3G DataCard a viable alternative to Dial-up??

smartblaa

Hi there,
Here's the situation we're in, and i'm certain that there are many of you in similar circumstances.

Parents want decent internet(better then crappy dial-up at the very least)
We are forever waiting for Eircom to unbundle our exchange in the shticks of Mid-Waterford and TBH I don't see them doing it until Eircom decides to decentralise their HQ to Waterford(yeah, bit of a wait there!!)

I have heard of the Vodafone 3G Datacards, in particular the unlimited package for €49.99 p/month, and they seem to be worth looking into.
Obviously i'm aware that they're designed for optimal use in the 3G built-up areas of the country. Are they any good in the middle of nowhere? When I say the middle of nowhere I mean getting maybe 3 or 4 signal bars out of 5 on a typical 087 mobile.

I'd appreciate it if anyone could post feedback on their experiences with this particular product, and what sort of speed compared to Dial-up can I expect to get.

Thanks a million
Smartblaa

pj_samba

3G datacards will give you 384K speeds - once you have at least 2 bars of signal - significantly faster than Dial up.

New HSDPA cards (3/O2/VF have them) are claiming speeds of up to 3.6mbs - however coverage is likely to be patchy in the wilds of waterford.

VF provide a no quibble return if you you are not happy with the new modem device - so you could try it. Not sure about the other opco's

smartblaa

pj_samba wrote:

3G datacards will give you 384K speeds - once you have at least 2 bars of signal - significantly faster than Dial up.

New HSDPA cards (3/O2/VF have them) are claiming speeds of up to 3.6mbs - however coverage is likely to be patchy in the wilds of waterford.

VF provide a no quibble return if you you are not happy with the new modem device - so you could try it. Not sure about the other opco's

Ok, sounds good..and will these Datacards pick up signal as good as a typical GSM Phone would? I.e. Do you have to do alot of pointing and aiming with it??
(** Cue visions of me standing on the couch with the laptop in me hand ** )

gunnerfitzy

Generally there is no pointing etc. I had the vodafone system and it was very good TBH. There are two opinions now, the data card which is PCMCIA (you know what I mean) or USB modem. The USB modem is the more versatile option as you can take it and pull it in to any computer with a USB port. I had the datacard and it came with an small (about 6 inches) external aerial that you could use in low signal strength area.

Its worth noting that allot of newer laptops do not have PCMCIA slots, they have expressCard slots which are not compatible.

I'm 20 miles from Cork city and had no problems connecting with 3G speeds.

smartblaa

gunnerfitzy wrote:

Generally there is no pointing etc. I had the vodafone system and it was very good TBH. There are two opinions now, the data card which is PCMCIA (you know what I mean) or USB modem. The USB modem is the more versatile option as you can take it and pull it in to any computer with a USB port. I had the datacard and it came with an small (about 6 inches) external aerial that you could use in low signal strength area.

Its worth noting that allot of newer laptops do not have PCMCIA slots, they have expressCard slots which are not compatible.

I'm 20 miles from Cork city and had no problems connecting with 3G speeds.

U say USB modem? Is that something Vodafone supplies??
Did I see a post here a few months ago regarding a wireless router that you could plug the PCMCIA card into, and then share the connection between a few computers?

Anyone with a link?

Jam Man

Sat here typing on an HSDPA datacard on 3 that I bought at the weekend.

€39.99 a month unlimited (subject to fair use)

Getting consistently over 2meg speed, peaking at over 3meg

3 say that the whole of their network will be at this speed by the end of Jan so it works for me....

gunnerfitzy

Jam Man wrote:

Sat here typing on an HSDPA datacard on 3 that I bought at the weekend.

€39.99 a month unlimited (subject to fair use)

Getting consistently over 2meg speed, peaking at over 3meg

3 say that the whole of their network will be at this speed by the end of Jan so it works for me....

3IRL data package isn't unlimited, their website clearly states the €39.99 tariff has a 3000meg limit. Vodafone's offering is advertised as unlimited for €49 but it has a fair usage policy that has been the subject of many a debate. There has been comment that it is set at 5GB but vodafone deny this.

They do not have details of their USB modem on their website but it is available in vodafone stores. It only came on-stream late last year. Here is some info

http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/accessories/0,39100115,49286046,00.htm


Another thing to note is that Vodafone only charge about €15 per month if you wish to cancel your contract early.

legs11

hi lads,

how would i go about getting one of these cards for my laptop? im sick to death of sh*%$ dial up from eircom.
is the download limit unrestricted???

cheers

Jam Man

gunnerfitzy wrote:

3IRL data package isn't unlimited, their website clearly states the €39.99 tariff has a 3000meg limit.

Jam Man wrote:

€39.99 a month unlimited (subject to fair use).

so 3000meg would be the fair use then

wirelessdude

Jam Man wrote:

Sat here typing on an HSDPA datacard on 3 that I bought at the weekend.

€39.99 a month unlimited (subject to fair use)

Getting consistently over 2meg speed, peaking at over 3meg

3 say that the whole of their network will be at this speed by the end of Jan so it works for me....

3unlimited data has a cap of 3GB.....voda at present is 5GB....just for info i work for voda

mobby

smartblaa wrote:

U say USB modem? Is that something Vodafone supplies??
Did I see a post here a few months ago regarding a wireless router that you could plug the PCMCIA card into, and then share the connection between a few computers?

Anyone with a link?

Try here
http://www.business.vodafone.com/site/bus/public/enuk/products/connectivity/30_modem/10_overview/p_overview.jsp

Sam Vimes

gunnerfitzy wrote:

3IRL data package isn't unlimited, their website clearly states the €39.99 tariff has a 3000meg limit. Vodafone's offering is advertised as unlimited for €49 but it has a fair usage policy that has been the subject of many a debate. There has been comment that it is set at 5GB but vodafone deny this.

its changed now. its €39 for 5 gig, with 5 gig clearly stated

apparently. can't seem to find it now

wirelessdude

Commander Vimes wrote:

its changed now. its €39 for 5 gig, with 5 gig clearly stated

apparently. can't seem to find it now

the 39euro isn't confirmed yet..once i have some info i will post it up

Urban Weigl

Commander Vimes wrote:

its changed now. its €39 for 5 gig, with 5 gig clearly stated

apparently. can't seem to find it now

The web site still clearly states that it is 3000 MB for €39.99. Have they not updated their web site yet? I'm looking at http://www.three.ie/ihandsets/datacards.html

Sam Vimes

Urban Weigl wrote:

The web site still clearly states that it is 3000 MB for €39.99. Have they not updated their web site yet? I'm looking at http://www.three.ie/ihandsets/datacards.html

i was talking about voda

smartblaa

wirelessdude wrote:

the 39euro isn't confirmed yet..once i have some info i will post it up

Don't you think that if they clearly state it as a 5GB for 39.99 they(Vodafone) will impose extra charges for exceeding quota??

Urban Weigl

Commander Vimes wrote:

i was talking about voda

Ah. I was confused because you had replied to a post about 3, so it seemed to me like you were talking about 3's offer. Anyway: so Vodafone reduced the price from €49 to €39.99?

Their web site still seems to say it's €49 a month.

gunnerfitzy

vodafone have announced a new tariff. details here.

http://www.vodafone.ie/generic/3gbroadband.jsp?bannerdesc=home_image_P_3g_broadband_100107

from what i can gather you can pay €39.99 and get 5gb allowance. €129 for usb modem seems harsh though.

3IRL: €39 and 3GB cap

Vodafone: €39.99 and 5GB cap.

now if that isn't the best spent 99c I don't know what is.... even the eurosaver menu in mcdonalds doesn't come close to better value

also there is no mention of a ban on VOIP in the t&c like there is with the unlimited tariff.

Anyone notice though that vodafone advertise their speed at 1.4mbs and 3IRL at 3.7mbs.... anyone care to comment??

culabula

gunnerfitzy wrote:

vodafone have announced a new tariff. details here.

http://www.vodafone.ie/generic/3gbroadband.jsp?bannerdesc=home_image_P_3g_broadband_100107

from what i can gather you can pay €39.99 and get 5gb allowance. €129 for usb modem seems harsh though.

3IRL: €39 and 3GB cap

Vodafone: €39.99 and 5GB cap.

now if that isn't the best spent 99c I don't know what is.... even the eurosaver menu in mcdonalds doesn't come close to better value

also there is no mention of a ban on VOIP in the t&c like there is with the unlimited tariff.

Anyone notice though that vodafone advertise their speed at 1.4mbs and 3IRL at 3.7mbs.... anyone care to comment??

I have used both and the 3 card leaves the Voda offering for dust. The speed in the Dublin area is terrific. In addition the Voda cap is confined to use in Ireland only but the whole 3 gigs from 3 can be enjoyed on any of their networks world wide. In addition, you could take the SIM out while roaming, put it in a handset and receive calls for free.

Just such a pity it's not a USB offering....(and Mac-friendly)

Dellas

I live in the countryside but I can get 4 bars of 3G on the 3 network. Only problem is I have to be by the living room window or I get max bars outside. Is there anything I could do to make the card wireless so I can pick up the signal outside and use my laptop inside or even inside on the bay window like a normal broadband wireless network??? The 3 service seems great for me as im on dial up at the moment and Im paying 29.99 anyway for 28kbps!!!

culabula

Have a look at expansys.ie: there's a 3G router from Lynksys and some other one whose name I've forgoteen....

culabula

This is it: considerably more expensive:
http://www.expansys.ie/p.aspx?i=133366

Urban Weigl

The Linksys 3G router can be had for under €200 including delivery at Elara.ie.

Elessar

Whoa hold on. Let me get this straight, Vodafone and 3 are now offering broadband for computers?? Why didn't I hear of this...

Speeds, when they say up to 1.4mb/s and 3.7mb/s is that connection speed or actual download speed?

And I could literally bring my internet with me everywhere!?

Urban Weigl

The speeds quoted are the maximum peak speeds.

You can bring it anywhere with you in Ireland. If you take it to the US, for example, it won't work. Not all areas have 3G coverage yet, so you might drop back down to dialup speeds depending on where you are (both 3 and Voda have about 85% 3G coverage at this stage).

Dellas

Ok so if you drop out of 3G and are on 2.5 what speeds would you get??? More than 54kbps for example???

culabula

Elessar wrote:

Whoa hold on. Let me get this straight, Vodafone and 3 are now offering broadband for computers?? Why didn't I hear of this...

Speeds, when they say up to 1.4mb/s and 3.7mb/s is that connection speed or actual download speed?

And I could literally bring my internet with me everywhere!?

Not only that, if you get the three version you can bring the net with you to the UK, Italy, Hong Kong, Australia, Sweden, Denmark......

culabula

Dellas wrote:

Ok so if you drop out of 3G and are on 2.5 what speeds would you get??? More than 54kbps for example???

278kbps when Three drops to Voda (national roaming)....

Dellas

Thats great compared to what Im on now !!! Think Im gonna order tomorrow , it will solve my problem overnight and i sick of waiting for Eircom. Thanks for the info guys . Just checked the signal by the window and i got max 3G bars on 3 !!! So im hoping for some cool speeds.

noelbadrian

I live 4 miles from Tullamore in broadband limbo. According to the coverage maps Vodaphone does not cover this area but I just might have a chance with Three if their crude map can be believed. Problem is I only have a PC and Three's DataCard is only for laptops ... anyone know of a solution like a PC adaptor for the laptop cards?
Noel

Urban Weigl

3 supposedly will have a USB-based solution in April. By the way, even if you did had a laptop, the PC card wouldn't do you any good, at least not if it's a new laptop.

As far as actually determining if you have 3G coverage or not, forget the maps, do a network scan with a 3G phone, or even better have someone with a Vodafone or 3 3G phone see what the signal strength is like.

Sam Vimes

noelbadrian wrote:

I live 4 miles from Tullamore in broadband limbo. According to the coverage maps Vodaphone does not cover this area but I just might have a chance with Three if their crude map can be believed. Problem is I only have a PC and Three's DataCard is only for laptops ... anyone know of a solution like a PC adaptor for the laptop cards?
Noel

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=a77bg&source=15&SD=Y

€50 unfortunately

culabula

I installed the Linksys 3G router for a pal last night in broadband hell near Tara Co Meath (Just near Duleek to be more precise), using the Three data card.

Got it working in about 10 minutes and the results were stunning; I have owned the datacard for around 6 weeks and I have never seen it work so well or so fast. By the end of the evening we had 5 Macs, 1 PC, 2 PSPs, 1 e61, 1 Airport Express and 1 Airport Extreme all sharing the connection with no detriment to the signal.

For him, after years of ball-numbing dial-up, it's been a superb buy and investment.

Urban Weigl

culabula wrote:

278kbps when Three drops to Voda (national roaming)....

Because Vodafone have not upgraded their network to EDGE yet (they may never do), it's actually only 60kbps maximum, not 278kbps maximum.

Just be careful about the 3000MB (slightly less than 3GB) cap, it seems like 3 aren't providing any way to accurately monitor it. That's why I'm glad I have Unlimited Data with Vodafone, I don't have to worry about getting a bill out of the blue.

culabula

Urban Weigl wrote:

Because Vodafone have not upgraded their network to EDGE yet (they may never do), it's actually only 60kbps maximum, not 278kbps maximum.

Just be careful about the 3000MB (slightly less than 3GB) cap, it seems like 3 aren't providing any way to accurately monitor it. That's why I'm glad I have Unlimited Data with Vodafone, I don't have to worry about getting a bill out of the blue.

Fortunately 3 have upgraded theirs and so it doesn't roam on Voodoo anymore (at least not on the Belfast-Dublin corridor for several weeks now).

3 do provide a way to monitor their allowance -the app that comes with the datacard for Windows (probably the majority of users). The problem arises when used in a phone as a BT modem with either a non pc-card PC or a MacBook. But,as we have discovered, you can then dial 333 FOC with the handset to monitor your usage and ongoing costs (if any).

Sam Vimes

Urban Weigl wrote:

Because Vodafone have not upgraded their network to EDGE yet (they may never do), it's actually only 60kbps maximum, not 278kbps maximum.

Just be careful about the 3000MB (slightly less than 3GB) cap, it seems like 3 aren't providing any way to accurately monitor it. That's why I'm glad I have Unlimited Data with Vodafone, I don't have to worry about getting a bill out of the blue.

is the limit not 5 gigs or is that an old plan?

culabula

They introduced the current 5GB for 39,99e because of the trouble they got themselves into with the older 49,99 "unlimited" plan (now in limbo).

The current offer is only on until the 29th of this month -interesting to see what they do with it then. They have hinted to holders of the existing "unlimited" plan that they migrate to the cheaper offer -clearly to get them off it.

noelbadrian

Thanks everyone for the info on the card adaptor/the router/the hoped for usb card etc... in the mean time I'll start looking for a friend with a 3G phone-very good advice!
Noel

culabula

It was me who was told by three that there will be a USB modem in April; great for Mac and desktop users. Can't wait.

Urban Weigl

culabula wrote:

3 do provide a way to monitor their allowance -the app that comes with the datacard for Windows (probably the majority of users). The problem arises when used in a phone as a BT modem with either a non pc-card PC or a MacBook. But,as we have discovered, you can then dial 333 FOC with the handset to monitor your usage and ongoing costs (if any).

They don't guarantee the accuracy of their PC utility, and say it may give an "indication only". Also, it won't work if you have software problems, or you ever put the SIM card in a mobile or slot it into a different laptop. In other words, it's not worth the paper it's printed on... Or the pixels it is displayed on.

333 FOC sounds very useful though, as long as it's not delayed in any significant way.

culabula

Urban Weigl wrote:

They don't guarantee the accuracy of their PC utility, and say it may give an "indication only". Also, it won't work if you have software problems, or you ever put the SIM card in a mobile or slot it into a different laptop. In other words, it's not worth the paper it's printed on... Or the pixels it is displayed on.

333 FOC sounds very useful though, as long as it's not delayed in any significant way.

Of course, if you change laptop, or use a handset instead it will mess up your monitoring; but when I was using the datacard exclusively with my VAIO the usage corresponded exactly to that recorded on the bill that I received. I have no reason to suspect that it is inaccurate in real-world usage.

333 has always given accurate and real-time monitoring on 3UK backed up by their My3 facility (both on planet 3 and on the web); unfortunately 3Ireland do not yet offer the latter. But there is no reason to suspect that the current voice-only offering is anything less than accurate. I did a before and after test this morning and it was updated in real-time.

Urban Weigl

I have no doubt that it was accurate for you, however the issue is that there is no way to verify that what it is reporting is correct, and 3 don't guarantee it. So if for any reason, for example a software glitch, it says 2000 MB but in reality you've used 4000 MB, 3 could in theory tell you that it's "not our problem". That's my concern.

culabula

Urban Weigl wrote:

I have no doubt that it was accurate for you, however the issue is that there is no way to verify that what it is reporting is correct, and 3 don't guarantee it. So if for any reason, for example a software glitch, it says 2000 MB but in reality you've used 4000 MB, 3 could in theory tell you that it's "not our problem". That's my concern.

Where did you see this comment by 3 that they don't guarantee the software monitoring or that it "may give an "indication only""? I haven't spotted it.Is it on their site?

jimmycrackcorm

culabula wrote:

333 has always given accurate and real-time monitoring on 3UK backed up by their My3 facility (both on planet 3 and on the web); unfortunately 3Ireland do not yet offer the latter. .

three.ie now have a MY3 link showing that facility is now available.

culabula

My goodness, there's a coincidence. Wasn't even there first thing this morning! Hooray!

Seems to be confined to planet three for the moment and not online on their site.

noelbadrian

culabula wrote:

It was me who was told by three that there will be a USB modem in April; great for Mac and desktop users. Can't wait.

I rang Three today to ask if their USB version was going to come in at the same cost per card as the existing one etc. The girl basically said Wha...! Never heard of it/no plans for one as far as she knew - and told me that their shops had PC adaptors for the pcmcia card - but last week when I was in the Car Phone Warehouse (their agent in Tullamore)
I was told "too bad - try the Vodaphone one".
Seems there is some confusion in the ranks!
Noel

culabula

Well, I wouldn't worry too much about that: I spoke to the manager of the Grafton Street flagship store and to the area manager who had called in. Three weeks ago I was told one was coming; two weeks ago they were able to set a date -April. They said that it's in testing at the moment.

Hopefully, that is the case but I must say they seemed pretty confident.

noelbadrian

culabula wrote:

Well, I wouldn't worry too much about that: I spoke to the manager of the Grafton Street flagship store and to the area manager who had called in. Three weeks ago I was told one was coming; two weeks ago they were able to set a date -April. They said that it's in testing at the moment.

Hopefully, that is the case but I must say they seemed pretty confident.

Sounds good to me! A couple months is not too long to wait 'cause I don't think anything else is going to work here other than satelite.
Noel

culabula

They also hinted that they might have it sooner than that and that they would upgrade pc-card owners either for free or a small outlay. Let's hope so.

Skary

The 3 USB data cards are set for launch late April, and are currently in testing - those PCMCIA adaptors I believe are very difficult to find - (and I have a feeling that they have to be HSDPA enabled)
Vodafone is only advertising 70% coverage with theirs as opposed to 3 who has 85% coverage -
Also - The Waterford query - call into the 3 Store in Waterford - my friend did and spoke to one of the employees there who is using a 3 Data Card - they apparantly live somewhere remote and have excellent service

gravity12

Was in the three shop in grafton street the other day and they said the USB adapter would be launching in May.