have three options: 1) Use your phone as a modem (Tethered) 2) Get a USB dongle 3) Get a HDSPA card for your laptop. Both are pretty much the same, but here are some considerations: * If you have it tethered to your phone, then the download allowance is shared between your phone and your laptop. * Is it likely that while your laptop is connected to your phone, you will need to make calls? Think usb cable attached to phone. * If you try connect your laptop and phone using bluetooth or wifi, then the battery will go flat very quickly. * If you go the route of a USB modem, are you happy with another bit of kit to carry around? * With regards to the HSDPA card, some of these will go into the PCMCIA slot, others are minicards which go into the laptop, in fact some laptops now have them built in. I've looked at downgrading my WebNWalk Plus with T-Mobile where I get 3GB per month of traffic, to their normal 1GB, and getting either one of their USB Modems, OR possibly the Three one depending upon signal in my area. Anyway just a few things for you to consider. -------------------- --
My Toys: Omnia: Samsung SGH-i900 Omnia - 8GB SD HC TyTNic T-Mobile MDA Vario III - Dutty's Diamond Rom V1.0 wEEEbeastie Asus EEE PC 4GB Black 702 - Pimped with 2GB RAM, 16GB SD HC Class 6, Bluetooth. O-SeXy Advent 4211 - 2GB Ram - 250GB HDD - Running OSX Leopard like a dream! Doris She has bewbs! (Not her real name tho!) |
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Jul 8 2008, 08:33
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#3
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 Hardcore  Group: MoDaCo Ad Free Posts: 2,725 Joined: 4th November 2003 From: London Member No.: 20,052 Device(s): HTC Diamond |
If the smartphone you get is HSDPA/HSUPA, then it will be as good as a 3g+ dongle and Bluetooth PAN Internet Sharing is really easy to set up - however, I personally use my Tytn2 for email and voice and the Three PAYG deal for data as its a £10 top up to get 1gb for 30 days and if you don't need it, then you dont top up.
-------------------- HTC Diamond running Dutty's V1.6 rom.
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Jul 8 2008, 09:24
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#4
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Regular Group: Posters Posts: 55 Joined: 8th November 2005 Member No.: 157,538 Device(s): SPV E650 |
QUOTE(jimbouk @ Jul 8 2008, 09:33)  If the smartphone you get is HSDPA/HSUPA, then it will be as good as a 3g+ dongle and Bluetooth PAN Internet Sharing is really easy to set up - however, I personally use my Tytn2 for email and voice and the Three PAYG deal for data as its a £10 top up to get 1gb for 30 days and if you don't need it, then you dont top up. That sounds interesting. What's the 30 days constraint? Do I have to top-up at least every 30 days? Regarding the above, i'd much prefer a PCMCIA card than a seperate dongle, but I think i'm limited for choice if I go that route. |
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Jul 8 2008, 09:30
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#5
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NeilM Group: Moderator Team Posts: 1,020 Joined: 26th September 2006 From: Saffron Walden, Essex Member No.: 207,744 Device(s): Ameo, HTC Diamond, Advent 4213 |
QUOTE(saqmaster @ Jul 8 2008, 09:24) That sounds interesting. What's the 30 days constraint? Do I have to top-up at least every 30 days? Regarding the above, i'd much prefer a PCMCIA card than a seperate dongle, but I think i'm limited for choice if I go that route. The £10 update lasts for 30 days. Any web access after that is charged at the normal rate until youy do another topup. You do get an SMS to warn of impending expiry! Beware that in some areas/with some devices you can't use mobile data when off a native 3 signal (which is with Orange at present). I think it may be device dependent. My Trinity and Ameo can't 'roam' with data, but an S730 Smartphone I tried could. -------------------- NeilM: Site Moderator and Reviewer on 4WinMobile
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Jul 14 2008, 13:46
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#6
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Addict Group: Moderator Team Posts: 858 Joined: 3rd December 2006 Member No.: 216,586 Device(s): a lot |
Make sure you read http://www.modaco.com/content/pocket-pc-ge...set-as-a-modem/ - it answers all your questions, speed, power consumption etc.-wise.
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Jul 14 2008, 14:23
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#7
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Hardcore Group: MoDaCo Ad Free Posts: 2,725 Joined: 4th November 2003 From: London Member No.: 20,052 Device(s): HTC Diamond |
QUOTE(Neil5459 @ Jul 8 2008, 10:30) The £10 update lasts for 30 days. Any web access after that is charged at the normal rate until youy do another topup. You do get an SMS to warn of impending expiry! Beware that in some areas/with some devices you can't use mobile data when off a native 3 signal (which is with Orange at present). I think it may be device dependent. My Trinity and Ameo can't 'roam' with data, but an S730 Smartphone I tried could. Actually it won't cost you anything extra if you are only using the 3 usim in your laptop/dongle cos when the 30 days or 1gb runs out, then it simply stops working. So you buy another top up. (£10 for 1gb, £15 for 3gb or £25 for 7gb). -------------------- HTC Diamond running Dutty's V1.6 rom.
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Jul 14 2008, 16:37
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#8
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NeilM Group: Moderator Team Posts: 1,020 Joined: 26th September 2006 From: Saffron Walden, Essex Member No.: 207,744 Device(s): Ameo, HTC Diamond, Advent 4213 |
I was meaning that if you have a 3 PAYG SIM in a PDA, and your 30 days Mobile Web elapses, then you are charged the normal PAYG fee of £1 per MB for data access, which could soon mount up
 I've just tried it, and although my Internet Bundle is elapsed by 2 weeks, I could still access the web from my PDA, so assume will be charged £1 per MB as stated in tthe PAYG T&C? -------------------- NeilM: Site Moderator and Reviewer on 4WinMobile
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Jul 14 2008, 16:39
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#9
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Regular Group: Posters Posts: 55 Joined: 8th November 2005 Member No.: 157,538 Device(s): SPV E650 |
I ended up going for a T-Mobile offering. £10/month for 3 months then £15/mo for the remaining 21 months of the contract (eek) for 3GB/mo with no hardcore enforced limits or fines (apparently)... I'll have a read of the T&C.. I can't see me using 3GB/mo for my purpose (so far my daily average is below that anyway)..
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Jul 14 2008, 19:21
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#10
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Hardcore Group: MoDaCo Ad Free Posts: 2,725 Joined: 4th November 2003 From: London Member No.: 20,052 Device(s): HTC Diamond |
QUOTE(Neil5459 @ Jul 14 2008, 17:37) I was meaning that if you have a 3 PAYG SIM in a PDA, and your 30 days Mobile Web elapses, then you are charged the normal PAYG fee of £1 per MB for data access, which could soon mount up I've just tried it, and although my Internet Bundle is elapsed by 2 weeks, I could still access the web from my PDA, so assume will be charged £1 per MB as stated in tthe PAYG T&C? I guess so. My point was that I only have the £10 mobile broadband top up on my sim anyway as I only use it for data. So once that runs out, they cut me off. But thats no good if you want to use it as a phone too. -------------------- HTC Diamond running Dutty's V1.6 rom.
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Jul 15 2008, 07:01
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#11
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NeilM Group: Moderator Team Posts: 1,020 Joined: 26th September 2006 From: Saffron Walden, Essex Member No.: 207,744 Device(s): Ameo, HTC Diamond, Advent 4213 |
OK- I get you now
If you don't have any more money in the 'account' they can't charge you any more
-------------------- NeilM: Site Moderator and Reviewer on 4WinMobile
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