Video device

Katykat

My 95yr old MiL has a daughter in Australia. Unfortunately, because of travelling restrictions, her daughter can’t make her yearly visit and no idea when that might change. Whilst we are able to FaceTime, MiL doesn’t have WiFi so cant do this ( we used to bring her to our house to FT but she’s not very mobile now, plus time difference makes it difficult for her). She has a Virgin PAYG mobile but I would love for her to see her daughter regularly. Any devices that could make this happen? 

J_B

My brother just swapped to a Three sim only contract (with some data) for a fiver a month. (I'm sure there are other networks doing similar)

Get her a cheap smart phone and use Whatsapp / Zoom / facetime etc

sweetgirl2015

Sounds daft but is there anyway daughter has or could get access to a VHS recorder or DVD recorder? Daughter could make a tape or dvd of herself and send it via post to MiL, and she could watch it at the other end of the world on her TV which would suite her anyway.  Admittedly not in real time, but something MiL could watch over and over to her hearts content. 

sweetgirl2015

J_B said:

My brother just swapped to a Three sim only contract (with some data) for a fiver a month. (I'm sure there are other networks doing similar)

Get her a cheap smart phone and use Whatsapp / Zoom / facetime etc

Only problem with that I can see MIL is 95 and wouldn't have a clue how to operate a smart phone. My parents are mid 80's and only just knows how to answer my old Nokia phone. They certainly wouldn't know how to text or anything. I suspect MiL is the same no offence. They would need son or daughter in law there to do it at the time daughter is trying to contact which is almost impossible to get the timing right due to the time difference. 

HereToday

Second user iPad will set you back a couple of hundred pounds. Not an inexpensive solution.

sweetgirl2015

HereToday said:

Second user iPad will set you back a couple of hundred pounds. Not an inexpensive solution.

Thats a good bit of kit too. My only thinking is shes 95 and probably won't have a clue how to operate it,  and would need son or daughter in laws help. But the time difference would make this awkward. 
But MIL would probably remember how to operate a VHS player or DVD player. Ideally DVD would be easier to send in the post. Not ideal I know compared to facetime or live chat but a nice thing for her to be able to play it anytime. I got lots of family videos backed up on DVD and some evenings when the TV is rubbish we dig out the family DVD's and its lovely really. 

debitcardmayhem

you could use a phone , many androids allow hotspots, assuming 4g is available, and a phone which allows tethering. I have just changed my giffgaff goody bag to 20/mth because it gives 80GB and the pub has no wifi outside. (I know spend too much time in the pub). They have smaller goody bags too, and it is non contract. Another plus is most have free calls+text , but not international calls.
I use my moto to provide a hotspot for my iPad, which I am doing now, needlessly to say sitting outside the pub

ace33

She may be able to get broadband included with her phone line very cheaply to get Wifi? Ours is basically free with our landline. Then you would just need a tablet or something. Invaluable in these times. If they are set up simply they are easy to operate once shown how. Both of my grandparents use the regularly.

twopenny

You can record FaceTime on your phone and play it back when you visit.

What sort of TV does MIL have?

Many of the flatscreens have facility to use video on a USB though it would need someone to use the menu for her.

FaceTime is Apple products only so that makes it more expensive but you can get a second hand tablet for less than £100 and set up a recording of converstations while you are there. Then set it so that she can review it as soon as it's switched on.

stragglebod

She doesn't have wifi? Do you mean she has no home broadband at all? A basic ADSL connection should be fine for occassional video calling. Can you get that set up for her and get a basic tablet? One of the Kindle Fire tablets should be perfect for this.

alan_d

Based on the same situation with an elderly relative, install broadband and setup an Amazon Show 8" at each end.
Provided both are setup in the same group you can then 'drop in' - screen is big enough for elderly eyes to see and they don't need to physically operate a smart device - which is beyond many 'older' people.