Rail wifi

BarbaraH

Hi everyone
I have to commute twice a week using Virgin East Coast rail - which has the steepest wifi charges in the UK. The journeys are four hours each way and I have to access wifi to work.
I am spending around £80/month on wifi charges, which I can't afford.
Is there any way round this? (And no, I can't afford to buy first class tickets for the free wifi!)
Thanks for any help or tips.
Barbara

HappyMJ

Mobile plan with a data limit that allows tethering then get a smart phone and set up a personal hotspot.

wealdroam

BarbaraH wrote: »

Hi everyone
I have to commute twice a week using Virgin East Coast rail - which has the steepest wifi charges in the UK. The journeys are four hours each way and I have to access wifi to work.
I am spending around £80/month on wifi charges, which I can't afford.
Is there any way round this? (And no, I can't afford to buy first class tickets for the free wifi!)
Thanks for any help or tips.
Barbara

If you "have to access wifi to work", why not ask your employer to fund your wifi access?

An alternative might be to do the work at home before travelling.

BarbaraH

wealdroam wrote: »

If you "have to access wifi to work", why not ask your employer to fund your wifi access?

Thanks - I have to work for a number of different employers, two out of three on a freelance basis, so they won't fund it and neither will my main employer.

An alternative might be to do the work at home before travelling.

That's not feasible, I'm afraid - I'd lose eight working hours a week and I already work till 9pm most nights, including weekends.

BarbaraH

HappyMJ wrote: »

Mobile plan with a data limit that allows tethering then get a smart phone and set up a personal hotspot.

That sounds interesting, thanks. I have an (oldish) iPhone and a monthly GiffGaff data deal. Is that the sort of thing that would work and would I then be able to use my laptop to download documents?

CKhalvashi

4G iPad would be my advice.

I've got one for when I'm out the office (fairly frequently) and OH has one with various apps for work, as it replaces the need to carry half the paperwork she otherwise would (she's a pilot).

There are other (cheaper) tablets on the market which would probably do the job equally well.

Don't have the figures off hand, but it's certainly possible for less than £80 a month.

BarbaraH

CKhalvashi wrote: »

4G iPad would be my advice.

I've got one for when I'm out the office (fairly frequently) and OH has one with various apps for work, as it replaces the need to carry half the paperwork she otherwise would (she's a pilot).

There are other (cheaper) tablets on the market which would probably do the job equally well.

Ah - so a 4G tablet would cover the wifi without me having to pay Virgin East Coast for access? (Thanks!)

Johnmcl7

Any idea how much data you're using and how good is the signal on the train, you'd want to have a solid HSDPA connection or better. If you are getting a decent data signal you've got a few options that would allow you to use your laptop through the phone or through a mifi type device which is a little self contained mobile router that you just connect to like a normal wifi access point.

John

[Deleted User]

BarbaraH wrote: »

Ah - so a 4G tablet would cover the wifi without me having to pay Virgin East Coast for access? (Thanks!)

A 4G tablet would still require a SIM card and a data tarrif. It's far simpler to just buy a USB 4G dongle than replace your working computer.

A Virgin SIM for £20 a month would give you 20GB of data allowance

You'd plug it into one of these - http://www.amazon.co.uk/ZTE-86694801-MF823-4G-Dongle/dp/B00MEJJSGW

Then plug that into your laptop.. boom, 4G on your laptop and you can laugh at the train companies.

BarbaraH

Thank you so much, Johnmcl7 and ringo_24601. The dongle/SIM card option sounds sensible.
Has anyone tried this on EastCoast mainline? Only someone has just alleged that Virgin have metal strips on the windows that blocks the signals. Not sure if this is true or not!

Pay_me

I haven't read the whole thread but I am struggling to work out why you have to pay out of your own pocket for internet access for work related business?

Do you choose to work on the train or are you compelled to by your employer/contract?

Every company I have worked for provides the necessary equipment and if the job requires it that includes internet access or we can claim costs back etc.

If you really do want to pay out yourself follow the advice of the other posters but beaware that no one 3G/4G provider has full coverage for the entire East or West Cost Mainline (I ride them often also) so you may still have to shell out for train wifi also.