visiting Ireland - recommended PAYG provider w/ GPRS?

unavaca

Hello there-
I'm going to be visiting Ireland from the US next month. I'm looking for a reasonably priced PAYG SIM with GPRS access. My understanding is that Vodafone has PAYG available with GPRS @ 0.02c per kB. Is this full, unrestricted access, or is this only a limited subset of websites? Also, can I purchase a 10 or 20MB data package on PAYG to save some money?

Any other recommendations would be appreciated I'll be spending most of my time in Dublin and potentially visiting London (not sure yet).

Thanks!

Random

The only operator with prepay data bundles is 3, but you'll need to buy a handset or borrow a SIM as they don't sell them separately.

You've got 0.02c per KB for the Vodafone price .. I'm sure you mean 2c - otherwise it might be too cheap I thought Vodafone were 1c per KB along with O2 - but I'll need to double check their website.

Meteor are 2c or 3c I believe.

None of these data prices will do you much use in London.

Random

Just checked the websites ..

O2 - 1c per KB (WAP GPRS / ISP GPRS)
Source: http://www.o2online.ie/wps/wcm/connect/O2/Home/Personal/Price+plans/Speakeasy+prepay/Night+owl

Vodafone - 2c per KB (WAP GPRS)
Source: http://www.vodafone.ie/dataservices/gprs/prices/index.jsp?datatariffs=true

Meteor - 2c per KB (WAP GPRS)
Meteor - €4.92 per MB (ISP GPRS)
Source: http://www.meteor.ie/payg_calls.html


ISP GPRS generally requires extra configuration on your handset and needs to be activated on your account by your operators data support crowd (or the normal care agents, if you can convince them it exists!).

unavaca

Ah yes, 2c per kB -- woops.

I'm looking here for Vodafone's pricing -- http://www.vodafone.ie/dataservices/gprs/prices/index.jsp?datatariffs=true

Is this true unrestricted GPRS?

unavaca

Oh yeah, one other question -- Are 1800 calls in IE free across all providers? In the US, you still pay airtime (tariffs) on all freecalls.

Random

1800 numbers are free with networks here.

Urban Weigl

1800 numbers are free, even from a mobile, like ciaranfo said. 1850 numbers typically cost 30 cents, no matter how long the call is.

GPRS with Vodafone, O2 and Meteor is truly unrestricted, e.g. you get full access to the internet, not just parts of it. 3, on the other hand, limit your access and run everything through a proxy server, though you do get 100 MB for €5.99, which is good, but remember you will not be able to do more than access web pages with it.

culabula

Urban Weigl wrote:

1800 numbers are free, even from a mobile, like ciaranfo said. 1850 numbers typically cost 30 cents, no matter how long the call is.

GPRS with Vodafone, O2 and Meteor is truly unrestricted, e.g. you get full access to the internet, not just parts of it. 3, on the other hand, limit your access and run everything through a proxy server, though you do get 100 MB for €5.99, which is good, but remember you will not be able to do more than access web pages with it.

On the other hand if you do go to your actual London, England you will be able to use your 3 Ireland SIM for data and calls as though you were in Dublin, no matter how poxy(sic) the server!

unavaca

Okay, it looks like Vodafone/O2/Meteor are going to be about the same for me.

I'm leaning toward Vodafone since they have a shop in the Dublin Airport and have data roaming in London for 5 euros per MB (is that in addition to the 2c/kB charge?).

I'm also considering not getting a roaming SIM at all It looks like using my US Cingular SIM in Ireland only results in 1.95 US Cents per kB (or 1.45 Euro Cents).

Rockson

Urban Weigl wrote:

3, on the other hand, limit your access and run everything through a proxy server, though you do get 100 MB for €5.99, which is good, but remember you will not be able to do more than access web pages with it.

So what kind of things are you not allowed do through their proxy server, Urban Weigl? Is downloading music and buying stuff online not allowed for instance?

Sam Vimes

Rockson wrote:

So what kind of things are you not allowed do through their proxy server, Urban Weigl? Is downloading music and buying stuff online not allowed for instance?

you can only to go certain websites on the phone, specifically http websites. secure sites and pretty much everything else is blocked. you can't plug the phone into a computer and go on the internet through it.

buying stuff online would be impossible because they all use secure sites but 3 has their own music store so you can download music. not for free of course

and whenever you go to a page, you're redirected to a page that has a link saying "click here". when you click it you're brought to the page except the proxy has reformatted the data for the phone. the proxy can make it painfully slow.

also, no applications except those supplied by 3 work, again because of the proxy.

edit: and if you ring customer care, they'll deny the proxy's existence.

Random

Make sure Meteors "Safe Surf" or O2s "content filtering" are off if you get one of their SIMs. You can usually do this over the phone with customer care or on the website - it's just to help protect kids online and no big deal.

Rockson

Thanks for that, Commander Vimes! I'd still be curious to see it in operation, (given the good data rate compared to the others) especially its speed compared to the other ISP's payg versions. I could live without https on my phone, I suppose! When you say "secure sites and pretty much everything else is blocked", what does the 'and pretty much everything else' cover?

unavaca

By the way, are O2 SIMs available at Dublin airport? I'm not seeing any retail stores for O2. I might pick up one of their sims just for the 1 cent GPRS.

Random

There's a shop selling O2 in Dublin airport from what I remember .. it's some music shop through the security gates and up to the right iirc.

Vodafone have the advantage of being in arrivals if you're inbound.

unavaca

Indeed, I am coming inbound. Are there any other shops selling mobile stuff on the arrival floor?

Sam Vimes

Rockson wrote:

Thanks for that, Commander Vimes! I'd still be curious to see it in operation, (given the good data rate compared to the others) especially its speed compared to the other ISP's payg versions. I could live without https on my phone, I suppose! When you say "secure sites and pretty much everything else is blocked", what does the 'and pretty much everything else' cover?

http websites work through the built in browser and nothing else. that does cover the majority of the internet of course

Rockson

Ok, I think I get ya. Basically it reformats all the http web pages and gives them to ya slowly!

unavaca

Whoa, I just noticed that Meteor does the $5 euro/MB ISP GPRS thing! What's the difference between WAP and GPRS? I won't be browsing any webpages, so I don't need (or want) a proxy. I just want to connect to the Internet. Is it the difference between wap.mymeteor.ie and isp.mymeteor.ie?! If so, I'm ALL about Meteor All I need to do now is find a dealer...

Sam Vimes

unavaca wrote:

Whoa, I just noticed that Meteor does the $5 euro/MB ISP GPRS thing! What's the difference between WAP and GPRS? I won't be browsing any webpages, so I don't need (or want) a proxy. I just want to connect to the Internet. Is it the difference between wap.mymeteor.ie and isp.mymeteor.ie?! If so, I'm ALL about Meteor All I need to do now is find a dealer...

basically the isp is cheaper. the settings are different and you have to get them sent to your phone. what model do you have?

unavaca

It's not a commercially-available device, so it can't accept those push settings. I was looking at the settings on this page:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=106942

Sam Vimes

unavaca wrote:

It's not a commercially-available device, so it can't accept those push settings. I was looking at the settings on this page:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=106942

the isp settings are there but i was never able to get them to work. it might have been because the isp apn is turned off by default though. you have to phone up customer care and get them to activate it

unavaca

Fair enough, I can deal with that.

As far as finding retail shops with SIM packs -- are they pretty prevalent or should I go with whatever I can find in the airport?

Sam Vimes

unavaca wrote:

Fair enough, I can deal with that.

As far as finding retail shops with SIM packs -- are they pretty prevalent or should I go with whatever I can find in the airport?

they're everywhere

http://www.meteor.ie/makethemove/payg_meteorshops.html

Solair

You can call 1-800 numbers in Ireland from a mobile for free, but some such numbers (particularly for calling with a calling card) will do one of the following:

1) Refuse your call (you'll get a 'we're sorry but this number is only available to callers from specific areas, calls cannot be accepted from your area"

or

2) Some pre-pay overseas calling services will surcharge you for calling from a mobile, so you'll get drastically fewer mins than if you were calling from a landline.

Also, bear in mind that some payphone operators selectively bar calls to overseas prepay calling card services!

O2 have plenty of retail stores, they may just not be listed.

You'll find them in pretty much every major town in Ireland with flagship stores in Dublin and Cork etc being 'O2 Experience'

Other retailers, like Carphone Warehouse also stock O2 prepay cards..

Urban Weigl

unavaca wrote:

Fair enough, I can deal with that.

As far as finding retail shops with SIM packs -- are they pretty prevalent or should I go with whatever I can find in the airport?

You will find SIM cards on sale everywhere. Typically expect to get the SIM card for free, e.g. you might pay €10 for the SIM but you will get the same amount (or in some cases more) free credit.

Meteor ISP always worked great for me when I was a Meteor customer. All I had to do the first time I used it was call Meteor for free from my handset on 1905 and ask them to activate ISP GPRS for me. Once that was done, I had no problems connecting both from my phone as well as with a laptop using Bluetooth.

The only problem is, €5 a megabyte is quite expensive, so it adds up quite quickly! For using Opera Mobile, it's fine though.

One thing I would say, though: if you plan to use your US phone in Ireland, make sure it doesn't just support 1800 MHz, but also 900 MHz. While 1800 MHz is used in some built up areas, 900 MHz is very widely used. Without it, you will get no coverage in most areas.

unavaca

Urban Weigl wrote:

The only problem is, €5 a megabyte is quite expensive, so it adds up quite quickly! For using Opera Mobile, it's fine though.

As far as I can tell, this is the best that one can do without a contract.

One thing I would say, though: if you plan to use your US phone in Ireland, make sure it doesn't just support 1800 MHz, but also 900 MHz. While 1800 MHz is used in some built up areas, 900 MHz is very widely used. Without it, you will get no coverage in most areas.

Ugh. My device is 850/1800/1900 -- I was hoping the 1800 coverage would be good enough for me to scrape by.

Urban Weigl

If you are sticking to the cities, it may well be enough to scrape by. I have not done extensive "research", all I can tell you is that where I live in Mayo, if I switch a phone to use only GSM1800 coverage, it does not find any base station. I also get the impression that, at least in rural areas, Irish operators use GSM900 exclusively.

Generally speaking, mobile phone coverage in Ireland is very good. The last time I lost my mobile signal was in the basement of a museum in a rural area.

unavaca

As best I know, we will be sticking to central Dublin (the addresses I have are all around Dublin airport and in "Dublin 1" and "Dublin 3").

If I find out that we're traveling outside of those areas, I guess I'll need to pick up a phone on the 900MHz band.

Solair

900mhz is the 'core' GSM frequency in Europe

1800Mhz is usually used as as an additional band where capacity's tight.

Originally, there were 1800mhz operators and 900mhz operators but, that was abandoned.

an 1800mhz only phone would be perform very poorly in Ireland as once you're outside urban areas, as the previous poster mentioned, you'd have no service at all!

GIMP

This is a 5 year old thread, why would you dredge this up??