3G DataCard a viable alternative to Dial-up??

Sam Vimes

noelbadrian wrote:

I live 4 miles from Tullamore in broadband limbo. According to the coverage maps Vodaphone does not cover this area but I just might have a chance with Three if their crude map can be believed. Problem is I only have a PC and Three's DataCard is only for laptops ... anyone know of a solution like a PC adaptor for the laptop cards?
Noel

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=a77bg&source=15&SD=Y

€50 unfortunately

culabula

I installed the Linksys 3G router for a pal last night in broadband hell near Tara Co Meath (Just near Duleek to be more precise), using the Three data card.

Got it working in about 10 minutes and the results were stunning; I have owned the datacard for around 6 weeks and I have never seen it work so well or so fast. By the end of the evening we had 5 Macs, 1 PC, 2 PSPs, 1 e61, 1 Airport Express and 1 Airport Extreme all sharing the connection with no detriment to the signal.

For him, after years of ball-numbing dial-up, it's been a superb buy and investment.

Urban Weigl

culabula wrote:

278kbps when Three drops to Voda (national roaming)....

Because Vodafone have not upgraded their network to EDGE yet (they may never do), it's actually only 60kbps maximum, not 278kbps maximum.

Just be careful about the 3000MB (slightly less than 3GB) cap, it seems like 3 aren't providing any way to accurately monitor it. That's why I'm glad I have Unlimited Data with Vodafone, I don't have to worry about getting a bill out of the blue.

culabula

Urban Weigl wrote:

Because Vodafone have not upgraded their network to EDGE yet (they may never do), it's actually only 60kbps maximum, not 278kbps maximum.

Just be careful about the 3000MB (slightly less than 3GB) cap, it seems like 3 aren't providing any way to accurately monitor it. That's why I'm glad I have Unlimited Data with Vodafone, I don't have to worry about getting a bill out of the blue.

Fortunately 3 have upgraded theirs and so it doesn't roam on Voodoo anymore (at least not on the Belfast-Dublin corridor for several weeks now).

3 do provide a way to monitor their allowance -the app that comes with the datacard for Windows (probably the majority of users). The problem arises when used in a phone as a BT modem with either a non pc-card PC or a MacBook. But,as we have discovered, you can then dial 333 FOC with the handset to monitor your usage and ongoing costs (if any).

Sam Vimes

Urban Weigl wrote:

Because Vodafone have not upgraded their network to EDGE yet (they may never do), it's actually only 60kbps maximum, not 278kbps maximum.

Just be careful about the 3000MB (slightly less than 3GB) cap, it seems like 3 aren't providing any way to accurately monitor it. That's why I'm glad I have Unlimited Data with Vodafone, I don't have to worry about getting a bill out of the blue.

is the limit not 5 gigs or is that an old plan?

culabula

They introduced the current 5GB for 39,99e because of the trouble they got themselves into with the older 49,99 "unlimited" plan (now in limbo).

The current offer is only on until the 29th of this month -interesting to see what they do with it then. They have hinted to holders of the existing "unlimited" plan that they migrate to the cheaper offer -clearly to get them off it.

noelbadrian

Thanks everyone for the info on the card adaptor/the router/the hoped for usb card etc... in the mean time I'll start looking for a friend with a 3G phone-very good advice!
Noel

culabula

It was me who was told by three that there will be a USB modem in April; great for Mac and desktop users. Can't wait.

Urban Weigl

culabula wrote:

3 do provide a way to monitor their allowance -the app that comes with the datacard for Windows (probably the majority of users). The problem arises when used in a phone as a BT modem with either a non pc-card PC or a MacBook. But,as we have discovered, you can then dial 333 FOC with the handset to monitor your usage and ongoing costs (if any).

They don't guarantee the accuracy of their PC utility, and say it may give an "indication only". Also, it won't work if you have software problems, or you ever put the SIM card in a mobile or slot it into a different laptop. In other words, it's not worth the paper it's printed on... Or the pixels it is displayed on.

333 FOC sounds very useful though, as long as it's not delayed in any significant way.

culabula

Urban Weigl wrote:

They don't guarantee the accuracy of their PC utility, and say it may give an "indication only". Also, it won't work if you have software problems, or you ever put the SIM card in a mobile or slot it into a different laptop. In other words, it's not worth the paper it's printed on... Or the pixels it is displayed on.

333 FOC sounds very useful though, as long as it's not delayed in any significant way.

Of course, if you change laptop, or use a handset instead it will mess up your monitoring; but when I was using the datacard exclusively with my VAIO the usage corresponded exactly to that recorded on the bill that I received. I have no reason to suspect that it is inaccurate in real-world usage.

333 has always given accurate and real-time monitoring on 3UK backed up by their My3 facility (both on planet 3 and on the web); unfortunately 3Ireland do not yet offer the latter. But there is no reason to suspect that the current voice-only offering is anything less than accurate. I did a before and after test this morning and it was updated in real-time.

Urban Weigl

I have no doubt that it was accurate for you, however the issue is that there is no way to verify that what it is reporting is correct, and 3 don't guarantee it. So if for any reason, for example a software glitch, it says 2000 MB but in reality you've used 4000 MB, 3 could in theory tell you that it's "not our problem". That's my concern.

culabula

Urban Weigl wrote:

I have no doubt that it was accurate for you, however the issue is that there is no way to verify that what it is reporting is correct, and 3 don't guarantee it. So if for any reason, for example a software glitch, it says 2000 MB but in reality you've used 4000 MB, 3 could in theory tell you that it's "not our problem". That's my concern.

Where did you see this comment by 3 that they don't guarantee the software monitoring or that it "may give an "indication only""? I haven't spotted it.Is it on their site?

jimmycrackcorm

culabula wrote:

333 has always given accurate and real-time monitoring on 3UK backed up by their My3 facility (both on planet 3 and on the web); unfortunately 3Ireland do not yet offer the latter. .

three.ie now have a MY3 link showing that facility is now available.

culabula

My goodness, there's a coincidence. Wasn't even there first thing this morning! Hooray!

Seems to be confined to planet three for the moment and not online on their site.

noelbadrian

culabula wrote:

It was me who was told by three that there will be a USB modem in April; great for Mac and desktop users. Can't wait.

I rang Three today to ask if their USB version was going to come in at the same cost per card as the existing one etc. The girl basically said Wha...! Never heard of it/no plans for one as far as she knew - and told me that their shops had PC adaptors for the pcmcia card - but last week when I was in the Car Phone Warehouse (their agent in Tullamore)
I was told "too bad - try the Vodaphone one".
Seems there is some confusion in the ranks!
Noel

culabula

Well, I wouldn't worry too much about that: I spoke to the manager of the Grafton Street flagship store and to the area manager who had called in. Three weeks ago I was told one was coming; two weeks ago they were able to set a date -April. They said that it's in testing at the moment.

Hopefully, that is the case but I must say they seemed pretty confident.

noelbadrian

culabula wrote:

Well, I wouldn't worry too much about that: I spoke to the manager of the Grafton Street flagship store and to the area manager who had called in. Three weeks ago I was told one was coming; two weeks ago they were able to set a date -April. They said that it's in testing at the moment.

Hopefully, that is the case but I must say they seemed pretty confident.

Sounds good to me! A couple months is not too long to wait 'cause I don't think anything else is going to work here other than satelite.
Noel

culabula

They also hinted that they might have it sooner than that and that they would upgrade pc-card owners either for free or a small outlay. Let's hope so.

Skary

The 3 USB data cards are set for launch late April, and are currently in testing - those PCMCIA adaptors I believe are very difficult to find - (and I have a feeling that they have to be HSDPA enabled)
Vodafone is only advertising 70% coverage with theirs as opposed to 3 who has 85% coverage -
Also - The Waterford query - call into the 3 Store in Waterford - my friend did and spoke to one of the employees there who is using a 3 Data Card - they apparantly live somewhere remote and have excellent service

gravity12

Was in the three shop in grafton street the other day and they said the USB adapter would be launching in May.

Sam Vimes

Skary wrote:

The 3 USB data cards are set for launch late April, and are currently in testing - those PCMCIA adaptors I believe are very difficult to find - (and I have a feeling that they have to be HSDPA enabled)

i was in 3g in blanchardstown yesterday and they said there's 100 spread across the company. they had about 6