What is the simplest, cheapest way of getting Internet access abroad?

Inga

Does anyone have any experience of using a dongle abroad?(Majorca)

We have booked an apartment that does not have Internet access and we love to listen to BBC radio when we are away.

I asked in a few phone shops here but they just said it couldn't be done. Surely I should be able to buy a European dongle, even if I have to buy it there on the first day? Would it be very expensive?

NiftyDigits

Pop into a Carrefour when you get there. Look here for more info.
I think their old modem was 19 euros for the modem and SIM and one euro(plus IVA) per day for Internet access. Their new modem is 29 euros including 5 euros of credit.



Make sure that you buy the Carrefour modem, as all the dealers sit together and will try to sell you their package and won't necessarily call the Carrefour dealer to his station. So you may have to find an actual Carrefour employee to help you.

If you have an existing modem, you may be able to unlock it for use abroad. Which can save you a bit.

diamonds

http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.carrefour.es/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dwww.carrefour.es%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-gb:IE-Address%26biw%3D1311%26bih%3D684%26prmd%3Dimvnsz&sa=X&ei=eW-HUNyLLYi20QX03YCgDg&sqi=2&ved=0CCMQ7gEwAA

Im_just_careful

The big Carrefour near the airport on the way in to Palma has a phone counter.

I bought a data SIM from there last year.

I took a print of their website to get over the language issue.

The SIM cost 5 Euros. I topped it up by 5 Euros, they photocopied my passport and I had my SIM in about 10 minutes.

Two traps.

1) It came with a PIN set but the carrier had the 4 digit PIN on it, once turned off that caused no further problems.

2) Take the APN settings with you on a piece of paper. From

http://wiki.apnchanger.org/Spain#Carrefour_M.C3.B3vil

they are:-

APN settings

• username: (blank)
• password: (blank)
• APN name: carrefourinternet

Top it up by 1.2 Euros (1 Euro plus VAT) for each day you are there and you get 100MB/day after that it goes slow but doesn't stop working.

There are other tarrifs. If you need to top up then other (smaller) Carrefour branches will do that if you have the purchase receipt.

Make sure you have an unlocked device. Try a different network UK SIM in it to test you can set the APN before you go.

Enjoy your holiday.

Inga

Thanks everyone, this sounds great. It is a while before we go thank goodness because it may take a while for me to understand the details.

We like to listen to BBC radio I player for at least a couple of hours a day so what download limit do you think we would need?

Inga

Sorry I am so stupid over the technicalities, is there a SIM in the modem which has to be unlocked? I don't understand the APN part, would the people at Carrefour be able to assist?

I have an iPad which has to have wifi as there is nowhere to put a SIM in. I just use any wifi available when I'm out and about so I assume it is unlocked?

I know that there is no wifi in the apartment we have rented which is the reason for me wanting to sort this out now. I love the idea of a modem that we can keep for other later trips which means we are not as restricted in our choice of accommodation in future.

diamonds

If you have a "unlocked from network" mobile modem just buy the sim you need to input APN (this tells sim how to connect on modem software, really easy to do), if not buy the 29Euro one from carrefour

or

buy this http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/t-mobile-e3131-pay-as-you-go-mobile-broadband-dongle-14553709-pdt.html

Unlock for 4euros and you have a modem that is future proof at 3 times capable the speed of the carrefour modem at 21mbps.

or

same 4 euro unlock but a modem that makes wifi instead of having to install dongle & dongle software to a pc/laptop/netbook, handy for your ipad aswell with the same future proof 21mbps speeds as one above, item is here but 4 times price of above http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/three-huawei-e586-mi-fi-take-it-away-wireless-broadband-one-month-rolling-contract-11345028-pdt.html

You just buy it, throw 3 sim away in drawer and not activate the 30 day contract on it by registering the sim, unlock for4euros and thats it ! I recommend the £40 one as wifi makes it much easier in general, I had the old model of this wifi modem, it was great (I broke it dropping it )

Just put the APN/settings in once for carrefour network when connected to pc/laptop/netbook and its ready for wifi not attatched to any compauter or the charging base, carry it around with the ipad for access anywhere you have a signal on the carrefour network.

Can change APN as needed with same simple process for different sims/network around the world just plug in to computer change APN and bobs your uncle, fannys your granny until you need to use another network sim/APN.

4 Euro unlock: http://www.dc-unlocker.com/forum/index.php

Any questions Inga I'll be around

diamonds

Inga wrote: »

I have an iPad which has to have wifi as there is nowhere to put a SIM in. I just use any wifi available when I'm out and about so I assume it is unlocked?

Wifi is not locked it is password protected by the wifi unit broadcasting it - or it can be open to any user connecting, mobile network internal/external modems are locked to network specific sims, which can be removed cheaply as I posted above

ciderboy2009

Just a thought - isn't iPlayer restricted to UK ip addresses only?

diamonds

For tv:
http://www.tunerfree.tv/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9:iplayer-mce&catid=1:software&Itemid=11

It has VPN direction build in so you can watch UK tv abroad via Vista/Windows 7 in Windows Media Center.

http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk/help/mobile_iplayer/ At the moment, we don't have the capacity to serve overseas customers with either live or listen again radio content on mobiles. However you can listen to BBC radio outside the UK from a desktop computer - go to https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio

Inga

I listen to BBC Radio on a Radio Player app on my iPad, but you are right, I cannot watch iPlayer tv programmes abroad.

I haven't worked out how to set up TV on iPad using a VPN (as you can tell from my posts, I'm not the most technically aware) but I would because there is no alternative. I think BBC is missing a trick by not offering paid access abroad, I would be prepared to pay for access while I was on holiday.