O2 Mobile Broadband

cormie

Seems you can't roam on speakeasy broadband in Spain or France

With bill pay, France will cost €7 per mb, Spain will cost 8 something.

cormie

I assume if you put a 3G o2 sim card into a three usb modem, you coudln't use it for data roaming in France/Spain?

culabula

caster wrote:

As a matter of interest, are you using the sim card from the USB modem in the phone here to do this?

Sure am!

culabula

ardmacha wrote:

Data roaming is great with 3 if you are heading to Belfast or going to Italy on your holidays (which is of course the best place to vacation). But if you go to France or Spain which don't have 3 networks the 3 website suggests that calls are very much more expensive than O2 and there is no data roaming or even MMS. Now EU harmonisation measures might cut the call cost but there could be an argument that ripoff data roaming is better than none at all.

I am currently in Spain and of course you're right, I can't use any of my 3 SIMs as I would like. But you can buy a Vodafone Espana PAYG SIM and easily stick a data bundle on it in seconds. Working fine in my N95...

culabula

cormie wrote:

I assume if you put a 3G o2 sim card into a three usb modem, you coudln't use it for data roaming in France/Spain?

Well, er, actually, yes, you can. As I posted in private here some time back.....lowers voice to a whisper....the 3 USB modems are shhhhhhhhhhh!....*cough*unlocked*cough*......

But why would you do that?? Stick a LOCAL SIM in instead :-)

cormie

culabula wrote:

Well, er, actually, yes, you can. As I posted in private here some time back.....lowers voice to a whisper....the 3 USB modems are shhhhhhhhhhh!....*cough*unlocked*cough*......

But why would you do that?? Stick a LOCAL SIM in instead :-)

Wait... so I can bring my 3G broadband modem to Spain or any country, go into a local vodafone/o2 shop and buy a (speakeasy?) 3g sim there and I can have local rate 3G broadband???

Well there's no comparison really then is there between o2 and three? If you can do that with three I'm going to leave the house now and buy the bb package!

culabula

cormie wrote:

Wait... so I can bring my 3G broadband modem to Spain or any country, go into a local vodafone/o2 shop and buy a (speakeasy?) 3g sim there and I can have local rate 3G broadband???

Well there's no comparison really then is there between o2 and three? If you can do that with three I'm going to leave the house now and buy the bb package!

Unless the later modems are locked but mine isn't. In any case, you can put the local SIM in a handset and use it as a BT modem.

IMO, nobody compares with 3 Ireland. Twice the allowance, twice the speed, half the cost -and -as I have recently been in both the UK and Italy, I have benefited greatly from their 3 Like Home deal. Their CC might suck a big one but I have rarely had any need or desire to call them. Yes, it is very frustrating to be in Spain now with no (free) 3 access but using a local Voodoo SIM has taken care of that.

cormie

That's cool. Going to go with three then for sure:)

What do you mean use the handset as a BT modem (British Telecom BT or some other BT?) ?

Is there any way to check if a modem is locked? Could I pop my 3g o2 sim card into it and see if it works and if it does, it means it's unlocked?

culabula

cormie wrote:

That's cool. Going to go with three then for sure:)

What do you mean use the handset as a BT modem (British Telecom BT or some other BT?) ?

Is there any way to check if a modem is locked? Could I pop my 3g o2 sim card into it and see if it works and if it does, it means it's unlocked?

Hahaha! Nicht! Nein! BT modem = BLUETOOTH modem.

The way to check is hook it up to your mac (or PC), enter the correct APN on the supplied software and then connect to the internet. You can't check otherwise.

cormie

culabula wrote:

enter the correct APN on the supplied software

APN - A????? Pin number? Not too good with these initials:D

Ok, so I'll have to buy it before I can check then. Worth the risk I think. When did you buy yours? Just incase I have to ask around to trade with somebody;)

culabula

You know, you can always get the 3 Ireland USB package, check it and if it doesn't suit or is no longer supplied unlocked, then return it within 14 days.

My theory is that they were deliberately left unlocked because of the 3 Like Home arrangement and lack of roaming agreements with other nets (unlike Vodafone etc who do). I had complained about the locked status of the older datacard when in France in March and they promised me then to review their locking policy.

culabula

cormie wrote:

APN - A????? Pin number? Not too good with these initials:D

Ok, so I'll have to buy it before I can check then. Worth the risk I think. When did you buy yours? Just incase I have to ask around to trade with somebody;)

APN is the access point: 3ireland.ie
To Check with Voda IRL you need to input hs.vodafone.ie
Voda Spain: airtelnet.es
O2 Ireland: alorralorrapatience.o2.ie

cormie

culabula wrote:

APN is the access point: 3ireland.ie
To Check with Voda IRL you need to input hs.vodafone.ie
Voda Spain: airtelnet.es
O2 Ireland: alorralorrapatience.o2.ie

Cool, think I'll go out and buy it:) thanks for all the info, o2 can feck off:p Now let's just hope I never have to ring customer service!

culabula

cormie wrote:

Cool, think I'll go out and buy it:) thanks for all the info, o2 can feck off:p Now let's just hope I never have to ring customer service!

Don't expect it to replace a fixed BB service, don't download movies, TV shows and so forth (except at the end of the month when you need to use up your allowance), don't be surprised if the speed isn't always optimum, don't expect huge bills (unless you like that sort of thing), don't follow leaders and watch the parking meters.......and you will never have to ring them.

cormie

culabula wrote:

Don't expect it to replace a fixed BB service, don't download movies, TV shows and so forth (except at the end of the month when you need to use up your allowance), don't be surprised if the speed isn't always optimum, don't expect huge bills (unless you like that sort of thing), don't follow leaders and watch the parking meters.......and you will never have to ring them.

Weird, I was just singing Bob Dylan to myself about 10 mins ago, not that song though, Tangled up in Blues. And I never sing Bob Dylan to myself! lol.

Anything is better than my BB which I'm leeching off my friends wireless at the moment. I must disconnect about 5-10 times an hour and the speeds are crap.

Ok, so just before I go and make the purchase.

-€129 for USB modem, €20 per month.
-10GB allowance - free roaming in Belfast, UK, Italy and about 6 other countries
-Cheap roaming in France/Spain etc by buying a local PAYG Vodafone (or other) 3G sim with data bundle. Will only be charged local rates for 3G. Will not affect my 10GB allowance.

ardmacha

Of course a lot of people go to Spain, I suppose it would be beyond O2's ability to provide moderately pricing roaming on Telefonica there, considering that Telefonica own them.

caster

culabula wrote:

Hahaha! Nicht! Nein! BT modem = BLUETOOTH modem.

The way to check is hook it up to your mac (or PC), enter the correct APN on the supplied software and then connect to the internet. You can't check otherwise.

Aren't you limited to 921.6 kpbs, if you use your phone as a bluetooth modem? This seems to be the highest I can go with using my N93 (not that it matters with a non-hsdpa phone) but I figure this speed was a bluetooth modem limitation (something to do with virtual serial ports) and I'd need to connect via a wire to get higher ??

culabula

caster wrote:

Aren't you limited to 921.6 kpbs, if you use your phone as a bluetooth modem? This seems to be the highest I can go with using my N93 (not that it matters with a non-hsdpa phone) but I figure this speed was a bluetooth modem limitation (something to do with virtual serial ports) and I'd need to connect via a wire to get higher ??

Not with an N95 using bluetooth 2.0

culabula

cormie wrote:

Weird, I was just singing Bob Dylan to myself about 10 mins ago, not that song though, Tangled up in Blues. And I never sing Bob Dylan to myself! lol.

Well spotted!

caster

culabula wrote:

Not with an N95 using bluetooth 2.0

Do you connect by selecting the device in My Bluetooth Places and then right clicking on 'Connect Dial-Up Networking' ? Or do you use Nokia PC Suite itself?

Always figured that this limitation wasn't anything to do with the phone but, now that you mention it, I think the N95 has full EDR bluetooth speeds and the N93 doesn't....

cormie

Cula, just to give me an idea, how much is it to use the Spanish Vodafone data PAYG sim you have and how much is it to buy it too? Do you buy it with credit on it and then just use the credit up as you surf the net? How much would it cost to be on MSN, check email, be on boards or whatever and watch a video or two on youtube over say 30 minutes would you know?

Is it possible to check how much of the 10GB you have used by the way?

johnd

I've just been on to the O2 Broadband people as I am desperate to get broadband in my area ...as all other realistic possibilities [e.g. fixed line, wireless etc] are unavailable to me where I live.

They tell me they don't have 3G broadband in my area surprise surprise !! But they say they do have EDGE which they claim with give me 216 Kbps up and down ... now that may not seem a lot to lucky folks with fixed line broadband ... but to me stuck on a 64k isdn line on an information bohreen .... it could be manna from heaven !!

Having not heard of EDGE being used as a semi-broadband service before I'd love to hear of anyone's experience or thoughts on the matter.

PS. Prices are as stated here previously : I am an O2 speakeasy pre pay customer ... so its €69 for modem and €30 per month.

Gekko

one of the O2 business reps was meant to call into me today, but he's behind with his appointments so not a great start to things.

And I'd spend the day at home instead of the office where I could have got some work done specifically because I'd arranged for him to call in, which is annoying.

He says he'll make some arrangements to get a modem sent out to me and that if the coverage is no good I can return it within 28 days.

So ho hum it looks like I'll be stuck with dialup for another while

culabula

caster wrote:

Do you connect by selecting the device in My Bluetooth Places and then right clicking on 'Connect Dial-Up Networking' ? Or do you use Nokia PC Suite itself?

Always figured that this limitation wasn't anything to do with the phone but, now that you mention it, I think the N95 has full EDR bluetooth speeds and the N93 doesn't....

'Fraid I use a Mac: I click, therefore I am online. Nothing wrecks me buzz :-)

culabula

cormie wrote:

Cula, just to give me an idea, how much is it to use the Spanish Vodafone data PAYG sim you have and how much is it to buy it too? Do you buy it with credit on it and then just use the credit up as you surf the net? How much would it cost to be on MSN, check email, be on boards or whatever and watch a video or two on youtube over say 30 minutes would you know?

Is it possible to check how much of the 10GB you have used by the way?

I bought a SIM for 24€ with 10€ credit. I surfed with that for ages....they sent me loads of messages -knew exactly what I was doing. HSDPA was turned on automatically, they implored me to get a more beneficial tariff and so on. I knew all this from this site: http://www.spainsim.com/voda3gSIM.htm

You can spend as little as 20€ or as much as 60€ and be covered. You buy the credit first and then convert it to data -but you can read all that above anyway.

I think the 20€ would go a long way for what you describe. As for your 10 gigs, stick the sim in a handset, navigate to Planet 3 and find out under check my usage. Ya don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows....!

Urban Weigl

There's also Yoigo in Spain. They charge a bit over €1 a day for unlimited 3G on prepaid, does not matter how much you download or upload. However the SIM expires if it isn't used, so the Vodafone offer is better. Also, Yoigo have feck all coverage, unlike Vodafone, who have 3G virtually everywhere.

culabula

Urban Weigl wrote:

There's also Yoigo in Spain. They charge a bit over €1 a day for unlimited 3G on prepaid, does not matter how much you download or upload. However the SIM expires if it isn't used, so the Vodafone offer is better. Also, Yoigo have feck all coverage, unlike Vodafone, who have 3G virtually everywhere.

And I have just got a message from Voda Spain warning me that I have used 80% of my "plan de datos" -as this is a borrowed datamodem and I don't know what the plan is until I see the gentleman that lent it to me, I am a little surprised but may now go ahead and stick 60€ on the PAYG SIm that I bought. Then someone travelling to Spain can buy it off me at a nice price after the 19th of this month. ¿Vale?

Urban Weigl

€60 will give you 1GB. Any unused data will expire after 3 months. With Yoigo, your entire SIM card expires if you do not use it!

ladylorenzo

whisht wrote:

Just got some prices
Dunno how firm these are, but its all I got for now

Modem Cost €69
10GB Cap
Speed is launching at 3.6Mbit initially
Monthly cost - €15 per month for 1st 3 months and €30 per month after the first 3 months

..If you're already am O2 customer...if not, Modem is €87, it's €20 for the first three months and €40 therefter.

Urban Weigl

The 10GB cap is not a "hard cap", which is nice. It's a "fair use" cap. So as long as you don't go mad on file sharing networks and the like, you won't be charged.