Dongle dilemma

[olley]

Hi Dongle or PCMA data card, they both do the same thing, that is connect via the mobile phone network, if you have a UK "deal" with the provider be that 02, 3 or one of the others then unless your provider has a "prescence" in another country you will pay much higher charges, typically £3-£5 per meg download. But they will all work the same as your mobile phone does abroad.

 

If you have a 3 dongle and go to ireland, Denmark, Sweden or Austria, as long as you connect to their network in that country, your costs will be exactly the same as in the UK.

 

You will probably find outside of towns and motorways as in the UK you will not get 3G only GPRS.

 

Olley

[potjoe]

Pedro,can you tell me in what part of europe have you used it and at that cost ?.

[Randonneur]

I was under the impression that 3G wasn't any use in France unless things have changed recently.

 

Orange and SFR are doing deals on dongles at the moment.

[olley]

When we stayed at camping Lisbon in Portugal you got EDGE which is a high speed version of GPRS with a similar speed to 3G. I believe a lot of networks are providing it as its only a software update to the GPRS system, your phone/modem/data card does have to be compliant.

 

For an explanation of GPRS 3G etc. go here: http://www.clove.co.uk/viewTechInfo.aspx?Content=3B2BD491-6465-4C70-ABDB-5A12A06C3D8D&Category=TECHINFO

 

Olley

[Bazza454]

Interesting thread - but I need to check my understanding as the financials and the comparison to WiFi don't make sense.

If i'm reading correctly (and checking the website) I can purchase a 3 dongle with 1gb at £10 per month or 3gb at £15 per month from CarPhone Warehouse on an 18 month contract.

Compared to using a WiFi Hotspot on a CC site at £5 per hour, the dongle seems excellent value.

What i'm struggling to understand is, if the dongle is so much better value than the CC offer, why has the CC so much confidence that they are extending the number of sites with WiFi by an additional 40 odd this year, surely they must be aware of the alternatives - or, not being a "techie" have I missed something?

 

[Mel B]

My take on this is that relatively speaking not many people have mobile broadband and therefore if people want to go on line on the Caravan Club campsite a couple of times or so during their stay, it may cost a lot more per hour to use, but they don't have to buy a dongle or sign up for a contract.

 

However, I think that the Caravan Club has basically missed the boat with this - as mobile broadband gets cheaper and cheaper they are basically putting money into something that is not going to give a return to the club and is eventually going to be too expensive for members to use in comparison to the alternatives.

[Keith T]

Hi Barry - yes, I'm rather confused by this as well. It was only in the earlier part of the year I discovered the 'dongle' and how quickly the prices came down - and i think may still reduce further on some offers........

The other point which I think is so important - from experience this is - the CC Wifi does not cover the whole of the site, it depends on where you are pitched. At the cost quoted I have always thought it very high, alhtough convenient, of course. However for most purposes whilst on sites, it's usually possible to find either a wiFi, often for free, if you want to take your own laptop out with you, or to go into an internet 'cafe' and use their equipment, again often free or for the price of a cup of coffee.

The only time I ever used teh CC Wifi system was at Abbey Wood, over the New Year, and the only way I could get a signal - having paid "25 for a weeks usage - was to sit in the cold either in the information room, until it was locked at 8pm, and then on a seat outside reception until such time as my battery died!

I think it must be a rather expensive waste of members money, given the rapid growth of the Dongle.

[Bazza454]

Thanks Mel and Keith.

Given that I have to use the laptop a couple of hours a day when we're away, (work, honestly), looks like the dongle is a no-brainer...

[Keith T]

For those of you who have been following this and are interested in the use overseas, I have today spoken with 'three' Customer Services who advise the following -

 

1 There are networks in the following countries which provide the same facilities as Uk (ie within your allowance at no extra cost) :

Italy, Sweden, Denmark. Austria, Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland

 

2 There are 'roaming facilities' in France through Bougytel , Orange France and SFR, and in Spain through Telefonica Modi Star, France Telecome Espana, Vodofone france & Yoigoxefra Mobiles (apologies for any incorrect naming or spelling!!), and these are charged out at .......£3 per MB download....yes that is correct.......VERY EXPENSIVE, on their own admission

 

3 They hope to extend their own network at some time in the future, but could give no details on any exisiting porgrammes.I did not enquire about any othere Euro countries, but assume there would be 'roaming' available on a similar cost basis.

 

4 In the UK, if you exceed your monthlyl download allowance, the charge is 10p per MB.....and you can upgrade at any time to the 'next' level if you so wish.

 

Hope this clarifies and helps.

[Mel B]

Hi Keith T

 

Just a caveat to your number 4 if I may. When we signed up for the mobile broadband with 3 for an 18 month contract at half price we were thinking of going for the 3gb package at £7.50 a month (ie half £15.00 per month), however, we were told that if we then found we needed to upgrade to the next level it might not be possible to get it at the half price rate (£12.50 per month) if the offer had been ended and could end up having to pay the full rate of £25.00 per month, so, as we thought we might need the extra capacity anyway, we went for the 7GB package. If you're not sure if you need the bigger package make sure you can upgrade with the same 'deal' you currently have otherwise it could prove expensive!

[Keith T]

Hi Mel B

Yes, I thought that was the case...when I signed up the best offer was the £10 for 1Gb or £15 for 3GB, with 'free' dongle......18/24 months contract. So when I spoke with them today, they said to upgrade would be to £15, and then they also quoted the highest level, which was not available when I took the service initially. However, at the time it still represented the best deal, and sofar it's adequate.

If I need to upgrade at anytime, I shall have to try my negiotation skills.!

[pedro]

Hi Keith_T the pay as you go dongle gives you exactly the same but the dongle costs £49.99 to buy but there is no 18 or 24 month contract so far i have not used over £10 for my 30 days if i need more i just top up and it runs for another 30 days

[Den]

Hi pedro any idea if you can use this in france and if so cost . spoke to vodafone and they want £8.50 per 23hrs. even though i have a 4 mobile contract only favours are using it in the uk.

[pedro]

Hi Den 3 say you can use it anywhere there is a mobile signal then it can use satalite signal used it in Holland didnt cheak the cost but it did not use much when im in France i use my wifi hawking antena pulls in the signal and thats free around the big Mac

[Den]

hi pedro thanks for the info. You talk of a antena for wifi, is this available as an accessory.

[Guest JudgeMental]

Mel B - 2008-05-05 6:55 PM

 

My take on this is that relatively speaking not many people have mobile broadband and therefore if people want to go on line on the Caravan Club campsite a couple of times or so during their stay, it may cost a lot more per hour to use, but they don't have to buy a dongle or sign up for a contract.

 

The campsite we intend to visit at half term in Carnac, Brittany charges 1 € an hour, 2 € for 2 hours, 3 € for 4 hours, 10 € for 168 hours (7 days). If they can do it....... *-)

[Keith T]

Den - 2008-05-07 7:11 PM

 

Hi pedro any idea if you can use this in france and if so cost . spoke to vodafone and they want £8.50 per 23hrs. even though i have a 4 mobile contract only favours are using it in the uk.

 

Den - If you are on 'Three' network, then see my earlier response on using abroad. France and Spain are VERY expensive, as they are on roaming charges and the cost I have quoted is what the Customer Services at Three gave me, and even they admitted it was frightengly expensive. I cannot speak for any of the other operators, but generally mobiles are set to use roaing facilities when away from UK.

Hope this helps.

[pedro]

Den - 2008-05-08 3:34 PM

Hi Den if you using WIFI you can get a Hawking dish antena pulls in the signal from quite a distance they can be bought at maplins [it looks like a mini sky dish but is only about 4inches ]

hi pedro thanks for the info. You talk of a antena for wifi, is this available as an accessory.

[Den]

Thanks pedro i'll call into maplins over the weekend.(needed excuse to go there, they have rc helicopters £79. my buissness can buy both!!!!!!!!!!).

[potjoe]

Hi All, may i just add we where in Spain for the winter (4mths) i phoned 02 before to let them no. I am on contract with 02 and it cost me £120.00 plus in calls and txt`s when we got home i phoned 02 as to why so much money they said 35p this 25p that per min i then said can i ask what about the money i pay for my contract every mth oh says the man at 02 thats only when in the UK,oh said i so you are telling me thats £120 plus £60.00 on top yes says the man at 02. Come June and its good by to my contract and back to Pay as u go .Is this the same with all of them?.John

[Keith T]

Hi John

Are you talking about the Mobile internet dongle,or just an ordinary mobile phone for voice calls etc??

Either way, I guess the answer is much the same.....if you are abroad, then you are likely to be using expensive roaming ccosts..it's usually cheaper - though less convenient - to get a phone card for the country you are in, and use their landlines......

If you are away in one country for some time, then you can alsoenquire about getting a 'local' SIM card, I think.

My mobile phone is on Vodafone, and I have their 'passport' tariff for use abroad, this means my calls to/from aborad will cost 75p, and the time is taken from my 'inclusive' minutes on the contract. This does mean that ALL calls willbe that price, regardless of how long, so if you only speak for 30seconds, or for 30 mins, the cost is the same. It may be that other networks have some similar arrangements, and it's worith enquiring of your provider.

[Mel B]

Not sure of the cost of using my '3' dongle abroad, I've got to check that out but for using our '3' mobile phones abroad (Europe), the cost is 25p a minute back to the UK and 10p a minute to receive from the UK. Plus in some countries, Denmark, Hong Kong etc, the cost just comes of the normal inclusive units so doesn't cost any more at all (1 unit = 1 minute of talk time, or 1 unit = 1 text). The website give a slot of info.