3 To Launch 10Gb Cap HSDPA package for €20 a month today

kaizersoze

Passing a Vodafone dealer today I noticed they have reduced the price of the modem by 50% to 49.99.
It's also listed on the website @ 48.76.

Sponge Bob

listed on the website for €59.99 here

http://www.vodafone.ie/3gbroadbandmodem/

GNR1992/2006

Bottom line guys, for somebody with a dial-up connection is this worth getting??

Also anybody know if this is available in the south County Kilkenny region/Area??

Is this a "always on" service??

10 GB's is the download limit, yes??

kaizersoze

Sponge Bob wrote:

listed on the website for €59.99 here

http://www.vodafone.ie/3gbroadbandmodem/

Aye. I was looking at the exVAT price in the business section.

watty

If the small b on 3's website is correct then it is 1.25GByte cap.

JTMan

GNR1992/2006 wrote:

Bottom line guys, for somebody with a dial-up connection is this worth getting??

yep

GNR1992/2006 wrote:

Also anybody know if this is available in the south County Kilkenny region/Area??

3 have coverage in most of Kilkenny ... There is a 14 day money back guarantee so if you don't get coverage just return it.

GNR1992/2006 wrote:

Is this a "always on" service??

yep

GNR1992/2006 wrote:

10 GB's is the download limit, yes??

yeah

GNR1992/2006

Thanks for the info, Fungus.

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

Just posting a further update to this thread in case anyone is thinking of getting three broadband. I'm using this in Rathmines and it's working brilliant.

Don't know about speed. It says 3.6mbs on the connection bubble on the laptop, but don't know how to accurately measure it.

I tend to use the play speed of youtube videos as an ad hoc guide as to how fast the connection is, and it is extremely fast.

Would highly recommend it to people who don't have a phone line (Irish Broadband, clearwire = crap, but everyone knows that already).

/Thankfully the broadband drought is over!

johnplayerblue

Pinging www.boards.ie [89.234.66.107] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 89.234.66.107: bytes=32 time=448ms TTL=52
Reply from 89.234.66.107: bytes=32 time=359ms TTL=52
Reply from 89.234.66.107: bytes=32 time=362ms TTL=52
Reply from 89.234.66.107: bytes=32 time=394ms TTL=52

Ping statistics for 89.234.66.107:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 359ms, Maximum = 448ms, Average = 390ms

This is what i've been waiting for...
Its a ****ing crazy state of affairs when you have to consider moving to get broadband

watty

What are you using to get 390ms pings??

JonathanAnon

De da da da, De da da da....
Yes it's the 3DataModem. Just wondering what you all think of it. Here's my view for what it's worth.

First of all, I have tried to get every sort of broadband into the house, and failed ALL tests, cabled / wifi / line-of-sight etc etc all failed, so as a last gasp I tried (assuming that it would fail too) the 3DataModem.

Install
Install is easy, the software is installed on the usb device. So you just click on the drive letter and it auto-installs. BUT, it does take a while to settle down. I had one for a week and had to reinstall a couple of times. Easy for me cos I work in IT, not sure how this would work for technophobes. After an initial period of instability, the thing settles down and worked fine.

General Usage
Considering that I can get one bar at best where I live, it actually works quite well. I'm not gonna say that it's the fastest broadband that I have ever used, but it works in places that no other broadband can get too. My cousin is in exactly the same position (no cabled broadband, no wifi etc etc) and it works great from where she is too.

Conclusion
Basically, I wouldnt reasonably be able to get broadband without this thing. It does drop now and again (in which case you re-connect), it's not as fast or as stable as cabled broadband, and it does get worse with the weather, and you may have teething problems with getting the modem to work all of the time, but it is much better and cheaper than dialup.

As I said already I can only get one bar maximum, and still it is usable. It's also cheap and with 10Gbs for €19.99 a month, it has more than enough download allowance. And you have 7 days to return it if you find that it is of no use to you.

Great little product in my opinion. Just fanticising about how good it would be if I could get 5 bars (like I did in John's street Kilkenny the other day).

Random

"It's also cheap and with 10Gbs for €19.99 a month"
GB! It's GB god dammit!


But yah ... the process of setup and getting it running is pretty painless.

philstar

ok folks..i got it today........and....its pretty good, so far no problems:)

in my network connection dialog box i get a speed of 3.6 mbs

i just downloaded a 10mb file in about 7 mins which is not bad.

Streaming i.e watching video content is good with little or no rebuffing.

So as far as i'm concerned i give it a thumbs up (so far)...then again it depends how strong the three signal is in your neck of the woods.

Sponge Bob

people living in country areas on sh1te eircom lines really should look at this.

once line rental goes to €25.60 a month you will pay eircom €55 a month for line rental and 12k or 16k dialup for 150 hours a month on their anytime package.

the 3 system is bound to be faster than that and at less than half the price.

furthermore they are pressurising o2 to come up with a decent package TBA in the next few months. Voda are now charging €60 for that modem but are more expensive for the package.

HOWEVER if you had a package from 3 ..€20 a month...and either Voda or O2 as backup for €30 a month ..... ......it would still work out cheaper than the 12k line rental and flatrate 150 hours and would work better .

Shame the 3g operators coverage is so bad outside the pale .

Onikage

Sponge Bob wrote:

Shame the 3g operators coverage is so bad outside the pale .

Where do people get this idea from? I've never had a problem and I can't imagine coverage in dublin possibly being any better.

JonathanAnon

Firstly apologies about the double post - damned touch pad.

Sponge Bob, I agree with you on your first point. Especially the fact that the rental is going up. The price of privatisation I guess.

However I think that reception outside the pale is better than you would think. And even with no bars reception, I can still get a fairly stable connection and I AM in the middle of nowhere.

I have that vodafone are selling the same HUAWEI E220 usb modem - didnt know that or I would have checked out their package as well. Thought the 2 offer takes some beating.

Xcellor

Just to post my experience of Three USB modem. Got it last Saturday. Was assured I was in an excellent area by both 3 and carphone warehouse. I am in Longford, Newtownforbes (aka broadband black hole).

Got it home excitedly... Plugged it in.. Wait a minute no signal. Crap. Phoned 3, they told me 24 hours... Phew.. Ok. Waited 24 hours. Still no signal, more crap. Phoned again and was told this time it was actually business hours... Ok... But wait a second, I see a flash of a blue light! Eureeeeeka. I am on a network. Then the blue light disappears and is replaced by the typical flashy green light of no network detected. I proceed to spend the next 20 minutes hanging out windows and scaring my neighbours but yes there is a signal. BUT NOT EVEN 1 BAR.

Escalated.. and escalated some more and got through to some helpful Technical support staff in the UK. Unfortunately you must go through India to reach the UK, no direct numbers... They were supposed to get back to me 2 days ago.. Still waiting.

So how does it work with not even one bar.

Pinging www.boards.ie [89.234.66.107] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 89.234.66.107: bytes=32 time=177ms TTL=50
Reply from 89.234.66.107: bytes=32 time=147ms TTL=50
Reply from 89.234.66.107: bytes=32 time=240ms TTL=50
Reply from 89.234.66.107: bytes=32 time=329ms TTL=50

Ping statistics for 89.234.66.107:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 147ms, Maximum = 329ms, Average = 223ms

Max download has been 30 kBps and even with not even one bar you can still get onto the HSDPA service.

So it's faster than dial up but I am concerned about this type of coverage and if it deteriorates.

They have a 14 day money back guarantee but would I be right in saying under legislation if their service becomes so flakey I can't even get connected then I could demand refund/cancellation of contract?

X

Sponge Bob

with some 3g modems its possible to get an external antenna to boost the signal .

johnplayerblue

Xcellor wrote:

Just to post my experience of Three USB modem. Got it last Saturday. Was assured I was in an excellent area by both 3 and carphone warehouse. I am in Longford, Newtownforbes (aka broadband black hole).

Got it home excitedly... Plugged it in.. Wait a minute no signal. Crap. Phoned 3, they told me 24 hours... Phew.. Ok. Waited 24 hours. Still no signal, more crap. Phoned again and was told this time it was actually business hours... Ok... But wait a second, I see a flash of a blue light! Eureeeeeka. I am on a network. Then the blue light disappears and is replaced by the typical flashy green light of no network detected. I proceed to spend the next 20 minutes hanging out windows and scaring my neighbours but yes there is a signal. BUT NOT EVEN 1 BAR.

Escalated.. and escalated some more and got through to some helpful Technical support staff in the UK. Unfortunately you must go through India to reach the UK, no direct numbers... They were supposed to get back to me 2 days ago.. Still waiting.

So how does it work with not even one bar.

Pinging www.boards.ie [89.234.66.107] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 89.234.66.107: bytes=32 time=177ms TTL=50
Reply from 89.234.66.107: bytes=32 time=147ms TTL=50
Reply from 89.234.66.107: bytes=32 time=240ms TTL=50
Reply from 89.234.66.107: bytes=32 time=329ms TTL=50

Ping statistics for 89.234.66.107:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 147ms, Maximum = 329ms, Average = 223ms

Max download has been 30 kBps and even with not even one bar you can still get onto the HSDPA service.

So it's faster than dial up but I am concerned about this type of coverage and if it deteriorates.

They have a 14 day money back guarantee but would I be right in saying under legislation if their service becomes so flakey I can't even get connected then I could demand refund/cancellation of contract?

X

Sounds pretty much like my week, minus the ph calls. Hanging out the window with a laptop in one hand while holding onto the guttering is not the safest way to try and get broadband, theres a lot i would do to get BB but diyings not one of them. Last night was a bitch with the weather, but when i can get it to work it is nice i have to say and even with the off/on signal im gona cancel my line and get rid of utvip, me thinks they have goten enough of off me in the last 10yrs

BostonB

johnplayerblue wrote:

....Hanging out the window with a laptop in one hand while holding onto the guttering ....

Why? :eek:

johnplayerblue

BostonB wrote:

Why? :eek:

To try and get at least a 1 bar signal. I managed to get 3 bars but its not the ideal way to get a signal...much better to have a signal while siting at your pc i find...

GNR1992/2006

I got it today and I'am getting 4 to 5 bars on HSDPA and 4 bars on 3G when it slips in from time to time.

How do you find out what speed it is???

Also how do you check your download allowance?

I downloaded a 56 Mb file and it took about 30 Mins is that good or bad.

I tried to donwload a file of 369 mb and it would take 3.5 Hours is that good or bad.

Sorry about all the questions but I have only had a crap dial-up connection up to now.

It's pretty fast compared to Dial-up for General surfing.

In all I think I'll be keeping it.

Firetrap

JonathanAnon wrote:

I have that vodafone are selling the same HUAWEI E220 usb modem - didnt know that or I would have checked out their package as well. Thought the 2 offer takes some beating.

In terms of value, Vodafone haven't come anywhere near the 3 package yet. The modem might be cheaper to buy but you're only getting a 5GB per month download limit and they're charging €39 a month. Meanwhile, the 3 modems are selling like hotcakes. Nice to see Vodafone showing their usual good commercial sense.

On an aside note, is there anywhere on the 3 website where you can check your download/upload statistics?

Alter-Ego

Interesting thread. I think i'll be buying one of these modems tomorrow assuming i can give it back if i cant use the service.

Can the connection be shared between 2 pc's? i.e can i buy 2 modems and share one account or even just one modem and somehow run 2 pc's from it?

BostonB

GNR1992/2006 wrote:

....
I downloaded a 56 Mb file and it took about 30 Mins is that good or bad.

I tried to donwload a file of 369 mb and it would take 3.5 Hours is that good or bad.

...It's pretty fast compared to Dial-up for General surfing.

In all I think I'll be keeping it.

A lot slower than a regular wired BB connection.

But like you said its a lot faster than dial up, and more importantly a lot cheaper too! Its also a lot more mobile than anything else. For what it is I think its a great deal. If you can't get a wired connection, or don't need the mobility.

GNR1992/2006

Put it this way, to download the 56mb file with dail up would take 7-8 Hours and with 3 Mobile 30 Mins and to download the 369 MB file would take 35 Hours and with 3 Mobile it would take 3.5 Hours. The speed is 3.6 Mbps. Its the only Broadband available in my area. I pay Eircom 20.00 Euro for 60 Hours after 6 Pm, a Month on dial-up which is crap and I could have this for the same price and no line rental. Its faster all round so its a win win situation for me.
I've been told I may be able to get National Wireless Broadband which would you guys go with or think would be best???

echomadman

watty wrote:

Yes, that's correct.
Your email address won't work. as username with eircom. (Though that is correct for some other ISPS where they have the same SMTP server for different Domains) you just put the part in front of the @eircom.net. That's your user name.

You should be still able to read eircom mails from Eircom POP3 and send your emails with eircom from address.

If that doesn't work then you need to use 3's Outgoing mail SMPTP server instead.

Anyone know what 3's SMTP server address is? i cant get mail to send at all.

GNR1992/2006

Is there anyway to track your usage, to make sure your not over the 10GB limit per month.

Gone West

Will this be compatible with vista?
I know vodafones similar product is not, and some of my clients are tied to vista platforms.
It would be brilliant if this works with vista.
Wont hold my breath though

aaronquigley

GNR1992/2006 wrote:

Is there anyway to track your usage, to make sure your not over the 10GB limit per month.

I just asked this on another thread 12 mins before you did. I too am looking for an answer on this which doesn't require me to run some logging software