Nice people thread part 6 - thrice by twice as nice :)

lostinrates

zagubov wrote: »

We've had cable for yonks. Didn't realise how fast it was till I visited parents and saw how slow their connecgtion was ( I believe it was talktalk).
Quite surprised because with cable there were occasional unexplained internet blackouts, but when it works it's really fast. Everyone in the house has computers on most of the time, and we all use it like a telly.

Go on, make me more envious!

We don't have gas here either. We are not especially rural and are near a county town, in an area of high population density for the cpunty really. We have most of the comforts of suburban living, so we often feel quite disappointingly not rural.

Doesn't help me sort tinternet from home though!

silvercar

PasturesNew wrote: »

Looking for a posh phone... have the opportunity to buy a HTC Widfire (no other model details provided), they say need to be connected to Mr T mobile and it would need a SIM card. £45 boxed etc.

Questions:
1] Is that a good price?
2] Could I use a SIM card I already have (that's not a Mr T)?

I want a phone to: make/receive calls/texts, surf t'Internet .... and some apps like GPS, barcode scanning to check for bargains, easily take good photos and get them online quickly.

If it is locked to Mr T then you need a Mr T SIM card. They are cheap, probably £1 and their tariff is very reasonable and often have deals. As far as coverage goes, they use the O2 netwrok, so if you have O2 coverage in your area they will work fine.

Sounds like you need a package that includes data as well as calls and texts if you want to surf and upload. Check online but I think T do a contract requiring only 30 days notice, so no tie-in.

I don't know about the phone, think its one of those phones that the independent minded go for, who haven't been sucked in by the marketing of Blackberry or iphone. As I'm a sucker I can't comment.

I'm sure T will post you a SIM card, but if they won't I am near a T mobile shop so could send one onto you to save you a 40 mile round trip!

silvercar

lostinrates wrote: »

I know there are some nice people with wonderful technical understanding who might be able to help me.

We have internet through plus net.

It is scratchy and patchy and slow. This has been fine for just me but when parent moves in (heavy user of things like iplayer) and dh is working from home in the summer we need something smoother and faster.

We do not have cable, though otherwise might consider ine with phone and tv, though that initself would cause 'issues' as to which tv got the benefit of that.

I just don't know where to start when cheapest not the only consideration! Any ideas?

The uni kids all swear by cable because there is no minimum term contract. So you could get cable broadband (and possibly parent their own phone line) just for the time they are with you. Then revert to your rubbish service.

zagubov

lostinrates wrote: »

Go on, make me more envious!

We don't have gas here either. We are not especially rural and are near a county town, in an area of high population density for the cpunty really. We have most of the comforts of suburban living, so we often feel quite disappointingly not rural.

Doesn't help me sort tinternet from home though!

Well I don't rate cable for the telly unless you fancy paying for all sorts of premium stuff. Freeview'll do as well. Phone packages with cable aren't great and you can find better.

lostinrates

silvercar wrote: »

The uni kids all swear by cable because there is no minimum term contract. So you could get cable broadband (and possibly parent their own phone line) just for the time they are with you. Then revert to your rubbish service.

But there is no cable to the area, and the parent is not moving out!

lostinrates

zagubov wrote: »

Well I don't rate cable for the telly unless you fancy paying for all sorts of premium stuff. Freeview'll do as well. Phone packages with cable aren't great and you can find better.

I do not fancy pay for tv, no. Parent has expressed desire for 'tv with nature shows and films'. If we get that parent will pay for it. I would not myself.

mystic_trev

PasturesNew wrote: »

It's been breeding with the locals :P

Must come from Norfolk :rotfl:

zagubov

PasturesNew wrote: »

Should have just unplugged it - and ignored the error message when it fired up again as you know it didn't really close down unexpectedly.

Unfortunately in those days when you started up an operatinfg system it's folder becomes "blessed" and will be chosen for the next startup until you find a way of "unblessing" it!

silvercar wrote: »

If it is locked to Mr T then you need a Mr T SIM card. They are cheap, probably £1 and their tariff is very reasonable and often have deals. As far as coverage goes, they use the O2 netwrok, so if you have O2 coverage in your area they will work fine.

Sounds like you need a package that includes data as well as calls and texts if you want to surf and upload. Check online but I think T do a contract requiring only 30 days notice, so no tie-in.

I don't know about the phone, think its one of those phones that the independent minded go for, who haven't been sucked in by the marketing of Blackberry or iphone. As I'm a sucker I can't comment.

I'm sure T will post you a SIM card, but if they won't I am near a T mobile shop so could send one onto you to save you a 40 mile round trip!

Getting confused whther it's locked to tesco or T-mobile. Tesco were good value PAYG.
This thread covers good cheap phones and this site compares PAYG deals.

silvercar

lostinrates wrote: »

But there is no cable to the area, and the parent is not moving out!

You mean the parent is coming to live with you permanently?:eek:

When was the last time you lived together? Is there a plan B?

lostinrates

silvercar wrote: »

You mean the parent is coming to live with you permanently?:eek:

When was the last time you lived together? Is there a plan B?

Yes, why not, we lived in their house long enough. But have not lived permanantly with them since i was eight i guess, what is permanant?

No plan b. parent has no one else. No other living relative and does not want to be alone really. Gets on brilliantly with dh (better than parent and i get on). Likes the cats. Fancies getting a dog...hmmm. (doesn't much like big dog but is generally tolerant of her).

The house is big enough, or will be. In time we can do an out building for them to have as a granny flat. Meanwhile parent can travel from a base, i will have more freedom while parent is living here....its win win.


I know thats the rosier interpretation, i sure as hell know there will be drustrations and rough days, but we are all generally happy with the plan. (i was the most resistant but, if dh is cool with it i am).