Attention Dongle Users!!!

[KarmaDope]

I know nowt about Dongles, but I might get one.

Where do you top up your pre pay balance? I guess you can do it online?

How much coverage would top up get me? Does it go on minutes of usage, number of websites visited (like wap) or some sort of download allowance?

How slow are they?

Online or in a shop - Joobs had a 3 dongle and she just topped it up like it was a phone.

Varies. Generally you have a set limit (3gb) and a set number of days to use it (30).

Joobs said she was able to watch BBC iPlayer using hers, so they aren't that slow. Depends where you live and your connection.

[gatso]

How slow are they?

the simple answer is that is varies depending on where you are

in my old house mine was quicker than a home broadband connection, in my new house it doesn't work at all

[Bongo]

Blatant copy-pasta here but my mate seems to think this will work (UK at least):

http://www.3dongle4free.co.uk/

get it unlocked.....

buy an 02 iphone sim

top up with £10

free net for a year

I've been reading quite a few people have done this now. I've ordered and paid for the delivery, so I'll see what happens. Apparently delivery is 2-3 days, so hopefully by the weekend.

YMMV, not my fault etc etc

[gatso]

Blatant copy-pasta here but my mate seems to think this will work (UK at least):

http://www.3dongle4free.co.uk/

get it unlocked.....

buy an 02 iphone sim

top up with £10

free net for a year

I've been reading quite a few people have done this now. I've ordered and paid for the delivery, so I'll see what happens. Apparently delivery is 2-3 days, so hopefully by the weekend.

YMMV, not my fault etc etc

warnings about that site

they were doing free dongles where you just had to pay for shipping and seem to be legit but

-the payment page is not on a secure server
-I don't think the dongle is free anymore even though it says it on their front page. still cheaper than on the high st though

plenty of people have recieved dongles through these guys but I certainly wouldn't advise putting card details into their site

[titaniumbean]

Vodafone are in general excellent.

I've got tmobile in the uk and it's quality get up to 400k download speeds, I have a monthly contract ~210 f18 months I think. meant to be a 3 gb download fair usage policy but they dont cut you off until you abuse well over 5gbs worth. Unless you are streaming videos constantly you wont fill the usage limit. Pay as you go ones dont seem as good because by being on contract it's broadband and you never have to turn it off or worry about that.

Very infrequent usage or as backup internet I think pay as you go is good though.

[Laxie]

Vodafone it is then.  Thanks everyone!  They are offering a 12 month contract for €19.99 with 10gb per month and I have a choice of 2 dongles.  One is free, the other is €29.99 (E180).  10gb isn't a lot, but I only need 'mobile' service maybe a few hours each week, so I'm hoping it's plenty for that. 

[Jon MW]

Vodafone it is then.  Thanks everyone!  They are offering a 12 month contract for €19.99 with 10gb per month and I have a choice of 2 dongles.  One is free, the other is €29.99 (E180).  10gb isn't a lot, but I only need 'mobile' service maybe a few hours each week, so I'm hoping it's plenty for that. 

I'd be surprised if 10gb a month isn't enough tbh

[gatso]

10gb isn't a lot

it is. you won't get anywhere near using that much

[TheChipPrince]

10gb isn't a lot

it is. you won't get anywhere near using that much

Does playing poker use up GB or is only actual downloading?

[gatso]

poker uses it up but not loads

[RioRodent]

Blatant copy-pasta here but my mate seems to think this will work (UK at least):

http://www.3dongle4free.co.uk/

get it unlocked.....

buy an 02 iphone sim

top up with £10

free net for a year

I've been reading quite a few people have done this now. I've ordered and paid for the delivery, so I'll see what happens. Apparently delivery is 2-3 days, so hopefully by the weekend.

YMMV, not my fault etc etc

Bongo, do you have a link to where you can buy an iphone SIM. I've looked on the O2 website but didn't find it.

[Rod Paradise]

Blatant copy-pasta here but my mate seems to think this will work (UK at least):

http://www.3dongle4free.co.uk/

get it unlocked.....

buy an 02 iphone sim

top up with £10

free net for a year

I've been reading quite a few people have done this now. I've ordered and paid for the delivery, so I'll see what happens. Apparently delivery is 2-3 days, so hopefully by the weekend.

YMMV, not my fault etc etc

Bongo, do you have a link to where you can buy an iphone SIM. I've looked on the O2 website but didn't find it.

ebay have them for £9.99, then you need to pay the £10 top-up

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/O2-iPhone-3G-SIM-Card-Unlimited-FREE-Internet-WiFi-1y_W0QQitemZ160355605603QQcategoryZ29779QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m183QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%252BC%252BS%252BIA%26itu%3DUS-BWR%252BUCI%252BUCC%252BSI%252BIA%252BPSS%252BCRS%252BIT%252BUA%252BIEW%26otn%3D2%26ps%3D33

[Bainn]

Harmony uses a Vodafone dongle for her Netbook, thanks to advice from Red, absloutely no problems with.

One point, to view poker related sites via the Vodafone dongle you will have to remove "Content Control" through customer services, takes a max of 5mins.

Barry, with Vodafone, you can either buy a topup in a store and simply enter the voucher number into the client on the pc or register a credit card with Vodafone.

[RichEO]

Vodafone it is then.  Thanks everyone!  They are offering a 12 month contract for €19.99 with 10gb per month and I have a choice of 2 dongles.  One is free, the other is €29.99 (E180).  10gb isn't a lot, but I only need 'mobile' service maybe a few hours each week, so I'm hoping it's plenty for that. 

Can you get the vodafone pay as you go in Ireland? It's the best option for casual users. The top ups don't expire (unlike three and o2 which run out after 30 days) and you get 3GB for £15. Which may end up lasting you several months. And your not tied into any contract.

[RichEO]

Blatant copy-pasta here but my mate seems to think this will work (UK at least):

http://www.3dongle4free.co.uk/

get it unlocked.....

buy an 02 iphone sim

top up with £10

free net for a year

I've been reading quite a few people have done this now. I've ordered and paid for the delivery, so I'll see what happens. Apparently delivery is 2-3 days, so hopefully by the weekend.

YMMV, not my fault etc etc

warnings about that site

they were doing free dongles where you just had to pay for shipping and seem to be legit but

-the payment page is not on a secure server
-I don't think the dongle is free anymore even though it says it on their front page. still cheaper than on the high st though

plenty of people have recieved dongles through these guys but I certainly wouldn't advise putting card details into their site

I got a three dongle from here. The site is actually secure, but you don't get a padlock showing cos their certificate is for a different domain than the new 3dongle4free domain they just bought for the promotion. I got the dongle a few days later and no card fraud yet.