Mobile Broadband SIM Pay As You GO??, I need a (wireless) backup internet connection. |
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 Sep 3 2008, 13:26
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Newbie  Group: Posters Posts: 40 Joined: 15th May 2004 Member No.: 43,355  |
I get my broadband connection through a land line, and in my region it is getting a bit unreliable. (The villagers are ready to revolt!) Whilst I prepare my flaming torch and suitable rioting tools, I wondered if there was a suitable alternative to my broadband connection - a mobile one in fact?
I run a small network of PCs which connect to the internet through a router. I need to replace the landline modem in times of emergency. I am thinking of the Netgear 3G and HSDPA Ethernet Modem which is perfectly suited providing it works with my mobile provider. I live within the M25 so HSDPA should be possible. I have a T-Mobile account with (standard) WebNWalk. I think I would need to upgrade the WebNWalk to the PLUS or MAX service in order to use my computers on it. I have seen that the Netgear modem I mentioned is available with a T-mobile contract, so I presume it is compatible. This would mean taking out the SIM card from my mobile and popping it into the modem everytime I needed the mobile broadband. (Unless there is a duplicate SIM available. Can people get these?) I have been trying to weigh up the services available on other providers in case I can get a better deal than using my T-Mobile account. A simple "Pay As You Go" service would make sense for my needs. If I got the Netgear modem then all I would need to buy is a PAYG SIM card to plug into the back of it, right? Most PAYG SIM only deals seem to be aimed at calls and texts rather than data (ASDA Mobile for example looked good until I saw the data allowance). Is the UK market not ready for a suitable backup broadband service yet? Does anybody have some advice for a SIM I can buy which is suitable or should I stick with my T-Mobile service? The other option would be to get a Mobile Broadband USB modem, which although it would be difficult to connect the LAN PCs, at least provides an internet connection to a single PC in emergencies (and I suppose to my laptop if I'm out and about - which would be very useful). The T-Mobile PAYG option is 4 pounds a day for any day it is used!!!!  I would only have to use it four days in any month to cost as much as a monthly service (a couple of minutes either side of midnight would be two days == 8 quid!)I suppose in summary I have the following options:
Regards, TheNerd |
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Sep 3 2008, 14:26
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 Regular  Group: MoDaCo Plus Posts: 108 Joined: 29th March 2006 From: Hertfordshire Member No.: 180,756 Device(s): T-Mobile MDA Compact IV |
When we moved to our current house, we used my PDA as a 3G modem (and used MS connection sharing) for a week or two. Was OK for browsing and emails. It had a PAYG sim in it, and was on the capped £1 per day package - so cost us under a tenner for about a week of usage. Good as a fallback for sure.
I did ask T-Mobile if I could get the WnW SIM without a dongle to put in my PDA, but always been told no (PDA Is too big to be used as a phone, but a great micro-mini laptop). If you want a rare stop gap solution, i'd suggest a PAYG sim with the £1 cap. As long as you don't take the micky when you use it (i.e. don't try using p2p, watching YouTube, etc.) you should be fine. As for a device to use - there are some good Draytek Vigor units that have both ADSL and 3G support (the 3G is usually done through a USB stick modem and some mobiles). Look for the Vigor 2820 as an example. This post has been edited by andybarker: Sep 3 2008, 14:29 |
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Sep 3 2008, 14:49
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 The Main Man  Group: Admin Team Posts: 20,986 Joined: 6th November 2002 From: Norwich, UK Member No.: 1 Device(s): HTC Advantage |
That router looks sweet, i've asked eXpansys if I can review one.
A PAYG 3 SIM with the fiver a month internet bundle would work great! P -------------------- Paul O'Brien - Microsoft MVP, Mobile Devices, MoDaCo.network Founder. Check out my Blog! £10 off a £20 spend at eXpansys - click for details |
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Sep 3 2008, 15:39
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#4
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Newbie Group: Posters Posts: 47 Joined: 4th June 2007 Member No.: 263,164 |
Looks really nice! Been looking for a QOS router, looks like that would be ideal. Look forward to the review...
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Sep 3 2008, 16:29
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TOMnia ! Group: Moderator Team Posts: 1,034 Joined: 26th November 2007 From: Right Here, Right Now! Member No.: 326,361 Device(s): Samsung SGH-i900 Omnia |
Id approach this slightly differently.
I would probably get the Draytek 2820n router which does both adsl and 3g Broadband. This will allow you to have a failover for when the adsl dies. -------------------- --
My Toys: Omnia: Samsung SGH-i900 Omnia - 8GB SD HC 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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Sep 3 2008, 17:15
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Newbie Group: Posters Posts: 40 Joined: 15th May 2004 Member No.: 43,355 |
The Draytek Vigor 2820 looks like one heck of a system! Had I not already got several seperate boxes
 to perform all the functions it offers I would be jumping up and down to buy one. I am very impressed with the USB modem support it offers. It is exactly what I really want. Thanks Andy - Too bad I have to consider other options with the equipment I already have, which I won't be able to write off for a while.  Some things that are putting me off Mobile Broadband...
Oh what to do...??  |
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Sep 3 2008, 18:40
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#7
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The Main Man Group: Admin Team Posts: 20,986 Joined: 6th November 2002 From: Norwich, UK Member No.: 1 Device(s): HTC Advantage |
Monthly service is OK when it's super cheap tho no?
40MB per day, from who? I've pretty comprehensively hammered by 3 prepay SIM on the fiver a month bundle, with no issues. Protocols, yeah, I VPN then use what I like! 10 days, worse they can do is shut off the SIM? P -------------------- Paul O'Brien - Microsoft MVP, Mobile Devices, MoDaCo.network Founder. Check out my Blog! £10 off a £20 spend at eXpansys - click for details |
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Sep 3 2008, 18:43
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#8
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Newbie Group: Posters Posts: 5 Joined: 29th August 2008 From: Milton Keynes Member No.: 421,281 Device(s): Blackberry Bold |
I have been looking at getting some of these in from one of my suppliers. They had a load they wanted to offload.
http://www.devicewire.co.uk/Option-Globesurfer-II Is this the sort of thing you would need?, we could not decide if there was a big enough market for it? If anyone can give me some feedback I they have used one I would be very grateful. |
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Sep 3 2008, 23:38
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#9
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Newbie Group: Posters Posts: 40 Joined: 15th May 2004 Member No.: 43,355 |
Hello folks and many thanks indeed for your replies.
Paul, I think the 40Mb per day cap was on one of the Asda pages, but I can not remember for sure, and sorting through my browser history to find the page again would be horrific! Mr Gallant, the Option Globesurfer II 7.2 looks like a nice device - Up until yesterday, I had no idea these sort of devices existed. Not ideal for my purposes though. The requirement of USB (that must be Windows or Mac OS X, so there could be driver issues for a Linux laptop) puts me off. Security-wise I am also put off. I would rather have a an internet connection passed through a hardware firewall/router before connecting a PC. (Although I suppose I could utilise something like Yoggie Gatekeeper for security.) These issues are also more than likely to affect the USB modems on offer from the mobile network providers too, although I don't know enough about them yet to say for sure. It looks like the mobile broadband market is really hotting up. Still wish I'd known about that Draytek router some time ago! |
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Sep 4 2008, 06:44
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 Peanut Brain Group: MoDaCo Plus Posts: 6,343 Joined: 10th September 2004 From: Surrey, England Member No.: 56,072 Device(s): iPhone 8Gb. Athena, C600 |
Did you read http://www.mobiholics.com/content/the-loun...1256/3g-router/
Not quite what you are looking for but similar. -------------------- He who asks a question looks foolish for 5 minutes. He who doesn't ask a question remains foolish forever.
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Sep 4 2008, 08:17
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#11
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Newbie Group: Posters Posts: 40 Joined: 15th May 2004 Member No.: 43,355 |
Many thanks Confucious. I seem to be thinking about this all too late. It seems many people want this now, come on mobile providers get with the program
 Paul, I found the 40MB limit was actually on T-Mobile... http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobile-phon.../pay-as-you-go/ QUOTE Web 'n' walk £1 a day plan
web'n'walk day pass costs up to £1. How we calculate charges We'll automatically charge 0.73p per KB each day (midnight to midnight) when you use web'n'walk until you hit £1 a day and then we won't charge you any more. Who can get it Pay as you go or pay monthly customers who don't have web'n'walk included in their plan or added a Booster You'll need a compatible phone and internet coverage � check your coverage Web'n'walk restrictions Remember that you can only use web'n'walk in the UK. You can't: Use your phone as a modem Use web'n'walk for peer to peer file sharing Use web'n'walk for instant messaging (except if you have a Sidekick) Make internet phone calls Fair use policy This plan comes with a fair use policy of 40MB a day. We'll monitor how much you send and receive each calendar month so that we can protect our network for all our web'n'walk customers. If you use more than your fair use policy amount, we won't charge you any more, but we may restrict how you can use web'n'walk, depending on how often you go over your amount and by how much. The legal stuff you need to know All offers are available for new connections only. Web'n'walk Compatible handset required. £1 maximum daily charge applies to U-Fix, Mates Rates, Everyone and Text Appeal customers. Roaming charges apply. Charges of 0.73p per KB apply until £1 per day (midnight to midnight) is spent. If you have already spent £1 and you browse for a continuous period from before midnight to after midnight, all of that period will be charged at the new day's rate of 0.73p per KB. Not applicable to connection via circuit switch data (CSD). Subject to coverage. *To ensure a high quality of service for all our customers a fair use policy of 40MB (of data both sent and received in the UK) per day applies. We monitor use on a monthly basis. If, in our reasonable opinion, you regularly exceed 40MB per day, we may tell you to reduce your future use. If you again regularly exceed 40 MB per day, we may tell you that we are going to apply network protection controls, resulting in a reduced network speed for 14 days. If you exceed 40 MB per day for a third time, we may tell you that we are going to apply further network protection controls, resulting in a permanently reduced network speed. We do not permit use of this service to provide modem access for a computer or for peer to peer file sharing, internet phone calls or instant messaging. Roaming charges apply. |
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Sep 4 2008, 08:30
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#12
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Peanut Brain Group: MoDaCo Plus Posts: 6,343 Joined: 10th September 2004 From: Surrey, England Member No.: 56,072 Device(s): iPhone 8Gb. Athena, C600 |
The not 'use your phone as a modem' bit seems to rule it out for this sort of thing as well.....
-------------------- He who asks a question looks foolish for 5 minutes. He who doesn't ask a question remains foolish forever.
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Sep 4 2008, 10:18
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#13
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TOMnia ! Group: Moderator Team Posts: 1,034 Joined: 26th November 2007 From: Right Here, Right Now! Member No.: 326,361 Device(s): Samsung SGH-i900 Omnia |
Mr Nerd Sir,
Going back to the draytek router. I recently had one, and had to send it back though. Mine was probably just a bad one. It's very flexible, and allows you to do all sorts of wonderful stuff with the link. You can bond links and have TWO ADSL connections, plus 3G. You can prioritise traffic over different links. Have one as fail over for another. Truly is a remarkable bit of kit. I just wasnt 100% satisfied with it, so it went back! -------------------- --
My Toys: Omnia: Samsung SGH-i900 Omnia - 8GB SD HC 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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Sep 14 2008, 18:23
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#14
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 Newbie Group: Posters Posts: 23 Joined: 1st September 2005 Member No.: 147,166 Device(s): spv e200 |
orange offer unlimited downloads for 24 hours on pay and go if you text 'world 1' to 6610, I often just get this for a days use and plug it into my laptop... ive actually had it downloading constantly for 18 hours
 cheers |
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