Internet in a field!

[Jin]

Why hello there folks.

I have a dilema and I don't really know where to start as I have never used anything like this before.

Basically I need to take a laptop with me to some of these UK festivals and need to get one of these mobile internet wotsits. Especially for when I am in a field.

Sometimes I can be away for as long as 4 weeks going from one festival to another. So I need the internet to answer questions on our work forums and reply to my emails whilst I am at a show.

I need it to be pay as you go, the only one I have found as PAYG is by three.co.uk.

Has anyone used one of these before?

Are they any good? whats the coverage like?

[Blinger1]

I know you are in the UK, but over the Christmas i was in switzerland and we had pre-paid internet, highly unrecommended!
The speed was so slow, it was ridiculous, it took maybe 20 minutes just to load Google?

[J0SH]

I've never used one but I always see them on the back of my mums magazines, I guess it's a good idea having an internet connection on a USB stick so no doubt it'll be slow-ish but I think if you go to any decent phone shop they'll let you trial it out surely?

[Laggings]

I've seen something out by AT&T about where you can get internet whereever you can get your cellphone service. I think you pay for the item, then monthly service. BUT, I'm not sure. It might be something to look in to.

[Trigs]

In canada we have mobile internet sticks. call your isp and see if they have them.

[Laggings]

In canada we have mobile internet sticks. call your isp and see if they have them.
That's what I was trying to explain xD

[Trigs]

you're in the uk right? http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobile-broadband/

[PoizZoNxX]

I had an O2 one a few month back for my laptop, it was terriblely sluggish and slow. But if your only on it for a few minutes, it shouldn't matter.

[Recursion]

As always it depends on the network coverage in your area. If I was you I would get a mobile skin on your forum, then get a PAYG SIM with an internet plan on it for say two months from O2 preferably because their coverage is the best around the UK.

[N!ck]

Can you connect a mobile phone to your laptop and use it through that?

The speed will depend on the coverage of the area. I find that the actual throughput speed is good, but latency is horrendous.

There's pay as you go ones http://mobile.broadbandgenie.co.uk/3g-broadband?filters[payg]=1&filters[rolling]=1&filters[fixed]=1&showAll=1&order=contractLength#packages they'd be fine for a couple of days, but if you're going to be using it for up to a month at a time it's going to get expensive.

This looks decent from O2, 1 month contract. http://shop.o2.co.uk/promo/o2mobilebroadband/tab/1_month

[Jin]

I don't want a contract as I only tour from june to september so I find it pointless to be in a contract. It literally would only be used for browsing and emails nothing crazy so I don't think it would be too expensive.

I am glad that someone managed to find me an o2 version of this I couldnt find any other PAYG ones apart from three and I have decent coverage with O2 at these events.

I would probably be using free wifi in McDo or Service Stations between tours for things like wastebook photo uploads etc. I will have to see how well this works also need to dig up my decrepid laptop from the garage, has anyone managed to get this to work with Ubuntu?

actually sod it, I will just use windoze xp on a base installation. No music, No videos, no additional software just make it a netbook.

Thanks for your help guys. +Rep where it is due.

[Laggings]

No problem Jin :D
Hope everything works out ok for you.

[Recursion]

Also if you use a proper USB dongle rather than a USB cable or bluetooth to your phone it'll be faster, the phone's processors aren't up to much and slow the connection down.

If you plug your phone or a dongle into an Ubuntu computer it will usually detect it and give you a list of networks, you select your mobile network and it connects... IMO a lot easier than in Windows!

[GoldenMerc]

My friend has a T-Mobile one (:

[N!ck]

If you want to be hardcore you could use a satellite service :8. http://www.rapid.co.uk/si_mobile.html

[Jin]

If you want to be hardcore you could use a satellite service :8. http://www.rapid.co.uk/si_mobile.html

Not greatly portable for someone who has to travel by car and train. :P

I think I will invest in the o2 PAYG dongle, only reason why o2 is because they have great coverage and also I am already a customer. Friggin hope this works well.

[DaveTaylor]

http://www.ipass.com/

[Pazza]

Why hello there folks.

I have a dilema and I don't really know where to start as I have never used anything like this before.

Basically I need to take a laptop with me to some of these UK festivals and need to get one of these mobile internet wotsits. Especially for when I am in a field.

Sometimes I can be away for as long as 4 weeks going from one festival to another. So I need the internet to answer questions on our work forums and reply to my emails whilst I am at a show.

I need it to be pay as you go, the only one I have found as PAYG is by three.co.uk.

Has anyone used one of these before?

Are they any good? whats the coverage like?

I'm on 3 mobile broadband now ...

http://www.speedtest.net/result/445705224.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

And another server

http://www.speedtest.net/result/445706199.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

Im in north west, don't know if speed matters to you.

[Implement]

Friend has this one, has some internet pre-paid on it already;

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0155264765.123902478 4@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdjadeglhjhlehcflgceggdhhmdgmk.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=003745&category_oid=

Highly recommended :)