3 Three mobile broadband usb modems

want2bmortgage3

i'm soon going to sign up for the £5 / month mobile broadband with three as i'm already a customer. however i notice there are 3 different usb modems to chooise from. i was just wondering which one is the best? i'd rather buy the one thats most reliable at connecting. if anyone has any experiences, please share them!

ABH_3

want2bmortgage3 wrote: »

i'm soon going to sign up for the £5 / month mobile broadband with three as i'm already a customer. however i notice there are 3 different usb modems to chooise from. i was just wondering which one is the best? i'd rather buy the one thats most reliable at connecting. if anyone has any experiences, please share them!

The differences based upon research through various forums is the following:

The Huawei E220 - the white one, seen here: http://www.three.co.uk/personal/mobiles_/discover.omp?CID=1193835363623 can be flashed to upgrade it to a high speed, sometimes the flash will unlock the modem itself, sometimes you need to get your operator to unlock the modem and then flash it, or use a 3rd party unlocker http://www.dc-unlocker.com/ and then flash it with a generic firmware.

The ZTE MF622 - the black one, seen here: http://www.three.co.uk/personal/mobiles_/discover.omp?CID=1197535991671&PAYG=true there are no unlocking solutions available that I found whilst doing research into these things, furthermore a quick google revealed nothing has come up since. So your only option is an operator unlock if you want to use another sim in it. The advantage of this particular modem is that the drivers are stored on the modem itself which is useful for Apple Mac owners, as the drivers with both modems come on a disk for the windows operating system, so you could put them onto the modem and use them when required. Or use it as a small 5MB memory stick if you delete the onboard drivers.

Generally both modems reach upto 4MB in speed, unless you've got a compatible sim card and have flashed them upto 8MB by using a manufacturers firmware.

HTH

HelenYorkshire

ABH wrote: »

The Huawei E220 - the white one, seen here: http://www.three.co.uk/personal/mobiles_/discover.omp?CID=1193835363623 can be flashed to upgrade it to a high speed, sometimes the flash will unlock the modem itself, sometimes you need to get your operator to unlock the modem and then flash it, or use a 3rd party unlocker http://www.dc-unlocker.com/ and then flash it with a generic firmware.

......

Generally both modems reach upto 4MB in speed, unless you've got a compatible sim card and have flashed them upto 8MB by using a manufacturers firmware.

HTH

Silly question alert: "flashed up"? Sounds intriguing...

OP - I have the pink one but it's a Huawei-something. Generally ok but sometimes takes a while for the PC to register that it's attached - givers error messages sometimes. That could be a shoddy Vista problem though! 3 never got back to me with any kind of support/advice beyong uninstall-reinstall (well duh...).

Take it you've checked your coverage etc?

Think of it as cheap and cheerful, I wouldn't rely on it per se

jos22

Well, I have the Huawei E220. No problems whatsoever. In their Turbo area it is as fast as my home wireless broadband. I purchased to use at my caravan (very poor reception are for mobiles), but the Huawei E220 worked. It is slow - similar to the dial up internet connection, but it gives me a connection.

ABH_3

HelenYorkshire wrote: »

Silly question alert: "flashed up"? Sounds intriguing...

Huawei's firmware and updates for it are also available for flashing from Huawei's website[8], or the newest firmware 7.2Mbps
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huawei_E220

Firmware Update: http://www.huawei.com/mobileweb/en/doc/list.do?type=-1&id=736

OP - I have the pink one but it's a Huawei-something. Generally ok but sometimes takes a while for the PC to register that it's attached - givers error messages sometimes. That could be a shoddy Vista problem though! 3 never got back to me with any kind of support/advice beyong uninstall-reinstall (well duh...).

You may need to upgrade the firmware etc on the modem to ensure it's vista compatible: http://www.betterthan3g.com/clients/g35g/uploads/File/E220%20Vista%20Upgrade%20Procedure.pdf (slow download)

More information here: http://www.mobileconnected.co.uk/huawei-e220-72mbps-firmware-update/

Take it you've checked your coverage etc?

Think of it as cheap and cheerful, I wouldn't rely on it per se

Unlock it, then just insert a different providers sim card into it depending upon where you. Buy a vodafone, orange or whatever sim from ebay and use as appropriate.

HTH

want2bmortgage3

they have also got a huawei e196g which looks silver and does not have a cable between it and the computer. on the pay as you go it costs more but on contract is free, like the others.

think your right about checking coverage before signing up, as although on the website it says i have good coverage, i cannot always get all the 3 services on my mobile phone. it sometimes comes up with a list saying i'm out of the area and can only use a limited amount of services. do you think this is the same service the broadband uses? if so i think my connection might be intermittent.

Fifer

I have an unlocke H E220 (Vodafone branded). I've mostly being using it with a Vodafone PAYG SIM and it works very well with my Asus Eee PC.

want2bmortgage3

is there any way i can trial it without commiting to a contract as im unsure i will get a reliable 3g signal despite what 3's coverage map says..

ABH_3

want2bmortgage3 wrote: »

is there any way i can trial it without commiting to a contract as im unsure i will get a reliable 3g signal despite what 3's coverage map says..

In the 3 modem package you will get a small booklet called 'the small PRINT', you won't be able to miss it, it's pink in colour and just like its accompanying booklets and sim, is too large for the envelope into which it's inserted. Anyway, this is what it says:

: If you're a new mobile broadbankd customer and purchased your usb modem from a store and for some reason you change your mind, you can retun your modem within 3 days of purchase. If you do not use the modem you must return the modem and sim pack with the seals intact. If you have used the modem we will accept it back with the seals broken. In both circumstances the modem and the sim pack must be reutrned in an 'as new' or 'as sold' condition within 3 days of the date of purchase.

If you're a new moble broadband customer and purchased your usb modem at a distance (via telesales or online), and for some reason you change your mind, you can return your modem within 14 days of purchase, if you do not use the modem you must return the modem and sim pack with the seals intact, if you have used the modem we will accept it back with the seals broken provided you have not used the mode for more than 3 consecutive days. In both cirumstances the modem and the sim pack must be returned in an 'as new' or 'as sold' condition within 14 days of the date of purchase.

So yes, you do get a 3 day trial window to test the modem and what signal you receive.

However, whether this applies if you take out '3 care' which I imagine is an addon much like 'Orange Care' whereby you pay an extra amount per month and if you lose your phone they will courier you a new one\replacement etc. Or whether this is the way they term their level of service during the period in which you can under UK law cancel a contract I am unsure. I never tested it as I kept the modem obviously, but if they sell a 'care' package, you may wish to take it out with your new modem and then whether you keep it or cancel it within 14 days it will have served its purpose one way or another.

Personally, if I were you I would do as I did and purchase the modem online, that way you can keep your communications limited. Then should they decide that they haven't booked your modem back in quickly enough at a later date and that it was still with you, not like they should or would, but you never know. Mobile companies can be slippery at times. Then you can argue that you accepted any terms of purchase as you would with buying something as mundane as a tv online and thought you had 7 days under the distance selling regulations to return the product, should you change your mind. As long as they're notified of your intent and you get the modem back to them within 7 days from the time it arrives with you, they shouldn't have any complaints should they.

HTH

scrungebucket

Hi

i have an Huawei E220 on the 3 network

How do I go about unlocking it to any network?

Ta

ABH_3

scrungebucket wrote: »

Hi

i have an Huawei E220 on the 3 network

How do I go about unlocking it to any network?

Ta

http://www.dc-unlocker.com/
http://www.kulankendi.com/index2.php

Or you could try flashing the supplier firmware from the link in reply to the OP's original question from me, onto the modem. But that's not guaranteed to work, it works sometimes but not always from various postings I've read.

HTH