Flat has no internet - tethering options?

alison141288

I'm moving to a flat for 4 months which does not have internet. I have an unlocked iphone 4 which I don't currently use. I'm thinking of buying a monthly sim plan with unlimited data usage and which I can tether my laptop to.

Can anyone advise which network I should go for? These are the options I have looked at:
1) GiffGaff's unlimited data plans are cheap, but they don't allow tethering.
2) O2 Simplicity have a 5GB plan which allows tethering, but it is £30/month, which seems very expensive
3) Three only allow tethering on 'The One' plan, which costs £23/month for 2GB (although it is unlimited data on your phone)

I already have a phone which I use, so I don't care about mins/texts. All I want is the option to tether my laptop, high data usage via tethering, and I don't want to tie myself to a contract.

Thanks,
Alison

Van_Diesel

The three one plan is th best. Unlimited data that can be used for tethering. What more could you need?

macman

What you will certainly need is a network that provides a decent 3G signal to the property. That's the first thing to check-and don't just rely on a postcode checker. All else follows from that.

NiftyDigits

alison141288 wrote: »

I'm moving to a flat for 4 months which does not have internet. I have an unlocked iphone 4 which I don't currently use. I'm thinking of buying a monthly sim plan with unlimited data usage and which I can tether my laptop to.

Can anyone advise which network I should go for? These are the options I have looked at:
1) GiffGaff's unlimited data plans are cheap, but they don't allow tethering.
2) O2 Simplicity have a 5GB plan which allows tethering, but it is £30/month, which seems very expensive
3) Three only allow tethering on 'The One' plan, which costs £23/month for 2GB (although it is unlimited data on your phone)

I already have a phone which I use, so I don't care about mins/texts. All I want is the option to tether my laptop, high data usage via tethering, and I don't want to tie myself to a contract.

Thanks,
Alison

Perhaps better to get an inexpensive MiFi unit and choose a plan from here

10GB for £15

alison141288

Thanks for your responses all, iv decided to go with the One Plan, after going in store it sounds like thebest option!

NiftyDigits

alison141288 wrote: »

Thanks for your responses all, iv decided to go with the One Plan, after going in store it sounds like thebest option!

Why do you think that it is the best option? Have they reassured you the you will get unlimited tethering?
I rarely trust anything that anyone tells me.

alison141288

Well I went in store and spoke to a sales advisor, spoke to someone on their online chat service and also called their sales team - and they all reassured me that it is unlimited tethering on the One Plan.

I said that I had read some stuff online about tethering being limited to 2GB despite buying an All-You-Can-Eat data plan, and they said that this rule relates to mobile phone contracts only; with regards to SIM only plans, tethering is still currently unlimited.

To try and mitigate risk, I have saved my chat conversation with the online sales advisor confirming the above. Is there anything else you can suggest doing? I assumed that if 3 people (albeit all salesmen...) all confirmed the same to me, I could safely go ahead with it...

Peter999_2

Have to say, looking at Three's terms and conditions it reads to me that you are limited to 2GB tethering.

http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBISAPI.DLL?Command=New,Kb=Mobile,Ts=Mobile,T=Article,varset_cat=internetapps,varset_subcat=3582,Case=obj%283599%29

As you say though, if you've kept the chat conversation which shows you asked and they specifically said you get unlimited then you just have to hope that they honour it.

alison141288

Perhaps I will also email them and get another written confirmation that there is unlimited tethering, so if it transpires that there is a 2GB limit, hopefully I will have a bit more to argue with. URGH!

NiftyDigits

alison141288 wrote: »

Perhaps I will also email them and get another written confirmation that there is unlimited tethering, so if it transpires that there is a 2GB limit, hopefully I will have a bit more to argue with. URGH!

From what I read it is existing SIM only contracts.

The cap of 2GB applies solely to new customers, with existing subscribers on the One plan retaining unfettered tethering.

Three's tariff refresh will also see the One plan relegated to a SIM only contract. It will no longer be offered with handsets

Who does the 2GB Personal Hotspot or “tethering” limit apply to?

For new customers ONLY who have signed up for a 24 monthly phone contract effective March 18th 2014 with All-you-can-eat data.

So SIM Only might still be ok.

alison141288

Oh wonderful news! I will call Three again tomorrow and double-check the above. Thanks so much!