3G data cards

brettles

I apologise upfront to you clever people who understand these things.

1. If you use a 3G data card do you still connect to an ISP or do you use the (in this case) vodafone 'ISP' network.

2. are these things compatible with other networks...e.g. can i use one bought in UK in south africa with a (local) vodacom SIM card ,.i.e. are the data cards locked in some way like contract phones?

thanks

Moocow_3

Hi

I think if you use a 3G data card then it uses the operator network. In your case vodafone. Its just the same as when you connect to the vodafone site on your mobile phone. So no need for another isp if you don't want one.

Not really sure about your 2nd question but you can take your phone abroad and it still works by transferring you onto the local network of whoever vodafone is in partnership with so it might be the same with the 3G data card.

Chris

esuhl

According to this page on the Vodafone website, you should be able to use 3G with a Vodafone SIM on the Vodacom network in South Africa:
http://www.vodafone.co.uk/usingdataabroad

It would probably be ridiculously expensive to do this, but the fact that there IS a 3G network in South Africa presumably means that you'll be able to get a local 3G SIM when you arrive.

Judging from a few online comments, they ARE network locked. I can't find much info about how you'd go about this, though, just people asking the same questions!