Need new mobile contract and mobile internet!

tree_man

Hi all
I am about to move to a temporary house let for 6 months. There is no landline phone or BB connection and I dont want to take one with me or set one up there for the short term let. I am thinking of a new contract for o2 mobile phone and maybe an o2 (or other provider) dongle for internet. I also want to be able to call my partner in the evenings (maybe an hour a day) and not use a mobile for this if pos. dont like the idea of frying my brain cells.

What is the best deal for getting broadband on my laptop at the new property and a mobile contract. Can i use Skype over the mobile dongle, or is that a high mb use? Dont want to go over the Gb usage limit. Would it be possible to use skipeover a nokia 5800 or SE 995? My partner who spends a lot of time away is on o2 (she's on a contract) and a talktalk land line. My brother is on o2 (payg) and so are several mates.

I am out of the end of my contract on vodafone. (use about 300 to 500 mins/month and 200 texts) This may go up a little while I am in the short term let as there is no landline...

I am thinking of going for a nokia 5800 or a SE 995 on o2 contract. Maybe take advantage of the o2 calling circle or whatever they call it at £7.50 to call five o2 numbers for free.

Sorry to ramble, but we are getting to the point here. What is the best combination to go for, to get cheap mobile internet for evening light duty use (I take my laptop to work) and a good mobile phone contract. I have seen on the comparison sites that you can get a 24 month contract for about 12.50 for 600 mins.

Just wondering if there is a combination deal available anywhere?

Thanks

tree_man

Anyone have any ideas on this.

Cheers

DarkConvict

If you want internet on the laptop, you will need to go for a dongle over just internet on the phone.

Most dongles, i believe are 12 month contracts to cover the price of the dongle aswell. So for a 6 months lease i don't know what to really advise.
http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/shop/deals/usb-modem-stick-3gb-12-month-15/?WT_ref=INT-160709-Shop-Dls-12mMBB

If your willing to just use internet on the phone and already have an internet capable phone, then maybe 02 sim only, text and web for £15 a month would be suitable.
http://shop.o2.co.uk/tariffs/Pay_and_Go

You also say you use the phone to speak to your OH for an hour a day, 60x28 days = 1680 minutes. That is alot of minutes and unless you can afford more expendisve contracts, you will be looking for a unlimited minutes package, instead of unlimited texts.

DarkConvict

http://www.dialaphone.co.uk/phone/Nokia_5800/search.aspx?product=Nokia_5800

Orange 35 plan, 1200 minutes, texts and web allowances? £35 a month + £100 cashback.

randomtask_2

Have not tried myself, but reports are Skype performance over a mobile dongle is patchy. Depends on the quality of your 3G reception, which I might add, isn't a known strength of O2 depending on where you're based. Think you're better off going for a phone contract with a large inclusive minute allowance.

As for broadband solution for your 6 month let - look into the 30 day/1 month mobile dongle contracts (or even the 2 month contracts offered by Virgin Mobile).

tree_man

Hi Guys,
Thanks for your suggestions.

Dark Con, the phone I have (an ageing SE z710i) is on its way out, and needs to be replaced. I was hoping to get a free phone with a new contract, maybe on o2. I am currently on vodafone and i might be able to squeeze them to give up a good deal, but I want to have my facts clear in my mind first before phoning them.

The o2 bolt on pack for family gives you unlimited calls to 4 named o2 numbers for free, so that would mean the calls to my OH wouldnt count towards my monthly mins. That bolt on is £7.50/month tho!

Randomtask. I wondered about reception on the dongle. o2 is good at the 6 month let, although patchy at work. Voda the same. 3 non existant, and orange very patchy.

I am thinking of a pay as you go mobile BB dongle rather than a contract. Someone said voda are doing a top up version that is pretty cheap and the credit stays there til you use it rather than being a month log thing! not sure where that deal is though!!!

Have just been looking at the HTC touch pro 2. Looks like a good device. would I get voip calls through on that to the land line at no cost on my end (beyond the mb's used)?

Is there something I am missing that would give a great combination of mobile/internet/landline without having to buy all the contracts?

Thanks for ANY advice on this all. Beginning to think I am going mad with all the stuff in my head

tree_man

So I have just been called out of the blue by Voda and offered a contract for £24.46 which includes
900 mins x network
Unlimited texts:cool:
Unlimited landline
Unlimited Internet:D:D
And which ever phone I wanted... :T:T:rotfl:

Should have asked if they could do the new I-Phone
And when I quized him about using the mobile as a connection for the laptop and how much i could do with that, he said I could use it as much as i wanted at no extra cost!!!!

Is that right? Fair usage policy and all that. He is gona call me back to give me chance to decide on the phone i want.

Do I get him to put that wording about the UNLIMITED LANDLINE AND INTERNET being really unlimited on the notes on my account? Then if i go over a limit i can come back to that.

Just thought I would ask here if that is really as good a deal as there is out there... I cant think there are many that will be better. Although it might be for a 36 month term. he didnt say what the term was...

DarkConvict

I do advise getting a contract in writing (or email), i had vodafones unlimited internet before. There was a 120MB limit, its now 500MB. But they charge you £2 per MB you go offer, so back on the 120MB limit i was stung with a £260 bill for 1 month usage.

Remember your 900 minutes won't cover an hour a day to your OH. Outside of most contract minutes, your lookign at about 35p a min, so to make the the remainder (1680-900) x35p = £273 a month of calls. For an extra £5 a month you might be able to up the minutes to something like 1200.

Vodafone also on this phones sales deals, have a habit of charging you double for the last couple of months, because without telling you they put up on a 1/2 price deal which doesnt actually last the full term of your contract so check that out.

Trixxie

DarkConvict wrote: »

Remember your 900 minutes won't cover an hour a day to your OH. Outside of most contract minutes, your lookign at about 35p a min, so to make the the remainder (1680-900) x35p = £273 a month of calls. For an extra £5 a month you might be able to up the minutes to something like 1200.

Re the 900 minutes - remember also to factor in your partner's minutes allowance - hopefully there should be enough minutes between the two contracts.


Trixxie

randomtask_2

If I understand this right, you're going to use your mobile as a tethered modem? Shouldn't cost extra (unlike O2 and iPhone for example) but note the 500MB monthly cap on 'unlimited internet' might be a bit tight if you're going to be doing more than surfing and emailing. Video/music downloads or streaming will eat into it quite significantly.

Bear in mind also, I don't think you'll be able to make/receive calls while you're online or vice versa.

talkalot

As far as I am aware if you go slightly over your 500mb limit Vodafone will not be to bothered. However if you go over by a large amount each month then they will contact you. 500mb will not go far using the phone as a modem. You might want to look at their mobile data bundle which is £15.00 for 3 gig.