Please help me choose a PAYG Mobile Broadband Provider

GTG

Kindy help me decide on which provider to go with based on the following criteria:

1) I require mobile broadband for one week in April to work over the internet from a location away from home.

2) I am guessing I will need the 3 Gigabyte top up offered by providers. This is likley to be a one off event although I may still use the service occasionally but with less of a download requirement on each new ocassion in the future.

3) A coverage check rules out 3G, the other providers coverages rates their services as very good in the area where I will be working.

I understand that leaves me a choice of Vodafone, T Mobile, or O2 the latter of which I may rule out also because of the note in Martin's article on the main site regarding them being under scrutiny by Ofcom for their poor service. Although that article may now be a bit dated.

Any help appreciated.

mk-donald

Do ave a look through the cashback sites - I managed a year ago to blag an o2 mobile broadband that purchase+topup-cashback meant I got a month's usage for FREE net; this year I have blagged a TMobile stick for free net (after allowing for the Tesco ClubCard points/deals I got on the purchase of it).

Haven't looked in the last couple of months as already set up for my week's hotel usage next week, but you may get similarly lucky.

MKD

GTG

mk-donald wrote: »

Do ave a look through the cashback sites - I managed a year ago to blag an o2 mobile broadband that purchase+topup-cashback meant I got a month's usage for FREE net; this year I have blagged a TMobile stick for free net (after allowing for the Tesco ClubCard points/deals I got on the purchase of it).

Haven't looked in the last couple of months as already set up for my week's hotel usage next week, but you may get similarly lucky.

MKD

Thanks for the tip, in true money saving style I will be scouring the cashback sites. I'm hoping to get some comments on the quality of the service of the different providers. How did you find the service of O2 and T Mobile and did you have any problems getting and staying connected to the internet?

Gary1963

I am using Vodafone which I find very good. I have used T Mobile before which was awful. I think it depends on where you live. Quidco do a £10 deal for a PAYG which means you just pay for the top up of £15 for 3G for 30 days.

mk-donald

Well I used their websites to see about coverage, but until you plug your USB dongle in and try it you'll never be sure what you are getting (or how congested their local network is). That said I only wanted temporary coverage for a week of hotelling, and why I sneakily chose dongles that net cost me nothing so were going to be worth what I paid. (Shall be taking both with me on next trip, to see which links best.)

Which? recently did a review (you used to be able to have a trial sub to their site for £1 for a month - didn't check if you still can)
http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/mobile-broadband

MKD

GTG

mk-donald wrote: »

Well I used their websites to see about coverage, but until you plug your USB dongle in and try it you'll never be sure what you are getting (or how congested their local network is). That said I only wanted temporary coverage for a week of hotelling, and why I sneakily chose dongles that net cost me nothing so were going to be worth what I paid. (Shall be taking both with me on next trip, to see which links best.)

Which? recently did a review (you used to be able to have a trial sub to their site for £1 for a month - didn't check if you still can)
http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/mobile-broadband

MKD

Nice one, you've just reminded me I'm a which member.

boho_2

thanks for info, useful for me

jd87

By "3G" I assume the OP is referring to the network "3". I have found their mobile broadband coverage to be excellent with 3G coverage even in rural areas near me. People need to be careful when comparing coverage maps. The traditional networks (vodafone, o2, orange, t-mobile) look like they have better coverage, but they have lots of gaps in their 3G coverage that are filled in by their 2G network. 3 on the other hand only have a 3G network, they don't have any 2G transmitters so their 3G coverage is a lot more consistent.

3's packages tend to be cheaper than the other networks so they're well worth giving a try. If the coverage isn't good enough for you then you've always got 14 days to cancel quibble free.