How to get Broadband and cheap calls in 2 houses for less than £20/ month

Don_D

I use the Internet at 2 houses
I don't use the internet a great deal
So I've found the cheapest way to provide Internet in BOTH houses is to use a 4G USB dongle with a EE 4G 6GB Pay As You Go Mobile Broadband Combi Sim, bought through Amazon.
I DON'T top it up, because the top up cost is more than a new SIM, so have another new one ready to put in when the current one runs out. (the SIM can last up to 90 Days)
Connected via my router to this, I have a SIP phone, which uses one of these VOIP providers http:// backsla.sh / betamax (the one I chose gave the best deals for the countries I ring, other people would chose according to their needs)
I now have a setup, which depending on how much I use the Internet, allows me FREE calls to various countries, Internet for checking Emails and some browsing, all for about £15 per month in TWO HOUSES...

forgotmyname

I pay £6 a month and get the internet on my phone in hundreds of houses and even out in the street.

And i dont need to visit dodgy links either.

DavidP24

Don_D wrote: »

I use the Internet at 2 houses
I don't use the internet a great deal
So I've found the cheapest way to provide Internet in BOTH houses is to use a 4G USB dongle with a EE 4G 6GB Pay As You Go Mobile Broadband Combi Sim, bought through Amazon.
I DON'T top it up, because the top up cost is more than a new SIM, so have another new one ready to put in when the current one runs out. (the SIM can last up to 90 Days)
Connected via my router to this, I have a SIP phone, which uses one of these VOIP providers http:// backsla.sh / betamax (the one I chose gave the best deals for the countries I ring, other people would chose according to their needs)
I now have a setup, which depending on how much I use the Internet, allows me FREE calls to various countries, Internet for checking Emails and some browsing, all for about £15 per month in TWO HOUSES...

Well 6gb is a bit pathetic, most people want unlimited

I was using the 2gb data that comes with my pay monthly sim (750m calls and unlimited texts for £10)

Then I got two EE Christmas sims each with 200gb for 60 days, I activated one 14 days after the other so it covered me for 74 days. They did require a £10 top up for each sim once over the two months but when I complained to EE about double charging they gave me a £30 credit. So effective they paid me.

Now if people were smart they would go buddy up to their neighbour and as long as they are no some !!!!! or terrorist share an unlimited internet over two households. All you need is a decent Wireless AC router (cost me £33 on ebay) an AC adaptor, USB or Mini PCI card for PC or laptop.

Using AC is actually faster than 100mb ethernet on my laptop

I have created logins for two neighbours and gave them a month free to try it out.

I did put a bit of access control just in case they go downloading something dodgy but that is what I call sharing between two houses (next to each other).

Another example is a friend of mine managed to get a replacement device from virgin and has it working in his and his ex's house. Not sure if that is a virgin offer or a mistake/

Pincher

I have exactly the opposite.


I have two broadband connections in one house.
The BT line was down for over a week last year, exactly when we had visitors.


No problem, the EE broadband soldiered on.


Now that 4G has been around for a while, the 60 day SIM as a backup sounds great. Bought a 4G compatible Wi-Fi Hotspot. Missed out on the "EE Christmas SIM". My fault, I'm sure, as I didn't tick the marketing promotional option.

glennstar

Don_D (and his dodgy links), forgotmyname, DavidP24,
You all appear to think it's a given that

1. everyone in the UK lives in an area with 4G coverage,
2. that everyone is using their internet connection for email, web browsing and a bit of streaming

I suspect you couldn't be further from the truth if you tried.

Also, DavidP24, I wouldn't go round suggesting everyone fallow your lead on sharing 4G connectivity. The more traffic generated on mobile networks the less capacity there is for everyone. This is the case for the number of devices in a given cell and the amount of traffic those devices are generating concurrently. As you plainly have a lot of spare time on your hands I suggest you have a good read up on CDMA Cell Breath, why it was designed into the CDMA standards and why it doesn't always deliver in practice.

Finally, I appreciate this is a money saving website, but really, just buy a fixed line broadband connection and stop ruining the mobile network for everyone else you bunch of cheapskates.

DavidP24

Glennstarr

The more people that use the mobile networks the greater the investment will be by the mobile phone operators.

Right now they are dipping their toe in the water

If they realise that it has the potential to open up a whole new market for them they will invest

Not sure what you meant by "hat everyone is using their internet connection for email, web browsing and a bit of streaming" you say could not be further from truth but do not imply what they use it for.

I downloads a hell of lot of stuff, used all 400gb albeit that EE double counts so probably half that.

Christmas sims are promos for NEW customers so they would not have told you even if you had the marketing prefs on.

Have a look for them twice a year, next one will be called a Summer Sim and be launched around June

This is last years page, EE links redirect now but will be active again as they were at Christmas

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/deals-hunter/2015/06/18/fancy-200gb-of-4g-data-for-a-tenner/

Of course if you have no 4g in your area there is no point bleating here, go tell your mobile phone provider.

glennstar

DavidP24 wrote: »

The more people that use the mobile networks the greater the investment will be by the mobile phone operators.

Right now they are dipping their toe in the water

If they realise that it has the potential to open up a whole new market for them they will invest

You suggest that they do not appear to know the size of this market. You imply they may not have committed themselves to mobile IP connectivity in some way and that they do not already spend millions of pounds a month on maintaining and growing their cellular network.

Has it not struct you that it might be factors outside the control of MNOs when it comes to delivering good coverage with amply capacity? Mobile IP is not magic. It uses radio spectrum to carry data between your device and the Internet. That signal goes to a mast which is then carried over microwave/copper/fibre to an MPLS which is then offloaded by the Network (after having gone though a number of IN nodes) to the Internet. The higher the data capacity (not withstanding some efficiencies offered by newer 4G and subsequently 5G masts) the less distance the radio wave travels (and the less likely it is to pass through solid objects)... which means, yes - you've guessed it, more masts, more connectivity between masts, more planning permission, more nimbys, etc, etc, etc.

If you think the MNOs are only just waking up to the benefits of Mobile IP and that somehow you thrashing their infrastructure for no financial reward to them is somehow going to make them see the light then I have to admit that my limited intellect cannot grasp what type of a world you live in.

P.S. with reference to what people use their internet connections for (that is not streaming, web and email). The point I was trying to make is that mobile networks are designed with particular use cases that mean they are not appropriate for everyone and every type of application. Just saying!