Deal that allows both smartphone and dongle internet access??

makeorbrake · 16-12-2011 09:32PM #1

I am a payg customer of vodaphone - and utilise their 'Top up by €30 monthly and get 1 months free smartphone internet access' deal. I would occasionally like to make use of 'mobile midband' via a 3G dongle.

With that in mind, is there a deal that covers both types of usage??

As an aside, I don't even use the €30 in calls each month...

long_b · 16-12-2011 10:13PM

Not AFAIK but a lot phones these days have the the ability to act asa WiFi hotspot ?

makeorbrake · 20-12-2011 02:18PM

long_b wrote: »

Not AFAIK but a lot phones these days have the the ability to act asa WiFi hotspot ?

Yes, had read before about the wifi workaround - but really, (in my case) it's too messy for my needs. I just would like to have occassional access via dongle/laptop. I wouldn't mind if they maintain exactly the same data usage cap - but to otherwise differenciate between these two forms of access makes no sense to me (other than them unashamedly trying to wring maximum $ out of it!).

drunkmonkey · 20-12-2011 02:53PM

The Classic Flex max plan on 3 will allow you to use your phone as a dongle, you'd have a fair usage policy of 15GB to use for both and it'll give you access to 2G & 3G data. If you have a phone you just need a sim only plan which is €30pm, same as your paying now for a lot less.

km991148 · 20-12-2011 06:39PM

drunkmonkey wrote: »

The Classic Flex max plan on 3 will allow you to use your phone as a dongle, you'd have a fair usage policy of 15GB to use for both and it'll give you access to 2G & 3G data. If you have a phone you just need a sim only plan which is €30pm, same as your paying now for a lot less.

Does this mean using the phone for access?

I think the OP meant a plan that allows phane and laptop use, but using a USB dongle?

As an alternative tesc mobile do 1GB for 6.99 - so you can top up th dongle and run it at low cost and keep separate sim for phone calls.. again not a full solutions, but could be useful.

drunkmonkey · 20-12-2011 06:47PM

km991148 wrote: »

Does this mean using the phone for access?

I think the OP meant a plan that allows phane and laptop use, but using a USB dongle?

.

You don't need a usb dongle if you've a smartphone, you tether the phone. You can still make calls on the phone and it doesn't need to be plugged into the pc.
If you don't want to use your phone, you can always stick the phone sim in the dongle.

km991148 · 20-12-2011 07:25PM

drunkmonkey wrote: »

You don't need a usb dongle if you've a smartphone, you tether the phone. You can still make calls on the phone and it doesn't need to be plugged into the pc.
If you don't want to use your phone, you can always stick the phone sim in the dongle.

yep of course you can but the OP stated:

"but really, (in my case) it's too messy for my needs" when talking about a wifi hotspot/ tethering.

I still think this is the best option, would be useful if you posted the phone model to determine how easy the tethering option is.

ads20101 · 20-12-2011 07:33PM

drunkmonkey wrote: »

You don't need a usb dongle if you've a smartphone, you tether the phone. You can still make calls on the phone and it doesn't need to be plugged into the pc.
If you don't want to use your phone, you can always stick the phone sim in the dongle.

You don't always need a smartphone. Many phones can tether 3G data to a pc and act as a dongle. If you want it to act as a localised wi if then a smartphone is mandatory.

makeorbrake · 20-12-2011 07:56PM

ads20101 wrote: »

You don't always need a smartphone. Many phones can tether 3G data to a pc and act as a dongle. If you want it to act as a localised wi if then a smartphone is mandatory.

Ok - but I use a smartphone. I really don't want to go down this road. thethering. It;s just a nuisance. I only want occasional (very occasional) use with dongle/laptop - to check email. It's messy enough checking 'on the go' without having a phone hanging off of it - and it's battery fading away as a consequence of using it with as a wifi access point.

km991148 · 20-12-2011 08:09PM

makeorbrake wrote: »

Ok - but I use a smartphone. I really don't want to go down this road. thethering. It;s just a nuisance. I only want occasional (very occasional) use with dongle/laptop - to check email. It's messy enough checking 'on the go' without having a phone hanging off of it - and it's battery fading away as a consequence of using it with as a wifi access point.

Yep I thought this is what you meant, hence I didnt mention tethering.

I dont think this is possible, it would need two sims connected to the same account. As mentioned Tesco Mobile have some very competitive data tariffs that could make using two accounts (one for dongle/ one for mobile) viable.

Other than that then tethering is the other option. Out of interest - how occasionally do you want this? Also what phone do you have?
If it is very rarely tethering may not be so bad. On android phones it appears to be very easy. My Nokia however requires a bit more messing around with Jokuspot.. but the battery does go fast.

ads20101 · 20-12-2011 08:13PM

makeorbrake wrote: »

Ok - but I use a smartphone. I really don't want to go down this road. thethering. It;s just a nuisance. I only want occasional (very occasional) use with dongle/laptop - to check email. It's messy enough checking 'on the go' without having a phone hanging off of it - and it's battery fading away as a consequence of using it with as a wifi access point.

Would you consider a pay as you go dongle. That'll keep the price to a min;)

i.e.

http://shop.three.ie/catalogue/products/view/huawei-e122-black/50978/T010019

drunkmonkey · 20-12-2011 10:29PM

makeorbrake wrote: »

Ok - but I use a smartphone. I really don't want to go down this road. thethering. It;s just a nuisance.

You simply press a button on your phone, connect the wifi on your laptop to the wifi on your phone and your ready to google. It's simples.
It's a gift not a nuisance, a nuisance is taking 2 bottles into the shower.

drunkmonkey · 20-12-2011 10:30PM

ads20101 wrote: »

Would you consider a pay as you go dongle. That'll keep the price to a min;)

i.e.

http://shop.three.ie/catalogue/products/view/huawei-e122-black/50978/T010019

No 2G data with a modem.

2G and 3G data with a phone sim with all you can eat internet;)

jamesjoyce · 21-12-2011 03:13PM

makeorbrake wrote: »

Ok - but I use a smartphone. I really don't want to go down this road. thethering. It;s just a nuisance. I only want occasional (very occasional) use with dongle/laptop - to check email. It's messy enough checking 'on the go' without having a phone hanging off of it - and it's battery fading away as a consequence of using it with as a wifi access point.

If you only want to check email and light usage, smartphones are really good for these tasks and the laptop becomes the nuisance.

makeorbrake · 21-12-2011 06:36PM

jamesjoyce wrote: »

If you only want to check email and light usage, smartphones are really good for these tasks and the laptop becomes the nuisance.

Point taken....

but...

I do use smartphone 99% of the time I'm on the move - not just to receive mail - but to send it. I struggle to send when using touchscreen - so have a smartphone that will allow me to plug into a keyboard and write the mail that way (when i say on the move, i have access to a desk with keyboard - but can't use mail through the organisation I work for).

There are instances where I need to send more comprehensive mails - email templates if you like - something that I need to be able to send very very quickly with minimal effort. It's in this regard that the smartphone proves to be a limitation. Furthermore, there are occassionally a couple of sites I need to access that are not mobile phone friendly - and it can take an hour and a day (which I don't have!!) to try and navigate around and do what I have to do on said site.

GarIT · 21-12-2011 07:22PM

Using your smartphone as a wifi hotspot is much easier than using a usb dongle, there's no software or installation required. Its a typical Irish attitude of I haven't tried it or havent done it before therefore it is too difficult to do. Using your phone as you wifi hotspot is a lot less "messy" especially as you only have to use one device.

Try calling the sales dept of a few companies and they might give you a discount if you get both phone and internet. Otherwise you can expect to pay double what you would using your phone as you would have to have 2 sim cards, 2 bills ect.

makeorbrake · 21-12-2011 08:11PM

GarIT wrote: »

Using your smartphone as a wifi hotspot is much easier than using a usb dongle, there's no software or installation required. Its a typical Irish attitude of I haven't tried it or havent done it before therefore it is too difficult to do. Using your phone as you wifi hotspot is a lot less "messy" especially as you only have to use one device.

Assumption at work - once more!!

Trying to use laptop with my smartphone attached to it (and make no mistake - it will have to be attached to it - as there will be a rapid run on the battery - while trying to use a laptop in a car - with only 10-15 minutes to do so. Hardly ideal ! :rolleyes:
As regards it being 'too difficult' - that's not the way I'm thinking (that again is based upon assumption on your part).

ShoulderChip · 21-12-2011 08:23PM

you don't need to connect it to a laptop though.
it just has to be relatively near it.

you are worried about the battery - yet happy to connect a dongle to your laptop?
if you just connect your phone to your laptop using a usb cable u can charge it from the laptop, it will probably be the same cable as the dongle, and wont use anymore battery than charging the dongle.

Get a samsung phone, its a lot easier than juggling a separate device that you have to bring wiht you (dongle) and two sim cards etc

drunkmonkey · 21-12-2011 08:28PM

makeorbrake wrote: »

Point taken....

but...

Your not getting it!! Forget your ever heard about a dongle, they don't exist.

Your not going to be using your phone to do all your laptop or pad task, your going to use your laptop or pad as you normally would as if it's connected to any wifi network.

Did you ever connect to a wifi network, it's exactly the same thing, your phone starts transmitting a wifi signal when you switch on tethering, your laptop picks up the signal and then your laptop has a wireless connection to the internet through your phone.

makeorbrake · 21-12-2011 09:06PM

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Your not getting it!!

NO - YOUR not getting it.

That solution is messy (given the situation I will be using it in and the timeframe I will be using it in).

1. The phone WILL have to be connected to the laptop because if it's not, then the battery will run down at the speed of light. I'm not talking about connecting it (to the laptop) for comms purposes, I'm talking about connecting it for power purposes.

As I mentioned, IF i use this, then I would be using it in a car - with power chord going into laptop - then power chord (over usb) going to the phone - and then connecting via wifi to the phone....can you imagine how (physically) akward that all would be????

ShoulderChip wrote:

you don't need to connect it to a laptop though.

For power purposes, I will...see above.

ShoulderChip · 21-12-2011 10:15PM

I call troll on this I'm unsubscribing

Rowley Birkin QC · 21-12-2011 10:21PM

I was waiting for my girlfriend in the carpark of a train station this evening. Plugged my Samsung Galaxy S, with unlimited data from 3, into the cigarette lighter of my car, pressed a single button on the home-screen of the phone and about 20 seconds later I was watching season 2 episode 12 of Boardwalk Empire on my HP Touchpad.

Couldn't be less messy.

srsly78 · 21-12-2011 11:22PM

Yeah, get a car-kit to mount phone on dashboard. Then it sits there charging whilst providing wifi hotspot.

Added bonus: you now haz satnav.

drunkmonkey · 21-12-2011 11:48PM

srsly78 wrote: »

Yeah, get a car-kit to mount phone on dashboard. Then it sits there charging whilst providing wifi hotspot.

Added bonus: you now haz satnav.

Sounds messy. Power for the Sat Nav to the laptop over USB, USB over power cable to phone from laptop, power to laptop with cable. He could strangle himself.

Deal that allows both smartphone and dongle internet access??

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