Internet Access

DidsySith

Hello all , I have a question.
I am looking to buy my daughter a netbook for Xmas , I would like to know the best way of providing this for her netbook whether it be by pay-as-you-go dongle and whatever is the best deal out there at the moment.(say 2-3 hours per day surfing as a general rule) BTW my daughter does not live with me and does not have internet access at home.Thanks in advance.

macman

You need to give more info. Does she have a BT phone line or Virgin cable service? If so she can have ADSL or cable internet service.
Without either of these, wireless broadband is the only option.

DidsySith

The only option would be some form of mobile broadband as she has a BT phone line but is never connected as her mother 'forgets' to pay the bill , same with Virgin cable , the option is there but her mother would forget to pay the bills.I was also looking today at the Home Access grant which will hopefully be available in the new year (she should qualify as her mother is dependant on benefits and maintenance money I pay every week)

ComplexP

So you want a broadband option for your daughter that essentially removes the 'mum' component? As you say, that is basically reducing your choices to the mobile broadband packages.

I believe 3 do a mobile broadband package that includes a laptop if you sign up for the 18 month deal. This would be just as good as a netbook and would be a lot cheaper.

Be warned however, that generally the mobile broadband technology is quite a bit slower than the landline/cable versions and mobile signals can be blocked when inside a house. It may be that your daughter can only get an intermittant signal and then is restricted to basic web browsing when it's working.

If this is the case she can always sit outside or right next to a window but these issues are why people still use their landlines despite being held to ransom by BT.

macman

Unless the OP is prepared to pay the landline and broadband bills himself by DD...that would stop the mother spending it elsewhere.

hiroko

it would probably work out cheaper, would he have to pay to have an installation done on the line if it's already there just not connected? probably not

if o2 do another 3 months free offer you could get their standard broadband for the equivalent of £3 (taking into account the free months and cashback) a month if you live in a llu area, then just the £11.25 bt line rental on top of that and it's still a good deal

PlutoinCapricorn

People usually agree that the 'free' laptop or mobile phone offers are just bait to induce you to sign up for an expensive long term contract.

I bought an Acer Aspire One netbook for £179 (I think that the price has dropped now) and I use a prepaid 3g dongle for internet access.

You can get 3/12/24 gb dongles, that are intended to last 3/12/24 months max. I don't play games or download films of music so the speed is ok and 1gb per month is adequate.

You could try the 3 month prepaid dongle, to see what the service is like.

Jake'sGran

At the beginning of my being on the Internet I used to pay by the minute with BT and it was reasonably cheap after 6pm-8am but with the Mum problem this won't work. These days I pay AOL £6.99 per month for broadband (12 month contract). I have been with them a long and think that since the UK part of AOL was bought by TalkTalk the price has changed. One of my friends insists she paid a one off lump sum to TT for broadband plus some free telephone calls. You could give them a ring. I was not aware of the dongle deal.

DidsySith

Thank you all for your answers you have given me a few ideas.As I said I was looking into the Home Access programme which is supposed to go live in the new year after the trials in Oldham etc have been a success.Perhaps if I add to the initial grant I could secure a landline based internet option for her which she would benefit alot more from.I will wait and see if she qualifies first then act accordingly.When she stays round here she is constantly on my computer studying (well when I check on her she is...)