Back to Dial-up?

Vernier

I'm away from home except for a few hours a week, and still paying over £13 a month for broadband with a 2Gb download limit that I was never near to exceeding even when I was home full-time. During the short time I am home, I only really need internet access if there happens to be an item on eBay I just can't not bid on!

Obviously it would make sense for me to cancel the broadband and use a PAYG dial-up connection when necessary. These still seem to be available, some where you register, choose a password and get an email address and sometimes web-space (neither of which I would be using), and some with 'anonymous' connection, where all you need is the phone number.

Are there any security implications in using the latter? Is it as safe to log in to eBay or Paypal on a non-password protected connection as the encrypted log-in page makes it?

SailorSam

When i first got my computer i looked at the payg thing. 1p a minute. I'd never used a computer and thought there can't be much on it that would interest me. I didn't go down that line, i splashed with Virgin getting a contract including my phone.
I dread to think how many pennies i'd be paying now.

esuhl

Dial-up would be painful! Why not get a USB dongle so you can get online using your SIM contract?

macman

Dial up was bad enough in the days before ADSL when websites were simple in structure. Trying to load complex modern websites using dial up would be slow beyond belief. To bid on eBay you need to refresh the page quickly if you are sniping-forget that on a speed of 56kbps. And of course you are paying per minute.

Vernier

esuhl wrote: »

Why not get a USB dongle so you can get online using your SIM contract?

I think you are talking about technology I do not possess. I have a mobile phone, but it is just a phone!

macman wrote: »

Trying to load complex modern websites using dial up would be slow beyond belief.

I did try connecting a few weeks back using an 'anonymous' dial-up, and it wasn't as bad as I expected. I didn't try any complicated pages, and I didn't log in to eBay, but it definitely seemed usable. For the amount I would be using it and the money I would save, it would be acceptable - IF it is secure.

J_B

Vernier wrote: »

I think you are talking about technology I do not possess. I have a mobile phone, but it is just a phone

Would you consider a 'smartphone'?

May be the simplest option

brewerdave

Vernier wrote: »

I think you are talking about technology I do not possess. I have a mobile phone, but it is just a phone!



I did try connecting a few weeks back using an 'anonymous' dial-up, and it wasn't as bad as I expected. I didn't try any complicated pages, and I didn't log in to eBay, but it definitely seemed usable. For the amount I would be using it and the money I would save, it would be acceptable - IF it is secure.

VERY surprised that you found it acceptable - I was surfing on a relation's slow b/band connection a couple of weeks ago -it was virtually unusable (as per post by macman) -and that had a measured download speed of 512kbps,about 10x dial up speed !!:)
Some websites were taking forever to load ,in fact some didn't ever load completely as (presumably) some elements timed out.

ThemeOne

I would also recommend a USB dongle - dial-up would be like trying to boil a pan of water over a candle.

You can get data-only SIM cards - there are usually some good deals if you shop around - you don't have to use the same SIM that's in your phone.

macman

As above, PAYG dongle is the way to go, or upgrade to a smartphone and contract that allows tethering.

SimonD316

I've just double checked my laptop and it doesn't even have a modem connection!

In theory something like http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/phones-broadband-and-sat-nav/broadband/mobile-broadband/ee-osprey-2-mini-pay-as-you-go-mobile-wifi-10133131-pdt.html?intcmpid=display~RR will do the trick for you, but you'll need to check the different networks and make sure you choose a network with decent 3G/4G signal where you are.

Also some dongles come with allowances that are valid for 30 / 60 days so try to get one that's valid for longer if you won't be using it often.

Vernier

J_B wrote: »

Would you consider a 'smartphone'?

I should have mentioned, I can't actually get a mobile signal at home! When the land-line was down I had to use the call-box down the road.

The consensus is obviously that I should stick to broadband. Does anyone know of a really cheap deal? A 100MB download limit would be ample.

I'd still like to find the answer to my original question. Is it OK using a non-password connection for security-sensitive purposes? It wouldn't cost me anything to try dial-up. And really the only sensible alternative is to not go online when I am home, and risk missing out on the bargains!