UK dongle and best price plans...

[Guest JudgeMental]

My daughter is starting second year at Uni soon. She is in rented accommodation with some friends so has lost the free Internet that she had last year on campus.

 

what is the easiest and cheapest way to get a connection please? and to keep control;of costs....I know very little on this stuff so can she buy any dongle and then get a PAYG sim or who does it work exactly.

 

so any recommendations on what to do much appreciated

[francisgraham]

Sharing with friends implies that there are at least three or four of them in the house. Why doesn't she persuade her companions to split the monthly cost of a normal phone line with broadband and a wi-fi router?

It would only cost them a few pounds a month each for a reliable and fast Internet service.

She'll still have free wi-fi on the campus presumably, so only really needs it at the house?

This would also give them a land-line, so they can make cheaper calls than using mobile phones and parents phoning them would benefit as well.

Edited to say: This 'crossed in the post' with the one above which suggests a similar plan!

[Basil]

Can't speak for other networks but the best deal on 3Mobile at the moment is £8.89/month on contract, What Mobiles 5* Editors Choice, though they do one for £7.87/month free dongle.

For PAYG start at £20.99 pre loaded with 1G for 30 days. After that, and what I like about 3 (in the UK), is you top up with however much you want and you can either use it at standard rate or as most do buy an add on from your top up money, which never runs out by the way unlike some others, where you can pay for one day, one week or one months use at a much reduced rate, this is of course ideal for use in the motorhome as you only buy use when you want it but your money never runs out. There are other options where you can buy one pre loaded with 12G valid for 12 months so could be an option if it is to be used long term.

Obviously other networks do their packages and you need to see what suits you best. As regards speed and coverage I have not found anywhere I have not been able to conect and generally it has been at HSPA speeds.

 

Bas

[ips]

T mobile 3G on contract £15 pm free usage policy but its a lot of gig things, mrs ips has one and its been very good mini ips will be getting one soon as she beggers off to windsor next week to start her new job.

[vindiboy]

My three Dongle is pay and go, £10 £15 or £25 I pay £15 and get 3 gig for thirty days, it is more than enough for my usage and I can let it die for up to a year and then just top up again and off I go, this is great for me as we are out of the Country a lot so don't pay for it when it is not used.We don't have a land line at home as we are not here much so the Dongle works for us.

[Basil]

francisgraham - 2011-08-22 10:46 PM

Sharing with friends implies that there are at least three or four of them in the house. Why doesn't she persuade her companions to split the monthly cost of a normal phone line with broadband and a wi-fi router?

It would only cost them a few pounds a month each for a reliable and fast Internet service.

She'll still have free wi-fi on the campus presumably, so only really needs it at the house?

This would also give them a land-line, so they can make cheaper calls than using mobile phones and parents phoning them would benefit as well.

Edited to say: This 'crossed in the post' with the one above which suggests a similar plan!

A word of warning here though. When my daughter was in a student flat share with four others had they done this and not each sorted their own, there would have been problems as one dropped out after two weeks and left, a second decided they did not like living there and found other accomadation and a third just refused to pay their fair share of anything and caused friction for the whole time they were there.Just my opinion, but anything that can give your daughter seperate responsibility for the bills is the only way to go, I've seen the outcomes.BasP.S. T mobile is only truely unlimited data on over £25/month with 24 month contracts other are 1Gb 500Mb or 250Mb fair use depending on purchase I believe.Edit to correct P.S. T Mobile have changed their deals since I last looked.

[francisgraham]

Basil - 2011-08-23 10:12 AM

francisgraham - 2011-08-22 10:46 PM

Sharing with friends implies that there are at least three or four of them in the house. Why doesn't she persuade her companions to split the monthly cost of a normal phone line with broadband and a wi-fi router?

It would only cost them a few pounds a month each for a reliable and fast Internet service.

She'll still have free wi-fi on the campus presumably, so only really needs it at the house?

This would also give them a land-line, so they can make cheaper calls than using mobile phones and parents phoning them would benefit as well.

Edited to say: This 'crossed in the post' with the one above which suggests a similar plan!

A word of warning here though. When my daughter was in a student flat share with four others had they done this and not each sorted their own, there would have been problems as one dropped out after two weeks and left, a second decided they did not like living there and found other accomadation and a third just refused to pay their fair share of anything and caused friction for the whole time they were there.Just my opinion, but anything that can give your daughter seperate responsibility for the bills is the only way to go, I've seen the outcomes.BasP.S. T mobile is only truely unlimited data on over £25/month with 24 month contracts other are 1Gb 500Mb or 250Mb fair use depending on purchase I believe.Edit to correct P.S. T Mobile have changed their deals since I last looked.

You paint the very worst picture here, which is not everyone's flat-sharing experience and certainly wasn't mine. I shared a house with three others for a year and we all split the bills amicably!

The simple fact is that the OP's daughter could have a phone line installed, with unlimited and far better quality broadband than any dongle, for less than the £15 a month being quoted for a dongle.

If she were to do this and charge her flatmates £5 a month for access to the wi-fi, she could end up getting it for nothing.

Even if one of them was to go, or didn't want to get involved, she'd still be better off and with a better service.

As I read it she mainly wants access to the Internet at her flat, as it's available on campus, so the one advantage of a dongle over a landline, which is portability, isn't too important.

If you go to any of the comparison sites and check out the cost of a twelve month landline and internet contract, you may be surprised at how inexpensive they've become.

[Basil]

You are, of course, entitled to share your experience but so am I. So both sides should be recognised at least, oh and by the way my daughters experience was not isolated as similar things happened with other undergrads at her university and also a friends daughter was caught up in the same sort of problems.

So yes great if it all works out, not so great if it doesn't.

Also it is not 'painting a picture' it is passing on experience, one you obviously never had.

 

 

Bas

[francisgraham]

Basil - 2011-08-23 10:40 AMYou are, of course, entitled to share your experience but so am I. So both sides should be recognised at least, oh and by the way my daughters experience was not isolated as similar things happened with other undergrads at her university and also a friends daughter was caught up in the same sort of problems.So yes great if it all works out, not so great if it doesn't.Also it is not 'painting a picture' it is passing on experience, one you obviously never had.Bas

But the main point of my post wasn't really whether or not flat-sharing expenses work out. I can understand this worry if you're discussing a £100 a week rental contract, or a council tax bill.

My point was that she can have a phone installed with unlimited broadband and a free router, and often get some free phone calls as well, for less than the cost of a dongle.

If she can then persuade just one flatmate to pay say £5 a month, she is quids in, and if all three or four will pay, she'll get it for nothing.

And if her flatmates were faced with the dilemma of a dongle for £15 a month, or a faster home broadband wi-fi service for only a fiver, I suspect that they'd jump at the chance of the broadband wi-fi. But if they don't, she's still winning!

[Guest JudgeMental]

francisgraham - 2011-08-22 10:46 PM

Sharing with friends implies that there are at least three or four of them in the house. Why doesn't she persuade her companions to split the monthly cost of a normal phone line with broadband and a wi-fi router?

It would only cost them a few pounds a month each for a reliable and fast Internet service.

She'll still have free wi-fi on the campus presumably, so only really needs it at the house?

This would also give them a land-line, so they can make cheaper calls than using mobile phones and parents phoning them would benefit as well.

Edited to say: This 'crossed in the post' with the one above which suggests a similar plan!

This makes sense, but I dont think they have a phone line into the flat.....So would probably get hit for installation charge? and have to pay line rental as well........

[francisgraham]

JudgeMental - 2011-08-23 11:50 AM

francisgraham - 2011-08-22 10:46 PM

Sharing with friends implies that there are at least three or four of them in the house. Why doesn't she persuade her companions to split the monthly cost of a normal phone line with broadband and a wi-fi router?

It would only cost them a few pounds a month each for a reliable and fast Internet service.

She'll still have free wi-fi on the campus presumably, so only really needs it at the house?

This would also give them a land-line, so they can make cheaper calls than using mobile phones and parents phoning them would benefit as well.

Edited to say: This 'crossed in the post' with the one above which suggests a similar plan!

This makes sense, but I dont think they have a phone line into the flat.....So would probably get hit for installation charge? and have to pay line rental as well........

You can get lower-priced installation than from BT, several companies offer it but, if there isn't already a line installed, Virgin does a Broadband-only package with unlimited downloads for £16 a month.

This may well suit them best as they'll have mobiles and there'll be no squabbling then about who's made phone calls etc.

This assumes of course that her street is cabled, which most are, and installation is free.

[t5tripper]

Just a thought - if she is near a wetherspoons or Macdonalds you can use wifi for free - but not sure how long you would get away with that. Also worth seeing if anyone else close by has WIFI internet that they would let her have access for small payment each month.

 

T5T

[aultymer]

If you have BT internet at home, you can sign up to FON free, give her your password and (if there is a FON user near her flat) she can use that.

 

Second cost wise would be as stated above - get a landline.

 

Mobile internet should be the last place to look if cost is at all a consideration.

[Mike88]

Judge. The landlord should be asked to install a line. I used to rent property to students and in my opinion no student would contemplate even renting a property if there was not a phone line as internet usage is an absolutly essential these days. Indeed if the landlord wants to continue renting to students at some point he will realise that a telephone line will be required. Are you sure there is no phone line?

[Guest JudgeMental]

Mike88 - 2011-08-24 1:12 PM

 

Judge. The landlord should be asked to install a line. I used to rent property to students and in my opinion no student would contemplate even renting a property if there was not a phone line as internet usage is an absolutely essential these days. Indeed if the landlord wants to continue renting to students at some point he will realise that a telephone line will be required. Are you sure there is no phone line?

 

well they cant find the meters let alone a phone line! will have to go and have a look....

 

Virgin looking like favourite at the moment,,,all the advice much appreciated

[Guest JudgeMental]

it turns out that there is a deactivated virgin media router already in the flat! installed by previous tenents......so easiest way to go I guess

[LordThornber]

This is what I have Eddie, as an existing Orange customer, I get a £5 discount so I pay £5 a month for 500mb.

 

No charge for the dongle. If you aren't an Orange customer, a relative or friend could help out. The quality of connection is very good in my view. I have no hesitation in making a recommendation.

 

http://shop.orange.co.uk/mobile-broadband/dongles

 

Martyn

[flicka]

Hi Eddie

Have a look at the "Moneysavingexpert " website, (Martin Lewis) there's lots of info on the various deals

O2 at £6.25 month over 12 nonths, taking into account the 1st 3 months free.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/cheap-broadband#o2custdeal

 

Also BT have a deal with All Telephone Calls (except premium No's) & Broadband included for around £20month + landline rental.This also gives access to their FON WiFi anywhere (including Europe)

Knowing how much students love their phones, the "free" calls could be attractive to them