Internet on the road...

Information and help in the IT field of computers, internet, ISP's, mobile and fixed line telephones plus satellite TV systems.
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quebin
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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby quebin » Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:12 am

Lots of bars and cafes have free wifi,so just stop for snack or a drink or maybe the campsites will have a connection.

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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby Zofia » Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:31 am

Get an iphone, with 3G access - I use mine all the time on the road. It obviously does emails and photos (and of course you can post the photos straight onto Facebook etc and email them). I also have an ipad which is great too, as it has a bigger screen but isn't a camera.

I LOVE my iphone and just don't know how I ever managed without it!

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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby El Cid » Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:49 am

Zofia wrote: ). I also have an ipad which is great too, as it has a bigger screen but isn't a camera.
The iPad 2 has two cameras - front and back. iPad 3 is due next month hopefully with even better cameras and HD screen and faster processor.

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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby Zofia » Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:56 am

True, I have noticed the camera but as I keep it in a case I'd have to take it out to use the camera! The iphone is much less bulky as a camera so use that for photos. Think ipad1 didn't have a camera, did it?

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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby El Cid » Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:52 am

No, I don't think it had. The cameras on the iPad 2 are not very good (compared to the iPhone) but it's one thing that will probably get fixed on the iPad3.

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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby dxf » Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:35 pm

Hi

I think people have missed a trick; You said Spain & Portugal; The service providers charge the earth if you use their service abroad.

My knowledge is on Dongles and smartphones, I am sure this may open up a debate if there is a solution except to buy the service "again" in the country-

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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby hillybilly » Fri Feb 17, 2012 9:13 am

Many thanks all for your comments and suggestions - has been a great help, plenty to think about!

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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby Zofia » Fri Feb 17, 2012 10:34 am

I think people have missed a trick; You said Spain & Portugal; The service providers charge the earth if you use their service abroad.
Yes that's true, ok for Spain but not for Portugal unless you go to places that have free wi-fi, of which there should be plenty.

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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby olive » Fri Feb 17, 2012 4:06 pm

When it comes to 3G dongle modems, I believe that only Telefonica offer a no contract product. No charge for the dongle itself that you insert into a USB port.

The cheapest offering is something like 24 euros a month for 500M. After you reach that limit you get download speed reduced to 128k (in reality it is actually about 156k) till it auto renews on the 18th of the month. That coincidentally is the only day that you can contact Telefonica to ask for the monthly allowance to be changed. (what a way to run a company) The monthly limits include 5Gb for 39 euros plus IVa and 10Gb max allowance for 45 plus IVa. All are without contract. If you sign up for a contract then it becomes a bit cheaper maybe 4 euros a month less including IVA.

In case you missed it, I do not recommend an Orange dongle. They still haven't found the SIM card they lost during the exchange process for their faulty modem back in November. They have however started charging me again. Dillon brains didn't even think to stop the SIM card. Now someone else is using and racking up on my account.

Good luck with the road trip. I am green with envy. Lot to be said for minimalist living and being on the move.

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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby chrissiehope » Fri Feb 17, 2012 5:06 pm

olive wrote:When it comes to 3G dongle modems, I believe that only Telefonica offer a no contract product. No charge for the dongle itself that you insert into a USB port. .
I thought all the major providers offered a PAYG USB modem - Vodafone certainly do cos I have one ! :D (it is a 3g, or would be if we had a decent signal :thumbdown: :lol: )
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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby Zofia » Fri Feb 17, 2012 5:15 pm

Just to add when I got my iphone I just changed my Orange mobile contract to one of their 3G inclusive ones, it's a set monthly fee of €42 plus IVA and calls, and kept my mobile SIM, so all my contacts and everything just transferred.

Zofia

Oh, forgot to add I now pay an extra €3 a month to include my iPad on the same contract.
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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby John & Kath » Fri Feb 17, 2012 8:39 pm

Zofia wrote:Just to add when I got my iphone I just changed my Orange mobile contract to one of their 3G inclusive ones, it's a set monthly fee of €42 plus IVA and calls, and kept my mobile SIM, so all my contacts and everything just transferred.

Zofia

Oh, forgot to add I now pay an extra €3 a month to include my iPad on the same contract.
I thought the physical size of the iPhone sim was half the size of a standard one and the providors would not allow 2 sims with the same number?
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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby Zofia » Sat Feb 18, 2012 4:56 pm

Maybe it was a new SIM but I certainly kept the number.

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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby murbisa » Sat Feb 18, 2012 8:18 pm

The iphone 3GS has got a normal size sim. I have just got my upgrade in the UK to 4S and have had to have a smaller sim. They just transferred everything over to it in the shop. I gather Nokia are starting to use these smaller simcards now as well.

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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby hillybilly » Sun Feb 19, 2012 11:39 am

Another dumb question - how many Mb or Gb should I be looking at contracting for? I have no idea what my monthly usage is!!!!! What operations "use up" Mb?

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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby olive » Sun Feb 19, 2012 12:06 pm

Downloading music, films especially, use bandwidth. Watching UTube clips, listening to the radio, even Emails with lots of photos (particularly if they haven't been sized from say 2Meg to 100Kb). Microsofts wretched updates.Specific downloads like videocard drivers can be big e.g. 70Meg

Is there no way of checking your previous home usage to see what sort of monthly use you were making?

If you go with Telefonicas monthly no contract offering you could start at the 500Mb (24 euro plus IVa I think) and if it isn't enough upgrade free to whatever you want step up to 10Gb. But only on the 18th of each month. You upgrade by dialling 1004.

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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby hillybilly » Sun Feb 19, 2012 12:57 pm

Thanks Olive.
olive wrote:Is there no way of checking your previous home usage to see what sort of monthly use you were making?
Anyone?!

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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby Enrique » Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:14 pm

Hi hillybilly,
Get a Broadband Monitor..................something like............there are more Techy ones :thumbdown:

http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/partn ... nitor.html


Added this one...........have this one installed............

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/tbbmeter.html
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Re: Internet on the road...

Postby hillybilly » Sun Mar 04, 2012 10:25 pm

Me again.
Right, I've bought an unlocked iPhone 3GS 16MB (don't physically have it yet, bought it off t'internet as all the Spanish providers' "offers" are pants right now).
So, I will need to contract with a provider. I presently have a PAYG mobile with Movistar.
If I choose to stay with Movistar, I assume that my old SIM goes in the new iPhone?
If I decide to go with AN Other provider, but want to keep my old number, will they issue me with a new SIM or do they simply "take over" the old one?
From what has been said above it seems that regular mobile phone SIM cards physically fit in the iPhone 3GS?


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