Taking the Tablets ?

EycplUK

Daft Question ...........
How do you pay for internet useage on a Tablet ?
Regards

Parva

Very daft question indeed without more details. Tablets connect over wi-fi (unless you have a tablet that also has a sim card slot for 3G access but let's not go there). So if you're connected to your home wi-fi connection then the cost is quite simply whatever your monthly broadband bill is. You could alternatively vist a Wetherspoons pub where they offer free wi-fi access and connect to their internet and it will cost you nothing (other than the price of your beer while you surf).

The cost to connect to wi-fi is whatever you pay for your broadband connection, there is no cost associated with the tablet itself. Apologies if I have misunderstood your question. This is also assuming that this isn't a trick question regarding tablets aka pills!

Lincoln_Imp

They can also connect via your moblie when your out and about (called tethering) so you get charged whatever you would do on your phone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tethering

arriva

Last week I put a new and unused Three sim with 1GB credit on it in an ipad. I bought the sim off ebay (cheap £4.49) just for this, to see how much it will "cost" in terms of MB watching videoclips on utube.

I watched 3 SHORT movies on utube (5 or 10 minutes each) that night.
When I checked the balance the following morning it ate up 75MB so I'd say if you are on a pay-as-you-go it's not the same as surfing with your phone. Much more expensive but i only tested it watching movies.

Lifeforms

Not a daft question at all.
You either have a 3g enabled tablet, or a wifi only tablet. 3g means if you want to surf with it out and about (without using wifi) you need a data only sim. These can be bought on the cheap from ebay etc, or through monthly contracts. If you're out and about with a 3G model, and there is wifi freely available, then take that option over 3g. Costs vary, as does millage etc. aka data uses/costs depends on what you do. If you sit and download vids all the time, you will quickly eat up data.

Wifi tablets run on wifi only. So you can only use them where you can get a wifi signal. Things like pubs, clubs, cafes etc often offer either free wifi, or free with a purchase. You could also hunt around for an unsecured signal from someone who hasn't secured their network, but do that at your own risk

Wifi tablets will run anywhere where there is a wifi signal, so you could actually create one with a phone, if you have one capable, as per the above link and tethering. Your phone broadcasts the signal, your wifi tablet picks it up. This will run your battery down on the phone rather quickly, so is often not ideal for long periods of use, unless you wanna plug your phone in to the wall, or carry around spare batteries.

The next option is to look at something like a MiFi unit, which is basically a 3 branded unit that broadcasts a wifi signal via a Data card, and what is like a broadband dongle. millage varies again with cost Vs what you get out of it and for how long. Some units are easily unlocked (as per phones) so you can use different sims from different providers thus getting the best option of cost. MiFi are not the only units out there.

There are also travel routers (with or without options for portable modem use) so if you're in a room where you have wired net free/paid for, these work by converting the wired to a wireless signal. Or you can use it out and about with a version that has ability to use a portable modem with it to basically broadcast a signal.

Think about the options on where you'd potentially need internet. Although adding on the cost, things like a mifi (unlocked), or unlocked travel router may suit best, especially if you're looking to go overseas. In that case to provide internet you just get a cheap data sim in the particular country choice.

I went for both wifi only models on tablets, as I can if I want broadcast a secure network via my phone (tethering)

* Okay and one other thing to remember... Some data packages don't consider browsing to actually count. They only work on data to download, so for example you tube videos are downloaded, but the webpage you're reading the news on isn't.

* ALSO: Tethering is usually not allowed on most phone sims/data plans. Check your terms and conditions for definite answers, but as yet I've never had any issue with voda, or T-mob. I used t-mob connection on my laptop for a month of no Broadband, maxed out to the 3gb limit I had, but never got told off etc. It's at your own risk however.


I know this also might state the obvious, but with phone tethering, mifi units, travel routers (with/without modem extra) they will create what is called a portable Hotspot aka Wifi. This means that several things can connect to it at the same time. So this makes them ideal if you go away on holiday with families, or even sat in the car for 4 hrs on a motorway stuck in traffic. Everyone can benefit from them.

Tiggy_Wiggy

Lifeforms wrote: »

The next option is to look at something like a MiFi unit, which is basically a 3 branded unit that broadcasts a wifi signal via a Data card, and what is like a broadband dongle. millage varies again with cost Vs what you get out of it and for how long. Some units are easily unlocked (as per phones) so you can use different sims from different providers thus getting the best option of cost. MiFi are not the only units out there.

There are also travel routers (with or without options for portable modem use) so if you're in a room where you have wired net free/paid for, these work by converting the wired to a wireless signal. Or you can use it out and about with a version that has ability to use a portable modem with it to basically broadcast a signal.

I know this also might state the obvious, but with phone tethering, mifi units, travel routers (with/without modem extra) they will create what is called a portable Hotspot aka Wifi. This means that several things can connect to it at the same time. So this makes them ideal if you go away on holiday with families, or even sat in the car for 4 hrs on a motorway stuck in traffic. Everyone can benefit from them.

Just wanted to say thank you for this information. I have been looking at getting a tablet for a while now. But always thought I would pay the extra for a 3g version, as I wanted to use it out and about, now I know I don't need to.

What units other than the 3 mifi would you recommend? I don't want to have to sign up to a contract.

Thanks.

Lifeforms

Basically I can't actually recommend any above the others. But the best way is to narrow your potential uses. If you are looking to use overseas often, then you need something you can either easily (and cheaply/freely) unlock, or an unlocked version.
If you want something out of the box that works, then you'd be looking at a Mifi unit including a data plan provided with those.
If you don't mind playing around a bit you can combine by getting a Travel Router that can take a Broadband dongle. You can then see if you can get a free modem somewhere. Either by freecycle, or freegle, or even asking your friends and family. You'd be suprised just how many have these lying around being unused. In this case, unless it's locked to a specific network that you dont mind using, you'd need to unlock it. You'd also need to make sure that you can use the BB dongle with the travel router.

It also depends if you're using a laptop with all the items as well, because you can just get away with a broadband dongle, and the laptop/netbook etc providing a wireless connection.

Because I'm not looking at a netbook, one of the ones I am looking at is in the Zoom Range.
http://www.zoomtel.com/products/4520.html <- they call their range We3G (3 is the MiFi range) They're just not dirt cheap however, and I'm trying to work out if I can really justify the cost, or just simply buy a couple of batteries for the phone (or even a DAta sim card, and a dirt cheap android phone) and just use that to broadcast a wifi hotspot.#


Edited to say: Regarding the actual sims, there are quite a few options, I've seen GiffGaff mentioned for Data sims, also check places like Ebay, or Amazon. You can get things like 3 cards for cheap prices. Those tend to be X data over X months. Best thing is, rather than signing upto a contract, you can just throw the card away once done, and buy another one to suit.

One thing to remember though, if you know a provider doesn't work great in a phone in your area that you will be using these things in, don't go for it for data. It's just the same reception. If its bad on the phone, it wont improve in a 3G dongle.

Tiggy_Wiggy

Great thanks for the advice.

I'm going to ask our friendly IT department at work tomorrow about a travel router.

EycplUK

Wow ! Lots to think about there folks !
Will have to check out all the good advice given and make an informed choice ( I think )
As i use BT BB and have access to the "hotspot " wi fi system looks like the way to go ?
Once again , Thanks !
Regards