Mobile Broadband - 3 or Vodafone?

ItchieFeet

3 offers 15GB per month for £15 - too good to be true?

3 claims best coverage, but feedback suggests slow-to-no service at peak times, precisely when I need it.

Vodafone seems next best but offer only 1GB on PAYG or 3GB on monthly for the same £15. Little feedback on this network.

Online calculators estimate usage approx 3GB per month...but as not had internet at home before, could be higher with all the surfing of this site!

Both networks claim I'm in the top service zone - just outside M25, but then surely competing with others in high population density areas?

Had Vodafone mobile phone for eons and hoped this might me access to special discount offers for MBB, but no such luck according to their customer service.

3 offer ends next week - help please!!

liam8282

I have got Vodafone mobile broadband, I haven't had any problems with it at all.

I have had it for over a year and just renewed my contract and it is now around £10 pm, instead of £15 pm.

I use it almost everyday for browsing the internet and I also download upto 10 music albums per month, and I have never gone over the 3gb limit, I don't even think I have got close to going over it to be honest.

Drew210385

I bought the vodafone one yesterday and live and work in a city centre and have tried in 4 seperate locations so far and haven't been able to get a signal..

liam8282

If you have a mobile phone and can get signal, you should be able to get a signal on your mobile broadband as it works pretty much the same way.

It could be possible that you have another problem with your setup?

macman

The only pertinent question with mobile broadband is: can I get a decent 3G signal at the place(s) I want to use it. If you can't, don't bother, as you will be on little more than dial up speeds otherwise.
Don't rely on the website checkers as they give only a general idea based on postcode. You need to check 'on site' using a SIM from the prospective provider.
The advantage of Vodafone on PAYG is that the top ups do not expire in 30 days as they do on 3.

liam8282

Yes, it all does depend on the signal strength, but if you can get a mobile phone to work with a decent signal, you should generally have the same sort of signal on your mobile broadband.

My vodafone usb stick works in this order:

GPRS
3G
Mobile Broadband

GPRS being slowest, mobile broadband being fastest.

The better signal you have the faster option the usb stick chooses to connect with, this also changes as you are connected.

macman

liam8282 wrote: »

Yes, it all does depend on the signal strength, but if you can get a mobile phone to work with a decent signal, you should generally have the same sort of signal on your mobile broadband.

My vodafone usb stick works in this order:

GPRS
3G
Mobile Broadband

GPRS being slowest, mobile broadband being fastest.

The better signal you have the faster option the usb stick chooses to connect with, this also changes as you are connected.

Not as far as 3G is concerned. 3G coverage is far more limited, especially outside urban areas.

woody01

I just got a free 3 PAYG dongle from an offer.
I travel all over the country and put £15pm on it.

So far the coverage has been excellent (and its cheap)

Snakeeyes21

macman wrote: »

Not as far as 3G is concerned. 3G coverage is far more limited, especially outside urban areas.

Urban areas? I live out in the sticks, travel to lands end come back a mile and thats where i am.
iv got a constant HSDPA signal.
3 has the largest 3g network in the uk after joining up with T-mobile. So 3 should be the 1st choice for mobile broadband for anybody

greyster

nobody can say any network is best for a particular person unless they live in the same area and know for sure.

The best thing to do is go to this site and go with the network which has the closest masts to your house and/or work places

http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk/

macman

Snakeeyes21 wrote: »

Urban areas? I live out in the sticks, travel to lands end come back a mile and thats where i am.
iv got a constant HSDPA signal.
3 has the largest 3g network in the uk after joining up with T-mobile. So 3 should be the 1st choice for mobile broadband for anybody

I didn't say there was no coverage in rural areas, I just said it was more limited. For example I have used my 3 dongle in rural Devon and there are many places where no 3G can be received.