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difference between Vodafone 3g and using 3g phone as a modem

  • 10-05-2007 4:15pm
    #1
    echomadman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,472 ✭✭✭


    Don't know whether to post this in mobile phones, wireless or here. Whats the deal with the insane price differences between vodafones difference 3g data plans.
    3G mobile connect card (usb thing)
    Monthly Fee Monthly download limit Out of Bundle Charge
    €33.05 5GB €0.10 per MB

    Using a 3g phone as a modem
    Type of User Bundle Size Price per month* Price per MB outside of bundle Modest 15MB €10 €2.50
    Medium 25MB €15 €2.00

    Am i missing something? is there a fundamental difference in the way these two options utilise the 3g network?
    I have a nokia E61 and ideally I'd like to be able to have the 5Gb plan on my mobile so i could use it with the phones built in software and to hook it up to my pc when I'm at home.


Comments

  • #2
    watty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Yes there is.

    You can get the Data Plan (item #1) and put the sim in a Phone and use it as a Modem. But most 3G phones only do up to 384k. An HSDPA modem will go up to 10x faster. I think if you do that you can't make voice calls.

    The 2nd option I think is a for data usage on a voice plan.

    I have no idea if you can get the item #1 data plan added to an existing SIM. I spoke to carphone warehouse about geting a data package on a 3G phone as a modem. They hadn't a clue. They didn't even know you could use the phone as a modem.

    The 2nd plan is very expensive for data.


  • #3
    JNive
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 994 ✭✭✭JNive


    You can get the Data Plan (item #1) and put the sim in a Phone and use it as a Modem. But most 3G phones only do up to 384k. An HSDPA modem will go up to 10x faster. I think if you do that you can't make voice calls

    Not sure about the SIMs that come with the USB modem, but the SIMS provided by Dell with their XU870 PCExpress HSDPA card with laptops does allow full usage in a phone like a normal sim.

    However i have no idea what the price for voice calls is on it, i imagine its probably pretty hefty.

    I assume the high price on the mobile-as-a-modem type usage is that usage like that ( considering there are proper broadband solutions via HSDPA available to you ) is considered small and on-demand so the price is higher per/mb in comparison.

    With the datacard/HSDPA they know that the full usage and monthly price is purely for data etc and the price competes on that level as a proper internet access package.

    If they wanted to keep the mobile as a modem prices down, the HSDPA datacard prices would go up, meaning less competitive against DSL/cable/satellite and reduced revenue. However there is essentially no platform competitor with regard to using your mobile as a modem and if you need to use internet on your mobile on the go, then you should be ready to pay for it, basically lol.

    And again, considering the data-plan options, if you are looking for a high usage broadband solution on your laptop etc, then there shouldnt be much hassle signing up for the datacard/usb modem plans ( also consider these are on 12-month contracts which is also another factor in keeping the cost down as the revenue gurantees help development of the UMTS/HSDPA deployments)


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