Looking for a mobile broadband dongle

debitcardmayhem

Kernel_Sanders wrote: »

You don't seem to understand that the 3G network is broadband, and there's no reason not to stream or download heavily. HSPA+ has been available for a while now, with speeds of up to 21mb/sec. And before you say that they'll rarely ever reach near that figure, the same could be said for your landline broadband distributed by copper wire copper. If you have good reception, then mobile broadband can be a replacement.

And if you live outside of a city / large town ....
Chocolate Teapot springs to mind. I can get 14Mbps via copper , certain mobile providers cannot even give me 2G coverage

Lifeforms

Kernel_Sanders wrote: »

You don't seem to understand that the 3G network is broadband, and there's no reason not to stream or download heavily. HSPA+ has been available for a while now, with speeds of up to 21mb/sec. And before you say that they'll rarely ever reach near that figure, the same could be said for your landline broadband distributed by copper wire copper. If you have good reception, then mobile broadband can be a replacement.

You also don't seem to GET IT that dongles and mifis are not a replacement broadband service, as is all i said. There is a reason not to stream or download heavily, because they have a piddly limit. Thus they are (again) not a replacement broadband service. They're intended, by the download, to be used by those surfers who quite literally can't get broadband (yes those places do exist still!) and have to suffer a slow connection, as well as highly limited download limits, or those on the move who don't need to have 60+gig downloads a month.

So before you have a !!!!! at me about speed (of which I've actually not said anything about before) !!!!! at the companies who limit them. Lobby them to get them changed! THEN you can compare them to off the land line/cable line/satellite broadband services.

gino_76ph

Very interesting comments.

I would agree that dongles and mifis should not be replacement for "normal" broadband but on the other hand it IS broadband anyway.

If 3's HSPA+ has been available for a while and boasts of a theoretical speed of 21Mbps (the signal for my mifi says i am in an "excellent" area both indoors & outdoors) then it would be practical (and better) if limits are not imposed too excessively like the 5GB per month thing.

I suppose it makes sense: speedier mobile broadband means less time to browse & download stuff. but a bigger data limit would also be beneficial for the network. wouldn't it?

Would you guys agree?

Kernel_Sanders

Lifeforms wrote: »

You also don't seem to GET IT that dongles and mifis are not a replacement broadband service, as is all i said. There is a reason not to stream or download heavily, because they have a piddly limit. Thus they are (again) not a replacement broadband service. They're intended, by the download, to be used by those surfers who quite literally can't get broadband (yes those places do exist still!) and have to suffer a slow connection, as well as highly limited download limits, or those on the move who don't need to have 60+gig downloads a month.

So before you have a !!!!! at me about speed (of which I've actually not said anything about before) !!!!! at the companies who limit them. Lobby them to get them changed! THEN you can compare them to off the land line/cable line/satellite broadband services.

Calm down, calm down!
My post was provoked by this

Lifeforms wrote: »

The thing is, dongles, and mifi units are not meant to be a replacement for a broadband connection in this country.

Had you replaced the word broadband with landline/cable/wifi (which I now believe is what you meant), then that would have indicated your comprehension.
In any case, 3 offer 15GB a month for £15.99, which is a better deal for lighter users who don't need a landline.

canonman

Well I am in the same position. I am waiting for BT to install my internet/fibre optic and I have been using my phone in teather mode as if I had broadband.

• I have not downloaded content
• No youtube etc...

To this day I have transferred 22GB of data without any warning on a PAY&GO simcard within 30 days.

gino_76ph

Correction folks: its 5GB on a £15.99 monthly-rolling contract (which i am on right now) and NOT 15GB. unless something magical has happened and 3 decided 5Gb isn't enough and decided to change the limit of which i'm not aware of yet.

Canonman, how did you managed 22GB of data? on a PAYG SIM? that sound too good to be true.help me out here please...=)

canonman

gino_76ph wrote: »

Correction folks: its 5GB on a £15.99 monthly-rolling contract (which i am on right now) and NOT 15GB. unless something magical has happened and 3 decided 5Gb isn't enough and decided to change the limit of which i'm not aware of yet.

Canonman, how did you managed 22GB of data? on a PAYG SIM? that sound too good to be true.help me out here please...=)

T-Mobile do have a "unlimited" browsing data rule, aslong as you don't download... like I mentioned in the past, the Nokia Teather tool connects to the network via a phone APN rather than a dongles APN... the networks see me as phone rather than a dongle...:p

gino_76ph

But, can T-mobile "see" me downloading stuff? i only browse the net and yet they told me i have reached my limit.

Odd.

w50nky

neilwoods wrote: »

I use a 3 dongle, and works perfectly. Instead of topping the sim up, i just buy a new one from amazon, last one cost me £3.83 but currently at £4.50 (price keeps going up and down, but cheaper than topping up)

This would suit me whilst away for a few weeks. Any chance of a link as I can not find this item.

TakeThis

w50nky wrote: »

This would suit me whilst away for a few weeks. Any chance of a link as I can not find this item.

1 GB

3 GB