€15 - 20GB + Unlimited any network calls and texts + free roaming - Lycamobile

cormie wrote: »

Fair enough on the video streaming, but tethering is a pretty important mobile service to have included when you work on the go and have a laptop and no wifi. It may only be to send a few emails and browse a few sites etc, so the thought of not being able to do it is pretty restrictive, especially considering how easily phones can become a wifi hotspot now too.

I agree with you on the concept of tethering in general and do so myself from time to time.

However I also understand why they restrict it. Many operating systems expect that they have unlimited data available and are often silently doing massive downloads in the background. You might think you only checking some emails on your laptop, but in the background it is silently downloading a massive, multi gig windows update.

It is a pity Apple and Microsoft don't develop a tethered mode where they restrict background services when you are connected via tethering * I think that would help greatly and I think more mobile companies would be inclined to allow tethering if such a service was in place.

* BTW it is possible to set something like this yourself via firewalls, but it is a bit of a pain.

Aquos76 wrote: »

With the new 10gb of data for €5 top ups now, I'm moving my two young lads over to lyca from the €10 48 months deal. They won't know themselves with all the extra data, and I'll be saving a tenner a month

And don't forget, when you topup, you also get free calls to other lyca mobile numbers for the month. So your lads can call one another and your wife and yourself without using any of their credit, very handy for a family.

NikoTopps wrote: »

It just feels a bit slow to me but I suppose I was used to getting 60odd down and 30odd up on 3 so I'm a bit spoilt really.

But other then running benchmarks, there isn't actually any benefit of 60/30, once you get above 1 or 2Mb/s for anything text or picture based (facebook, twitter, instragram, etc.).

A <.5MB html page (including images, etc.) simply can't possibly download any faster on a 60Mb/s then a 5Mb/s connection.

HD video streaming tops out at around 8Mb/s

So there is no point of anything above 10Mb/s unless you are tethering and doing large file downloads, which mobile data really isn't suited to.

So as such 4G really isn't that big of a jump over a good quality 3G connection. Unfortunately people have just bought into the marketing. High speeds are just marketing that people rarely ever use.

Think of it like buying a Ferrari with a 200MPH+ top speed and then never driving it on anything but a public road with a 60MPH speed limit.

Having said that, there are important advantages to 4G for the mobile networks. It allows them to use frequencies that weren't available to 3G and it allows them to combine them, thus allowing them to spread their users over a greater amount of available bandwidth and thus reducing congestion.

It also allows them to use lower frequency bands then 3G typically supported, thus allowing them to cover wider areas around cell sites. An important feature for rural coverage. It also allows them to potentially close down cell sites, thus saving money.

Mobile companies like to try and convince people that 4G is a premium service, that they can charge a premium price for as it will give you extra speed. In reality most people won't benefit from the extra speed and the networks are actually desperate for people to move over to 4G as it allows them to greatly reduce costs and thus make more money!

maurice1 wrote: »

Being on Lyca would I be correct in thinking that Whatsapp /Skype / Lycachat calling feature would work better on 4G not only due to speed but lower latency also?

Yes, one benefit of 4G is lower latency in general then 3G and as such VoIP apps can benefit from the reduced latency. However most people would probably barely notice a difference, if at all. After all we are talking about tens of milliseconds difference.

yabadabado wrote: »

Any of ye in the Midlands (Longford/Westmeath) who are on this deal?
What's the data speeds like ?

Best to try for yourself. You can order a SIM for free, just throw €5 on it and you get 10GB data for the month. Try it out and play around with it at the places you normally are (work, school, etc.). If it works out, then you can transfer your number over and buy a bundle.

What is there to lose? Worst case scenario, the price of one pint!