Broadband 4 dialup users?

kmick

Not sure if anyone has heard of this apologies if so.

3 Network has now started to offer an HSDPA product more or less country wide. Details are at http://www.3ireland.ie/ihandsets/datacards.html

This seems to be almost exactly the same product as is available from Optimus in Portugal (whom I am also with btw), except that Optimus supplies a USB modem and 3 supplies a PCMCIA card. The deal is that you get a modem for €99 and then pay €25 a month for up to 250 MB of downloads. If you need more capacity there is a more expensive monthly charge, with greater free downloads.

The connection allegedly runs at up to 3.6Mb/second (and the version in Portugal does run at that speed because I used it successfully the last time I was there). So maybe this will work, subject to adequate network coverage in your area.

Anyway I ordered it today from their call centre and they told me that it would arrive next week. The 3 shop in Merchants Quay in Cork assured me that there was no such product available! There is a 14-day money back guarantee if it will not function, so there is no risk even if the network coverage is unavailable!!

http://www.3ireland.ie/ihandsets/datacards.html

Might get a lot of people out of the dialup hole. If so maybe make sticky for a while.

willietherock

Let us know how it works for you.

Is this restricted only to laptops rather than homecomputers?
Do you need a 3 mobile phone or network conection?

pm.

looks good, im with last mile bb and mostly use it for gaming on a 512 dl, it works even if my average ping is 80 to 100 i can still play, also p2p is blocked if i could get a package that would support my bb needs id be gone like a shot. but i dont you can game on 3.

kmick

laptop only as far as I know. However if I was on a dialup desktop I would be buying a laptop quicksmart. Dialup is used as a form of torture in some countries. Plus no website caters for dialup any more. Not even boards can be said to be dialup friendly. I blame flash. Evil Flash.

aidan_walsh

Willie, the card appears to be PCMCIA based, so its primarily aimed at laptop users. However, adapter cards do exist, so it could feasibly be used in a desktop computer as well.

You will also need to own a 3 SIM card, and it doesn't appear one is bundled with the card, so that will be a seperate purchase.

kmick

pm. wrote:

looks good, im with last mile bb and mostly use it for gaming on a 512 dl, it works even if my average ping is 80 to 100 i can still play, also p2p is blocked if i could get a package that would support my bb needs id be gone like a shot. but i dont you can game on 3.

Well you would need a very good laptop for gaming. Doubt I could stretch to that.....

kmick

aidan_walsh wrote:

Willie, the card appears to be PCMCIA based, so its primarily aimed at laptop users. However, adapter cards do exist, so it could feasibly be used in a desktop computer as well.

You will also need to own a 3 SIM card, and it doesn't appear one is bundled with the card, so that will be a seperate purchase.

Well I know the 02 sims are about 20euro. Are you pointing this out as a serious blocker?

aidan_walsh

No, just saying that there is more required than the page makes obvious. There is no mention at all for the need of a SIM card except for one line in the "Easy 3 step setup", so people could be left wondering why they didn't know they needed one after the card was ordered.

neacy69

that 3gb monthly allowance is very low and at 49c per mb outside of that is fairly steep not great value imo have you looked at vodafones version? same price and the allowance is slightly higher

kmick

Well look Im not selling the product. I could live with 3Gb if I was on dialup. As always Caveat Emptor. Mind you if Vodafone do the same thing for cheaper why not post the link?

godskitchen

Vodafone have offered this service for 6 months now, there is plenty of current threads knocking about in the same section as this one with lots of info.......

And yes the data card comes with a SIM, would be pointless for Three to have anything to do with it otherwise.

They are both great services, with some limitations, but miles better than any dial up! I have been very happy with Vodafones service, and i can only get GPRS, i am ordering the Three service tomorrow as my area can get 3G from them

smellslikeshoes

250meg cap is a joke to be completly honest with 3.6meg broadband you could eat that up in less than an hour easily. They also have a 3gb bundle for slightly more but thats still hugely restrictive.
Vodafone have been offering a similar product for almost 6 months now, with unlimited data transfer and aceptable usage policy. Not quite as fast at 1.8meg but thats going to be upped to 3.6meg soon enough according to vodafone.
Vodafone have two products at 1.8meg (for the moment) a 5gig bundle for 39.99 or an unlimited bundle with a.u.p. for 49.99.
Theres no way Id touch 3's product with such a restrictive cap and such expensive per meg prices if you exceed it, Your talking almost 500euro per gig if you exceed your cap.

Heres the link to information on vodafones unlimited product.
http://www.vodafone.ie/soho/price/dataroaming/3ggprsplans/index.jsp
There isnt anything up about their 5gig product cause it has just been announced.

emmemm

smallprint from vodafone

Customers who are on an unlimited tariff with respect to the Service are advised that Vodafone operates the following Fair Usage Policy for use of this tariff: It is important to Vodafone that all eligible Vodafone customers are able to access our services. Accordingly, we have devised a fair use policy which applies to the Service. Vodafone may rely on this fair use policy where your usage of the Service is excessive or unreasonable as detailed in this paragraph. Vodafone has developed the Service and the related tariffs by reference to average customer profiles and estimated customer usage of the Service (particularly the estimated volume and length of free calls likely to be made by users). If, at the absolute discretion of Vodafone, Vodafone is of the opinion, that your usage of the Service materially exceeds these estimated use pattern over any month, Vodafone may contact you to advise you that your usage exceeds its fair use policy. If the excessive usage continues after receipt of a request to desist from or alter the nature of such usage, Vodafone reserves the right to charge you for the excessive element of your usage at your price plan's standard rate or to suspend, at its absolute discretion, modify or restrict your use of the Service or to withdraw your access to the Service.

thebman

Thats the same as every fair usage policy though. So long as your not attempting to download all the media from the Internet you should be fine. Good enough for most people in other words.

The problem is does it work for P2P, VOIP and Gaming. No to VOIP and gaming because of pings but what about P2P?

shortys94

Are you sure theres no way the service cannot be used for gaming brim4brim?

And I may look into this if my current broadband plan does not succeed:P

Anyway a member of the family has a 3 phone with 3g coverage in the house although it is not a good signal.

Anyway was just wondering whats the download limit per month, and is it good? What kind of usage would one expect on just visiting a typical website.


Just a quick clear explanation would be great.

emmemm

No good for gaming maybe.What about poker?

watty

As nonsensically well as with any internet service. I think you might as well play Poker with Geordie, Troi, Data and Richer as play ANY Poker on any Internet service. (How did the ordinary guy ever beat an Empath, an Android who remembered everything and the guy with Polygraph glasses?).

emmemm

?