Mobile Broadband - Which provider is the best?

absolutegroove

Hello,

Which mobile broadband is the best. I'm on 3 mobile broadband and I'm not exactly happy with it.

I've been doing some research and I'm still as confused as ever

So for the people out there who have mobile broadband can you please give me some info on the pros and cons of the Irish providers.

cadaliac

absolutegroove wrote: »

Hello,

Which mobile broadband is the best. I'm on 3 mobile broadband and I'm not exactly happy with it.

I've been doing some research and I'm still as confused as ever

So for the people out there who have mobile broadband can you please give me some info on the pros and cons of the Irish providers.

I have an O2 dongle and I live on the outskirts of a large town in Cork. I find the speed pathetic. I am at the edge of 3G cloud - meaning that I can only ever get one or maybe two connection status bars when I connect. The geographical location is just unlucky for me, as I am in a dip that just seems to be a blackspot.
I am just outside the Cork Wireless Network which dictates that I use a mobile Broadband (USB connection) modem/dongle. Otherwise Its off to pay Eircom for line connection/rental blah blah blah.
Anyway, I find the connection speeds poor - in comparison to my work Network, but if you are used to dial up at home the speed is fine. The reason that a mobile broadband will never be as fast or reliable* as copper or fibre optic braodband is mainly down to two things.

1. The mobile broadband network (3G) was never really designed for data. It was originally designed for voice.
2. You will never get the bandwidth that you CAN get from copper of Fiber Optic (FO).

Mobile broadband is a cheap alternative to an Eircom or service provider solution.
You can get a starter pack I think or at least try it at home for a few days and see if it works in your area. If it doesn't work you can bring it back and you are not obliged to sign a 12 month contract, so no loss really.
To answer your question, it is down to trial and error in your area. Change to Vodafone or O2 and see how you get on.
The loss or penanty for changing is minimal.

*Reliable in the sence that the connection speeds vary.

O2_Daryll

If I knew an approximate location I could give you an idea with an image if you are covered or not?

Honda08

Talk2O2: Daryll wrote: »

If I knew an approximate location I could give you an idea with an image if you are covered or not?

i wouldnt go with o2.. you never know what genuine sites they will block next,
ie hotfile, imageshack, wikipedia. etc.

while you are posting here, Daryl can you enlighten us,

are o2 still blocking using the IWF blocklist, or did you quietly back that change out? cheers

also vodafone are offering current bill pay customers free modem 10gb data, for €14.99 per month. give them a go as you get a free trial also, and they dont block any genuine sites. and its only a 12 mth contract!!

O2_Daryll

I have explained O2 position on this over on our forums. You have linked to the thread a number of times on this forum. I will only be rehashing what I said before. I do appreciate the feedback and let me cement the fact that we are listening to what you are saying and if you have an issue with a particular site being block please let me know and I will make sure that we will contact the relevant people to get it restored.

Let me also advise you guys that we are looking at other other options currently. I will advise later on what that is as I am not in a position to do so at the moment.

Honda08

Talk2O2: Daryll wrote: »

I have explained O2 position on this over on our forums. You have linked to the thread a number of times on this forum. I will only be rehashing what I said before. I do appreciate the feedback and let me cement the fact that we are listening to what you are saying and if you have an issue with a particular site being block please let me know and I will make sure that we will contact the relevant people to get it restored.

Let me also advise you guys that we are looking at other other options currently. I will advise later on what that is as I am not in a position to do so at the moment.

thanks Daryl. are you letting customers cancel without penalty?,

Owen

When China decided to block portions of the Internet, the world was shocked. Now that o2 are blocking portions of the 'net, it's somehow supposed to be acceptable. I'm an o2 broadband customer, and I'm annoyed that any provider should cease to provide nothing less than full Internet access. It is not your place to censor what I want to view, nor is it right to do so, and offering to open up certain sites is paltry. None should be blocked, and it's as simple as that.

Darando

Honda08 wrote: »

also vodafone are offering current bill pay customers free modem 10gb data, for €14.99 per month. give them a go as you get a free trial also, and they dont block any genuine sites. and its only a 12 mth contract!!

Daryll,

I'm an O2 bill pay and tbh, I would like soem form of BB, however seeing as O2 want 20€/pm and 18mth contract then I think I will give them a miss - no way are they competitive with other suppliers.

O2 are missing a trick here by not helping existing pay monthly customers.

Hopefully imagine wimax may be at a good price level as an alternative.

jor el

Honda08 wrote: »

also vodafone are offering current bill pay customers free modem 10gb data, for €14.99 per month. give them a go as you get a free trial also, and they dont block any genuine sites. and its only a 12 mth contract!!

Even if you're not a current customer, you can get it for €20 a month, with free modem, 10GB cap and a 12 month contract. This is a better deal than O2, though your choice should really be based on 3G coverage. If you can't get Vodafone 3G, no point in going with them.

Talk2O2: Daryll wrote: »

if you have an issue with a particular site being block please let me know and I will make sure that we will contact the relevant people to get it restored.

I have no issue with O2 blocking sites, or any particular site. As I've said before, it's easy to circumvent anyway. I do have a serious issue with not being informed of this policy, and not being informed of the change to the contract that I agreed with O2. The denial of any change, and the point blank refusal of customer service to answer my questions, was what made me cancel.

PaintDoctor wrote: »

Now that o2 are blocking portions of the 'net, it's somehow supposed to be acceptable.

They've rolled out the "Won't someone please think of the children" card, by claiming this is all to stop the spread of child pornography on the Internet. I still don't see how burying the customers head in the sand will actually stop the spread of child porn. Surely the proper thing to do is have the content removed? Blocking access to it only allows the content to be shared without anyone inadvertently discovering what they're doing.

My belief is that O2 are helping the spread of child porn by pedophiles, because there is less risk of someone seeing it, and reporting it to the proper authorities. The IWF are not authorities of any kind.

Whatever the real motivation behind this new policy, blocking access to sites like Wikipedia and Imageshack will not stop Internet child porn.