martibolt Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 I have an 8th method of having the internet on the move. I bought (via www.thenavigationcompany.com) a device called the Pocketsurfer. As its name suggests, it fits in a pocket and you can surf the internet. It cost me £137 including postage and VAT (The Caravan Club had a special offer 2 months ago for £1499.99). The price includes 20 hours a month surfing for the first year and it costs £40 a year for each subsequent year. The display is 640x240 pixels and you get webpages just like you do on your home computer - you just have to get used to scrolling more. It has a SIM card fitted and works through the GPRS mobile phone network. It's quad-band so it will work virtually anywhere in the world. Outside the UK you have to pay for roaming which costs 25p a minute wherever you are. It's ideal for accessing emails and you can set it up for up to 10 different accounts. It won't show video and has no sound, but once you've got used to the keyboard (hold the device in the hands and use your thumbs to type) and to the special key functions, it's simple and effective. You can also use online document creation and sharing (I use Google Docs) and you can set up your own favourites list for easy access to oft-used sites. As an added bonus the device has GPS built in. An indicator at the top right of the display tells you how many satellites it's picking up and, if you've got more than 7 the accuracy is great. It usually means having to go outdoors to use this function. Your position shows up in Google Maps and you can then access the Google directions feature and search for local businesses and attractions. I've found that, with 8 or more satellites available, it will show where I am to within about a metre. It has no built in software and updates happen automatically and invisibly while you're online. It avoids trying to find a wifi site or internet cafe. It has a better display than mobile phones and PDs which rely on specially re-written pages. It's not a computer. Any applications you want to run are internet-based. No need to worry about viruses and the like. It does come with software for your home computer that will enable you to access your files at home from the Pocketsurfer from wherever you are. In short, it does what it says on the box. It gives access to the internet with real webpages almost wherever you are and at a very attractive price. I'm off to France at the end of the week and will try it out there. You can find more details at www.pocketsurfer.co.uk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedro Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 I have the 3 pay as you go dongle infact i am using it now in Benidorm to write this and in checking my usage it does not seem to use anymore than it did in the uk although i dont download a lot i only use it for emails and general surfing so suites me fine hope this info helps also i never topup with more tham £10 pounds a month Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAS Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I always use the internet on my mobile phone when I`m not at home. I have a Nokia 7390 that I bought from Hong Kong on ebay and have an o2 On line Simplicity contract. http://shop.o2.co.uk/sim-only-simplicity?cm_mmc_o=7BBTkwCjCmbF5kbgbfYCjCH0zgfCjCBn%2520lbF5kbgbfY I`ve got the On Line Simplicty 20 with the unlimited internet access bolt-on. It`s a rolling month to month contract that you can terminate with 30 days notice. I`ve downloaded the Opera browser (4.2 version for my phone) which is a browser specially formatted for mobile phones and it`s great. You can save your bookmarks, go on all of your favourite forums to reply or answer questions and the download time is quite quick, although it depends on your particular phone. I access my emails from the phones own browser. The £20 a month isn`t too bad either considering I was getting through £15 a month with Tescos PAYG and having to think about how many texts I was getting through and with no internet. I`ve also downloaded Google Maps which is quite useful as my phone dosen`t have GPRS. My husband has an Orbit XDA II with he upgraded with o2 but I don`t think it`s as user friendly as his old Nokia N73. I don`t know how all this would work abroad as I`m strictly a UKer at the moment but here at home it works just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithR Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 but if you have a laptop, cant you get internet everywhere for £10 a month on payg? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Forgot to mention that 3 will only work where 3G etc. is available i.e. broadband speeds whereas T-mobile will work on the slower signals which gives more availability. It is not desperately slow and is quite stable but you only get 2Gb per month unless you pay extra. Tom (welcome to the forum by the way) presumably you do not have an English address so you may do better to wait until you get to England and visit one of the mobile phone shops. I have bought sim cards in France and they always want to see your passport etc. so it might be similar here. However, at the moment you could try to buy a "3" dongle from www.maplin.co.uk for £49.99 and then top up the sim card every month. I only looked very quickly but I think it is £10 for 1MB but you can buy more. The offer ends middle of March. There coverage is expanding and when you can access 3G or 3G+ the speeds are much faster than T-Mobile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza454 Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Or you could go direct to "3" and get the dongle free on an 18 month contract for £10 per month -http://www.three.co.uk/Mobile_Broadband/Pay_Monthly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el-d Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Can I add to that, the £10/month deal buys you 1Gb of data/month. It depends on your usage of course but I've never exceeded mine. Where it works it's pretty good but as with most services there are dead spots. Annoyingly 3 doesn't work at my home - not at all! (West Dorset) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfs1011 Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 Found this website http://prepaid-wireless-internet-access.wetpaint.com/ If you are abroad for more than a week it may pay to get a local PAYG sim rather than roam on 3g... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJD Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 Hi guys ... can we dial this back a bit for a complete techno phobe. I'm a happy user of BT wireless broadband at home from my laptop and know I can access the internet via hotzones when away from home however ... we intend eventually to sell our home and become permanent travellers so how do I then access the internet for all those little essentials; emails, bank accounts, information from the web. Is my best (most cost effective) method to use internet cafes? Please reply as you would to a complete idiot. Thank you EJD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jo scott Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 are we talking UK or overseas? if the former, I've got a Dongle from Orange ,. . . 18month contract, £9.49 a month, 1 gb download which, unless you're downloading heaps of movies / games / music will be more than sufficient. I build and upload websites using mine, so if you can get mobile reception, you can get wi-fi. In my pre-dongle days, I used wi-fi on sites but its pricey. Windermere CCC was £6 for 24 hours, 2007, Leiston private site, 2009, £3 for the same. Overseas, you could use then dongle but you'd need to be very careful about overseas costs - especially as connection speed will be slower than your home broadband. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJD Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Hi Jo - thanks for the reply. We're intending to travel round Europe and I think I've pretty much decided on using wifi hotspots with our laptop or internet cafes as we did before. Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 On our recent trip to the eastern side of France I didn't get a single wifi hit, not a jot! I could've gone to McDonalds I suppose but I didn't fancy having to eat their food! 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jo scott Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 interestingly, some towns are totally wired - Split in Crotia for example. You can get a signal anywhere in the town . . . cafes, park, street corners. Its brilliant! The Croatian Tourist Board will tell you which towns are wifi zones . . .and Croatia is absolutely gorgeous. See our gallery on : www.weareontheroadagain.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Mel B - 2009-07-27 10:15 PM On our recent trip to the eastern side of France I didn't get a single wifi hit, not a jot! I could've gone to McDonalds I suppose but I didn't fancy having to eat their food! 8-) You don't have to eat their food, just park outside and use the free wiFi, or just buy a coffee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Edward Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 Just seen your post about Internet on the Move. I noticed that you're a member of DREAMS. I've just bought a Rimor Sailer 748 and am interested in joining this society. I'm a first-time motorhome owner and need all the help I can get. My email address is katjohn1969@gmail.com. Thanks. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Dwight Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 Mel, you dont have to sit and drink their Coffee or eat their Food I wont. We just sit in the car park or near enough to get a signel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazdog6007 Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 finding a parking place in mcdonalds was impossible in france (just returned) the home of gormet eating! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 Loads of space in the McDs in Trier they have also installed a fillup/emptying station, we filled with water but moved over to the Stal so we could plug up to electric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John J Thompson Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 Mel B - 2009-07-27 9:15 PM On our recent trip to the eastern side of France I didn't get a single wifi hit, not a jot! I could've gone to McDonalds I suppose but I didn't fancy having to eat their food! 8-) We did seven weeks in Normandy and Brittany with our vodafone dongle. Hit lots of SFR free wifi spots but couldn't get in. They are for SFR customers, strangely BT could connect but not Vodafone who are SFR partners. Tried to buy a SFR PAYG but they wouldn't sell me one because I didn't have a French Bank Account. VISA or Cash was not acceptable. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John J Thompson Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 I have been watching on other forums posts about Vodafone.ie cards being available which offer roaming for 0.99 euro a day for 50mb if you go over this you are charged 0.2 euro per kb. These are available on ebaY http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180561777788&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT Other users have fed back on these and found the deal genuine. I decided to buy one It is cheaper than roaming with my contract vodafone at 9.99 euro for the same amount of data. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tertia Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Hi. If you go as far as the Algarve many towns have free wi-fi zones. Just look for the signs, usually fairly large and conspicuous. We have been advised not to do personal stuff on any free wi-fi zones. Regards. Tertia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHN Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 John Thompson - 2010-10-11 8:28 AM I have been watching on other forums posts about Vodafone.ie cards being available which offer roaming for 0.99 euro a day for 50mb if you go over this you are charged 0.2 euro per kb. These are available on ebaY http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180561777788&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT Other users have fed back on these and found the deal genuine. I decided to buy one It is cheaper than roaming with my contract vodafone at 9.99 euro for the same amount of data. John Hello there John You say you're on a vodafone contract. Do you, or anyone else reading, know if these cards work for voda PAYG customers? Cheers MHN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHN Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Tertia - 2010-11-21 12:42 PM Hi. If you go as far as the Algarve many towns have free wi-fi zones. Just look for the signs, usually fairly large and conspicuous. We have been advised not to do personal stuff on any free wi-fi zones. Regards. Tertia Hello there Does that include free wi-fi zones on campsites? MHN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhinoInstalls Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Another option for Internet on the move. i know its not the cheapest way, but now its possible to have broadband and TV at the same time all across Europe in the comfort of your own motorhome. www.rhinoinstalls.co.uk/internet.htm Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Ive just been perusing on here http://top10.com/broadband/compare/pay_as_you_go_mobile_broadband/?gclid=CJ63pYzK76YCFYpO4QodFGyFGQ I was wondering about the 3 dongle they seem to be offering either 1 month or three! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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