Internet away from home

[Way2Go]

davenewell@home - 2007-09-21 5:39 PMWell W2G I've used my mobile as a modem every day, sometimes more than once per day and its been fine. Its been consistent on speed at 460.8 Kbs and in practice its about one third the speed (or three times as slow if you prefer) as my 1Mbs broadband feed in the office. I'm currently sitting on the rally field at York racecourse and its great to be able to keep in touch with you all as well as having secure access to internet banking.As I write I've just called up the networking details box and its given me 185,223 bytes sent, 832,878 received and I've been connected for 21 minutes this session.I've checked my balance daily and it definitely costs me only £1 per day maximum no matter how much I use it in 24 hours. I call that pretty good value for money.Don't know how well it would work abroad or what the costs would be but for UK use I'm hooked ;-) D.

Many thanks for the road test and feedback Dave. Its been a successful test and I appreciate your efforts and interesting blog ;-) It all needs to be digested but it looks like you're on a winner there and much cheaper than my ad hoc test. You can come home now :-) :-)

[Way2Go]

Thanks for your input Shaun. We live in interesting times ;-)

[davenewellhome]

"Many thanks for the road test and feedback Dave. Its been a successful test and I appreciate your efforts and interesting blog It all needs to be digested but it looks like you're on a winner there and much cheaper than my ad hoc test. You can come home now"

 

You're very welcome W2G but I don't want to come home yet and you can't make me ;-) .

 

D.

[Guest caraprof]

Shaun - 2007-09-21 6:28 PM I'm surprise no-one has mentioned Blackberry. It might not be great for web surfing, but it can access the internet. Actually, my handset is 4 years old and I believe that newer models are better at web browsing. However, the main strength of the Blackberry is the push email. I regularly travel to France and I don't have to do a thing - emails come through as usual with no change to the settings. Indeed, it worked just the same in Florida. Also, because costs are based on the amount of data downloaded, with email usually taking only modest amounts, the costs have been trivial for me, even when abroad. A number of companies, including Nokia, are bringing other push email devices to the market, having seen the success RIM have had with their Blackberry technology. Shaun

Yes, but what's your monthly fee?

[Way2Go]

davenewell@home - 2007-09-21 5:39 PM  I've checked my balance daily and it definitely costs me only £1 per day maximum no matter how much I use it in 24 hours. I call that pretty good value for money. ;-) D.

Is that right Dave?  Coz at that rate that's a pretty good setup and I may well take the plunge.

In the tests I carried out I managed to rack up £2.25 for only 10 minutes usage.

I'm not 'too' fussed about the speed as I'll be on me hols ;-)

W2G

[Shaun]

My monthly fee is £13.50 for a data contract, with no telephone calls or text messages included. I only use the the Blackberry for email and basic web browsing, with pictures turned off. I've, never exceeded my monthly data allowance, but for those who do, they can increase the monthly subscription for a higher data useage.

 

Shaun

[davenewellhome]

Way2Go - 2007-09-22 11:10 AM

davenewell@home - 2007-09-21 5:39 PM I've checked my balance daily and it definitely costs me only £1 per day maximum no matter how much I use it in 24 hours. I call that pretty good value for money. ;-) D.

Is that right Dave? Coz at that rate that's a pretty good setup and I may well take the plunge.

In the tests I carried out I managed to rack up £2.25 for only 10 minutes usage.

I'm not 'too' fussed about the speed as I'll be on me hols ;-)

W2G

Yes W2G that's correct, maximum £1 per day for Web 'n' Walk. I suppose if you use it every day and you're away for a couple or three weeks then it starts to rack up but its still cheaper than what you've used so far. From my point of view as its only really occasional usage I thikn its very good value for money. I might even get a separate Tmobile SIM card and put it in my old Sanyo phone that's 3G equipped and just keep it for use as a modem. Mind you I probably won't bother because we don't get away often enough to justify it.D.

[Way2Go]

Hi Dave,I've looked on their web site and it shows their mobile internet as £29 per month and a 1 year contract. Whilst that is approx £1 per week its also an awful lot of money for occasional use. Have you got something different coz I can't justify that outlay for occasional use? Thanks Dave.

[davenewellhome]

All I have is a PAYG phone that I use as a modem. On PAYG you pay a maximum of £1 per day for Web 'n' Walk.

 

D.

[Way2Go]

Hmmm, very interesting.

BTW, good to have you back from your Hols.

[Ralph]

Way2Go - 2007-09-23 9:43 PM

 

Hi Dave,I've looked on their web site and it shows their mobile internet as £29 per month and a 1 year contract.

 

I also looked at their website after Dave mentioned it before and it seems they try to hide PAYG. If you click on the PAYG link it takes you to contracts. It is there, but you have to dig. I could only find it with buying a phone from them, no reference to just a SIM. I have a Vodaphone 3G card (came with my laptop) and I'd like to keep it if possible.

If you get any further I'd be interested to hear more as this seems a good idea.

Just one question for confirmation: I assume it's £1 per day only when you actually use it?

[Dave Newell]

"Just one question for confirmation: I assume it's £1 per day only when you actually use it?"

 

That's correct Ralph. If you have a phone that's suitable you should be able to just buy the SIM. I've just looked at their website and went straight to this: http://www.t-mobilesimgiveaway.co.uk/?WT.mc_id=ON-TM-W-Special

 

Could be worth a look :-)

 

D.

[Way2Go]

Thanks Dave.  Looks like a good deal and 5p a minute cheaper than Tesco.

I've sent off for my SIM and it's well worth a £5 to test it out.  Many thanks for the link.

Nice being back at work huh?

[crinklystarfish]

Dave, 

I’ve been looking at the options on the T-Mobile website but can’t figure how you’ve achieved what you’ve achieved! 

It seems that if you use a laptop connected to a mobile used as the modem then there is the need to sign up to monthly plan. The cheapest of which is £7.50. 

The PAYG £1 web-n-walk daily cap seems only to apply to web-n-walk enabled phones. 

What is your actual setup please? The description leads to visions of a laptop installed with the appropriate software suite to allow the laptop / mobile to integrate, and then some kind of setup routine to allow the combination to use T-Mobile as an ISP.  

You also mentioned ‘pre-booking’ in an earlier post, what did that mean? 

Whatever your setup, it seems jolly good, and I’m up for copying!

[sshortcircuit]

Bought mobile broadband from 3 today.

 

A bit footery to set up. Needed technical support which was answered within 6 rings from somewhere in the UK. Instructions understood and clear as a bell from an advisor who new what he was doing and not following a script.

 

Have found position of USB appears critical. It says its running at 3.6Mb/b but I dont believe it. It is no faster than the hardwired BB which said it was running at about 950Kb/s.

 

Going to purchase a cheap laptop (Acer ??) and am away this weekend so will see how good.

 

Any advise on a cheap laptop. Only need to surf, download from camera and use Excel and Word

[sshortcircuit]

Sould have said, took 2 year option for £15 for 3Gb/month with free modem. Was paying PlusNet the same for 2 Gb/month

[davenewellhome]

crinklystarfish - 2007-09-24 4:23 PM

 

Dave,

I’ve been looking at the options on the T-Mobile website but can’t figure how you’ve achieved what you’ve achieved!

It seems that if you use a laptop connected to a mobile used as the modem then there is the need to sign up to monthly plan. The cheapest of which is £7.50.

The PAYG £1 web-n-walk daily cap seems only to apply to web-n-walk enabled phones.

What is your actual setup please? The description leads to visions of a laptop installed with the appropriate software suite to allow the laptop / mobile to integrate, and then some kind of setup routine to allow the combination to use T-Mobile as an ISP.

You also mentioned ‘pre-booking’ in an earlier post, what did that mean?

Whatever your setup, it seems jolly good, and I’m up for copying!

 

My setup is simple, I use a T mobile PAYG Nokia 6300 mobile phone connected to my lappy with a standard USB cable. The Nokia comes with a suite of software including internet connection. Web 'n' Walk is definitely available for PAYG and to be used in the manner I've described and it is capped at £1 per day. When I said you need to pre book I'd misunderstood. When I first used it I had to ask them to set it up on my phone number and from then on its there to use as and when I need to.

 

Its possibly best to visit a T mobile shop and talk to one of their advisers, my local shop in Telford is staffed with several very helpful and knowlegable young men.

 

D.

[whbs]

Worth reiterating that the T-Mobile usage limit for £1 is 40Mb. This is huge if using a mobile phone, but you have to be careful if using it through a laptop as each page uses up a great deal.

Bill

[crinklystarfish]

Thanks Dave. I shall take your advice and head to the nearest dealer. The website confused me, but I'm sure given a face-to-face with a knowledgeable assistant we'll make progress. Good information from you, well researched sir!

[Ralph]

Way2Go - 2007-09-24 9:44 AMI've sent off for my SIM and it's well worth a £5 to test it out.  Many thanks for the link.

Nice being back at work huh?

Me too, thanks for the link Dave.2 SIMS free is worth knowing about anyway.Still not sure about the Web'n'Walk though as the website is a bit confusing. Did you buy the phone from them Dave? or just a SIM?If anyone finds out any more I'd like to know.

[sshortcircuit]

Have abandond 3. Ok during the day but at night just no coverage and slow download speed, if any.

 

Understand O2 may be introducing similar system next month and they have better coverage in my area. I am slightly out in the country.

 

Will also read previous postings although T mobile is not strong either

[Ocsid]

There is a clause in T-Mobiles Terms and Conditions which legally at least seems to prohibit the use of the Web’n’Walk service via a Modem.

To quote: - “We do not permit use of this service to provide modem access for a computer”.

I am not a lawyer but does this mean I ought not do Dave’s trick?

 

Background:

I trawled through T_mobile’s web site and from this link you can access first Web’n’Walk then the Terms and Conditions that apply to it. I copy the full clause; the offending bit is in the penultimate sentence.

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobile-phones/price-plans/pay-as-you-go/

 

Web'n'walk

Compatible handset required. £1 maximum daily charge applies to U-Fix, Mates Rates, Everyone and Text Appeal customers. Roaming charges apply. Charges of 0.73p per KB apply until £1 per day (midnight to midnight) is spent. If you have already spent £1 and you browse for a continuous period from before midnight to after midnight, all of that period will be charged at the new day's rate of 0.73p per KB. Not applicable to connection via circuit switch data (CSD). Subject to coverage. * To ensure a high quality of service for all our customers a fair use policy of 40MB (of data both sent and received in the UK) per day applies. We monitor use on a monthly basis. If, in our reasonable opinion, you regularly exceed 40MB per day, we may tell you to reduce your future use. If you again regularly exceed 40 MB per day, we may tell you that we are going to apply network protection controls, resulting in a reduced network speed for 14 days. If you exceed 40 MB per day for a third time, we may tell you that we are going to apply further network protection controls, resulting in a permanently reduced network speed. We do not permit use of this service to provide modem access for a computer or for peer to peer file sharing, internet phone calls or instant messaging. Roaming charges apply

 

 

[Ralph]

Interesting point but I would have thought it to be unenforceable as they don't know what the end device is unless they come round and watch.

 

Does this work on GPRS? I have a Nokia with GPRS and a data cable so I could try that. But in order to connect it I'd need to know how to set it up. If I look under GPRS on the settings of my phone it seems to want a URL, username and password. Err.???

 

 

[Way2Go]

Ralph - 2007-09-26 8:06 AM Interesting point but I would have thought it to be unenforceable as they don't know what the end device is unless they come round and watch. Does this work on GPRS? I have a Nokia with GPRS and a data cable so I could try that. But in order to connect it I'd need to know how to set it up. If I look under GPRS on the settings of my phone it seems to want a URL, username and password. Err.???

Ralph,

I set mine up with the suggestion from johnsandywhite.  See the post they made below:-

"Hi Way2Go. It is asking for a username and password for your Internet provider just as if you were on Dial-Up. For instance? I use Yahoo as my Internet connection when Mobile and Oriolnet or Gonuts4Free in Spain. Gonut4free can be used here in the UK or in Spain with different access numbers. You would need to set up an account with a username and password. All the instructions of how to do it manually or over the Internet are online:-

http://www.gonuts4free.co.uk/

Nearly forgot to mention. You will need to set up a NEW connection for your Mobile phone to connect to the Internet:-

Start
Control Panel
Network Connections
Create a new connection

Up will pop the New Network Wizard

Edited by johnsandywhite 2007-09-09 4:58 PM"

[Dave Newell]

When I went into the T mobile shop I told them that I wanted to use it as a modem for my laptop and all they said was that I might not be able to use all services. I asked "like what?" and was told instant messenger or VOIP would probably not work on it, big deal, I don't use them anyway. For the setup details contact T mobile, they're generally very helpful :-) .

 

D.