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View Full Version : Mobile broadband or alternative to my issue

Will
06-01-2009, 09:57
Hi all,

As a few of you know I'm having to move out of my flat because housemate is moving in with his other half, and well frankly I can't afford to live there by myself, and although I have been hunting for a while I haven't been able to find anyone to replace him.

I've been offered somewhat of a reprieve of being able to move in with some old family friends on a short term basis, for a considerably lower amount of rent which is good - but only short term, I don't see myself there for more than 6 months really from Feb... but it's a start at any rate!

Anyway my problem is as follows:

I'm currently with VM on their really rather good 10mb package - my new homestay doesn't have cable, but has ADSL capacity. I guess I could do a transfer to that property, however my contract ends at the end of April. Unless I start up a new one again for 12months which seems silly if I'm not going to be in this temporary home for more than a few months.

The owner of the house is happy for me to get BB if I want it, but I don't want to get myself into a contract really - though I guess I could ask them if they were happy for me to get one set up and they take it over once I'm done.

Let us pretend that the owner doesn't want BB anyway (they seldom live at the house, hence why I'm able to move in there for a while) is there any PAYG or month by month contract you can get BB on?

The alternative I'm looking at is taking out a 12month contract with 3 or Vodafone for their mobile broadband which I know a few people have used here. Ok so it's got a 3-5Gb cap so it means no big downloads but for 15 quid a month it might be a good alternative as a temporary thing? For emails, casual browsing and occaisional video streaming I should be ok with those limits anyway. And even if I find somewhere else to live it would save me the cost of BB for a little while anyway?

Or would I be better off just using dial up?!?! lol!!!
Mondo
06-01-2009, 10:00
UKfsn, on ADSL is a month by month rolling contract, at least it was when i signed up last March.
Burble
06-01-2009, 10:04
Mobile broadband is certainly a viable alternative. I've got a 3G USB dongle from Three and even at my parents house it was getting about 500Kb/s so it was actually faster than their ADSL.
Matblack
06-01-2009, 10:15
My parents can't get ADSL its just too far from the exchange over rubbish lines, they tried satallite for a while but one way satillite sucks, they are now using mobile BB and can get HSDPA but mostly end up on Edge and it is very useable as long as you don't want to d/l huge files :)

MB
Mark
06-01-2009, 10:21
Yup. General web/mail over Edge is fine. I was browsing this place via a borderline 3G/Edge connection over the holidays and though not quick it was at least usable. You might get frustrated going from that 10MB connection though unless you can get a rock-solid HSDPA connection.

I wouldn't touch UKFSN now tbh. They're fine until things go wrong, then you find out it's a one man show and support (what little there is) takes forever. ADSL24 I believe are on the same (Entanet) network with better support and still offer a rolling contract.
Zirax
06-01-2009, 10:22
A friend of mine uses this

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobile-broadband/

Considering getting one for when I work away longer term so I don't end up stuck on a contract. £20 and 3gb usage.
Will
06-01-2009, 10:43
I think purely for the fact I'm going to be a bit up in the air, mobile internet would seem the most sensible. There's great 3G coverage in that area - I tested it with my phone and as long as I can do vital things like check email, and do bits of research (i.e. flat hunting) then I think I can cope. I might be able to "borrow" someone's wireless... but I don't want to rely on that or really do that as it's not very nice or legal :p

So which is best mobile package to go for? 3? Voda? O2? Orange?
Mark
06-01-2009, 10:47
Out of personal choice I avoid Voda when I can (which is somewhat difficult living in their home town). Don't forget T-Mobile. :)
loki
06-01-2009, 10:50
I think purely for the fact I'm going to be a bit up in the air, mobile internet would seem the most sensible. There's great 3G coverage in that area - I tested it with my phone and as long as I can do vital things like check email, and do bits of research (i.e. flat hunting) then I think I can cope. I might be able to "borrow" someone's wireless... but I don't want to rely on that or really do that as it's not very nice or legal :p

So which is best mobile package to go for? 3? Voda? O2? Orange?

If your with Virgin can you not get one of their Mobile Broadband packages. I think rates are attractive to existing customers.

If it's only a short term sollution, would PAyG be a better option given that a lot of the mobile broadband providers do a minimum of 12 or 18 month contract.

Three (http://www.three.co.uk/Mobile_Broadband/Pay_Monthly) seem to offer the most allowance for your cash

Virgin Media (http://www.virginmobile.com/vm/mobileBroadband.do) £15.00 for 3Gb or 1gb for £5.00. Latter offer I think is for broadband customers only
Will
06-01-2009, 11:07
1Gb is very easy to clock up though even with medium amount of browsing no?

Also I don't mind forking out £15 a month for mobile broadband on a 12 month contract as I can afford it frankly and it could save a lot of hassle. I was just curious if there was another alternative I had missed. Bearing in mind I'm only going to be in this temporary home for around 6 months or so.