Price drop on Vodafone 3G Broadband tariff and modem

philcsl

Vodafone are reducing the cost of the 3G USB modem from €129 to €99 from tomorrow.

The 5GB bundle is also being reduced from €49 to €39.99. It remains at 12c per MB if you go over the 5GB bundle.

Its good to see the mobile operators actually competing with the landline broadband providers at last instead of offering a premium product which was aimed at the business user. Hopefully prices continue to go south...

CivilServant

Can the 5gb be used from a phone?

godskitchen

CivilServant wrote:

Can the 5gb be used from a phone?

Yes but the SIM will not be able to make outgoing calls.

Urban Weigl

The SIM card can be used from a phone for data usage, however I don't believe it is possible to make calls. I have the older Unlimited plan, and can only make calls to free numbers while using the SIM card in a phone. If I try and make a call to another mobile or landline, it gets blocked.

Data works great, though. I actually often put it in a phone and use it as a modem.

Random

Prices coming down on mobile broadband = a good thing. Not low enough yet though!

culabula

godskitchen wrote:

Yes but the SIM will not be able to make outgoing calls.

Yes, it can.

culabula

Urban Weigl wrote:

The SIM card can be used from a phone for data usage, however I don't believe it is possible to make calls. I have the older Unlimited plan, and can only make calls to free numbers while using the SIM card in a phone. If I try and make a call to another mobile or landline, it gets blocked.

Data works great, though. I actually often put it in a phone and use it as a modem.

I had such a SIM, had no problems at all making calls.

godskitchen

culabula wrote:

Yes, it can.

Mine wont

culabula

godskitchen wrote:

Mine wont

Odd. When I owned a Voodoo broadband SIM last December I could make and receive calls on it without a hitch. The same is of course true of my 3 dataSIM which provides me with a national number for receiving voice calls free when in the north and also provides me with a FAX number for the odd person who still insists on using such a curio.

godskitchen

culabula wrote:

Odd. When I owned a Voodoo broadband SIM last December I could make and receive calls on it without a hitch. The same is of course true of my 3 dataSIM which provides me with a national number for receiving voice calls free when in the north and also provides me with a FAX number for the odd person who still insists on using such a curio.

Mine is on the Unlimited plan, i got it the first week Voda were offering it, could be something to do with that................

Urban Weigl

I'm the same as godskitchen; also got it the first week Vodafone were offering it. I can actually receive calls fine, but I can only make calls to free numbers, such as Vodafone customer care (1907) and other free numbers like freefone 1800 xxx xxx.

Akula

I could be wrong but I thought the 5 gig bundle was always 39.99 and the unlimited package was 49.99.

Can one still get the unlimited package?

culabula

Akula wrote:

I could be wrong but I thought the 5 gig bundle was always 39.99 and the unlimited package was 49.99.

Can one still get the unlimited package?

Nope, it was 39,99 for the 1st six weeks of this year, until the 28/02 then reverted to the 49,99. It was an attempt to get rid of the unlimited plan and to wean those already on it to just the 5 gigs at 10 euro less. You'd want to be mad.....

Urban Weigl

culabula wrote:

Nope, it was 39,99 for the 1st six weeks of this year, until the 28/02 then reverted to the 49,99. It was an attempt to get rid of the unlimited plan and to wean those already on it to just the 5 gigs at 10 euro less. You'd want to be mad.....

I, for one, did not fall for it. It only takes a few hours to download 5 GB.

godskitchen

Urban Weigl wrote:

I, for one, did not fall for it. It only takes a few hours to download 5 GB.

Indeed!

Akula

So the unlimited plan is now gone?

culabula

Very likely.

godskitchen

Akula wrote:

So the unlimited plan is now gone?

Im pretty sure you cant get it anymore.

wirelessdude

can confirm it no longer exists

Urban Weigl

I don't know where the number 49.99 comes from, but I pay 48.99 a month. I know it's a small difference, but it does add up to 12 a year.

culabula

Urban Weigl wrote:

I don't know where the number 49.99 comes from, but I pay 48.99 a month. I know it's a small difference, but it does add up to 12 a year.

Probably that old habit of mine of lifting the nearest hat and talking through it.

Fergus Cassidy

I have a VF modem since November of last year. When I signed up (€48.99), it was called Data Unlimited. There was no figure mentioned for the cap.

Last week, I got a letter from VF pointing out that I'd exceeded the 5Gb cap and requesting I desist in future. Letter made a point of mentioning the 12c per mb excess.

Re-checked the T&Cs and they've been changed. Apparently, VF can do this whenever it suits them.

IMO, the 12-month contract is the real culprit here. Companies can do what they like with the T&Cs, safe in the knowledge that subscribers are legally stuck with a contract.

This is all too reminiscent of the IOL No Limits carry on (back in dial-up days), which directly led to the formation (thankfully) of Ireland Offline.

It's the same bloody merry-go-round!

PS: I replied to VF's letter but needless to say I've heard nothing back

godskitchen

Interesting, I have been with them since last June, or whenever it came out, can someone remember? I have had no letter from them telling me to stop going over the magic 5Gb cap that they seem to have pulled out of thin air since i didnt sign up for that.

I cant be the only one that is sick of companies like this having all the power, being able to change the T&C's when they feel like it, leaving us stuck in a contract we didn't sign up to, i know they are doing nothing illegal but it stinks! You might turn around and say "well why dont you move to a different network" but to be honest thats not always possible due to coverage and in any case they are all the same!

Urban Weigl

I know in other countries at least if the terms change, that absolves you of the contract, meaning you can get out of the contract at any time. For instance, in the US one of the mobile phone companies increased the rate of sending an SMS. As a result, people locked into a 24 month contract were able to cancel with no penalty. Of course they tried to hide that from customers.

I would expect it to be the same here.

Urban Weigl

If that were not the case here, I would be extremely surprised indeed, as it would be wide open to abuse. Company A could lock you into a contract for 12 months, but than take away all the benefits the day after you sign up, meaning you're paying for nothing.

I have saved my original contract, just in case Vodafone tries to pull anything funny.

elderlemon

The T & C's in force are those accepted by you when you signed the contract. If Voda change these without your ok then the contract is no longer in force.

Fergus Cassidy wrote:

I have a VF modem since November of last year. When I signed up (€48.99), it was called Data Unlimited. There was no figure mentioned for the cap.

Last week, I got a letter from VF pointing out that I'd exceeded the 5Gb cap and requesting I desist in future. Letter made a point of mentioning the 12c per mb excess.

Re-checked the T&Cs and they've been changed. Apparently, VF can do this whenever it suits them.

IMO, the 12-month contract is the real culprit here. Companies can do what they like with the T&Cs, safe in the knowledge that subscribers are legally stuck with a contract.

This is all too reminiscent of the IOL No Limits carry on (back in dial-up days), which directly led to the formation (thankfully) of Ireland Offline.

It's the same bloody merry-go-round!

PS: I replied to VF's letter but needless to say I've heard nothing back

Fergus Cassidy

Appreciate that info. The cap excess charge is so high (works out at €600 per 5
Gb), that I'm not going to run the risk of getting into a spat with them over it.

I reckon we need some sort of org to represent individual ISP customers. Work up a charter of what minimum standards we expect from an ISP (of whatever hue).

godskitchen

Fergus Cassidy wrote:

Appreciate that info. The cap excess charge is so high (works out at €600 per 5
Gb), that I'm not going to run the risk of getting into a spat with them over it.

I reckon we need some sort of org to represent individual ISP customers. Work up a charter of what minimum standards we expect from an ISP (of whatever hue).

Not a bad idea.............there is too much guess work and changing of standards all over the place by ISP's.

Its almost like this country thinks if they complain then Broadband will be taken off them, ISP's in the UK dont ride customers like they do here. Well not anymore, there is too much competition.

lukin

I'm living in a b'band blackspot so I am wondering if Vodafone 3G is an alternative to landline b'band?
I think there is coverage in my area so it's the only alternative for someone who can't afford satellite b'band (which I can't).

Urban Weigl

lukin wrote:

I'm living in a b'band blackspot so I am wondering if Vodafone 3G is an alternative to landline b'band?
I think there is coverage in my area so it's the only alternative for someone who can't afford satellite b'band (which I can't).

If you have coverage, it should be a good alternative. Assuming no network problems, I'm seeing average speeds slightly above entry level (1 meg) DSL. The maximum download speed I've seen is 1.6mb and the maximum upload speed is just under 384kbps. However, I have noticed that Vodafone seems to have issues with their 3G broadband network in Athlone. Apart from the cap, again assuming you have coverage, it is a good alternative to regular broadband, especially if you value mobility.

Update: Latency seems to average 120ms for me, which is higher than DSL, so it's probably not the best option for gamers. Still, that is miles ahead of satellite.

Sam Vimes

lukin wrote:

I'm living in a b'band blackspot so I am wondering if Vodafone 3G is an alternative to landline b'band?
I think there is coverage in my area so it's the only alternative for someone who can't afford satellite b'band (which I can't).

get it and try it for two weeks. if its not fast enough or doesn't work, bring it back