Pay As You Go Internet from a Laptop

barq · 21-01-2008, 22:33

Hi everyone,

Please could I have some advice on a pay as you go phone that offers a data package suitable for occasional laptop use (e.g. price plans with a daily capped data charge). Orange and T-Mobile both offer packages (£2/day and £1/day respectively) but prohibit use of the phone as a modem. I hear that occasional web browsing on Orange might go unnoticed, but T Mobile sound quite strict - anyone have any actual experience of either?

I'm happy to respect their bandwidth policies, not use MSN, P2P, stream sound/video, etc... I just need a fullscreen web browser maybe twice a month (SSH/telnet would be nice but not essential). Their USB modems would do the job but are expensive for what I want, and I'm a linux user so I suspect hardware drivers would be a pain.

All opinions (or radically different ideas

) appreciated. Many thanks.

wavejockglw · 21-01-2008, 23:17

The problem is that when you use a mobile as a modem it's very obvious to a network as it's a dial-up connection using a defined access process.

You can chance your arm but it's £1 a MB with Orange AFAIK.

ShaunIOW · 22-01-2008, 04:15

Vodafone and 3 both offer payg internet access.

tekgirl · 22-01-2008, 15:13

Afternoon,

Vodafone charge £1 for the first 15MB you use in a day then £2 per MB there after.

You can connect the phone to your Laptop or PDA but please bear in mind that you will be using more of your MB allowance on the laptop then if you were using a phone.

To see our frequently asked questions relating to the Pay As You Talk data pricing please visit the relavant section of our website here

With this in mind I wish you look finding a data package that suits your needs.

Tekgirl
Vodafone UK

Toilet-Duck · 26-01-2008, 02:26

T-Mobile is the cheapest £1 capped a day unlimited usage or £20 a month for unlimited.

prking · 26-01-2008, 06:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toilet-Duck

T-Mobile is the cheapest £1 capped a day unlimited usage or £20 a month for unlimited.

As the first post says, T-Mobile don't allow laptop use. Whilst you might get away with it occasionally, it isn't a good idea for long term use.

I think, you've got your prices wrong as well, its £1 a day or £2.50 for a 5 day web'n'walk pass.

koantemplation · 26-01-2008, 14:44

I would have thought it would be better to get one of those USB 3G dongles and a data plan?

Toilet-Duck · 26-01-2008, 18:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by prking

As the first post says, T-Mobile don't allow laptop use. Whilst you might get away with it occasionally, it isn't a good idea for long term use.

I think, you've got your prices wrong as well, its £1 a day or £2.50 for a 5 day web'n'walk pass.

Ive been using mine for over a year now for £1 a day and not had a problem

Talizman · 26-01-2008, 20:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by tekgirl

Afternoon,

Vodafone charge £1 for the first 15MB you use in a day then £2 per MB there after.

You can connect the phone to your Laptop or PDA but please bear in mind that you will be using more of your MB allowance on the laptop then if you were using a phone.

To see our frequently asked questions relating to the Pay As You Talk data pricing please visit the relavant section of our website here

With this in mind I wish you look finding a data package that suits your needs.

Tekgirl
Vodafone UK

Vodafone is so expensive! Too expensive in fact.

Talizman · 26-01-2008, 20:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by prking

As the first post says, T-Mobile don't allow laptop use.

Yes they do. The daily cap is 40mb. Do you really think you'd get that off a phone?

prking · 26-01-2008, 21:53

@Talizman, I've just checked the pay and go terms and conditions, only surfing through a handset is allowed. That's not to say that you can't use a laptop but you are not supposed to.
@Toilet-Duck, as above. And have you really spent £365 on web'n'walk through your laptop? You could have a phone line installed and a years broadband plus some change for that. Or three years of mobile broadband.

Toilet-Duck · 27-01-2008, 01:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by prking

@Toilet-Duck, as above. And have you really spent £365 on web'n'walk through your laptop? You could have a phone line installed and a years broadband plus some change for that. Or three years of mobile broadband.

I didn't say I used it everyday

just occasionally, I prefer using the £1 a day meaning I'm not tied into any contract Ive used it like this over a year now and never had a problem...

21-01-2008, 22:33	#1
barq Forum Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Surrey Posts: 6	Pay As You Go Internet from a Laptop Hi everyone, Please could I have some advice on a pay as you go phone that offers a data package suitable for occasional laptop use (e.g. price plans with a daily capped data charge). Orange and T-Mobile both offer packages (£2/day and £1/day respectively) but prohibit use of the phone as a modem. I hear that occasional web browsing on Orange might go unnoticed, but T Mobile sound quite strict - anyone have any actual experience of either? I'm happy to respect their bandwidth policies, not use MSN, P2P, stream sound/video, etc... I just need a fullscreen web browser maybe twice a month (SSH/telnet would be nice but not essential). Their USB modems would do the job but are expensive for what I want, and I'm a linux user so I suspect hardware drivers would be a pain. All opinions (or radically different ideas ) appreciated. Many thanks.

21-01-2008, 23:17	#2
wavejockglw Inactive Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Glasgow Posts: 10,276	The problem is that when you use a mobile as a modem it's very obvious to a network as it's a dial-up connection using a defined access process. You can chance your arm but it's £1 a MB with Orange AFAIK.

22-01-2008, 04:15	#3
ShaunIOW Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Isle of Wight Posts: 7,828	Vodafone and 3 both offer payg internet access.

22-01-2008, 15:13	#4
tekgirl Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 29	Afternoon, Vodafone charge £1 for the first 15MB you use in a day then £2 per MB there after. You can connect the phone to your Laptop or PDA but please bear in mind that you will be using more of your MB allowance on the laptop then if you were using a phone. To see our frequently asked questions relating to the Pay As You Talk data pricing please visit the relavant section of our website here With this in mind I wish you look finding a data package that suits your needs. Tekgirl Vodafone UK

26-01-2008, 02:26	#5
Toilet-Duck Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Tyne And Wear Posts: 688	T-Mobile is the cheapest £1 capped a day unlimited usage or £20 a month for unlimited.

26-01-2008, 06:47	#6
prking Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Weston-super-Mare Posts: 9,167	Quote: Originally Posted by Toilet-Duck T-Mobile is the cheapest £1 capped a day unlimited usage or £20 a month for unlimited. As the first post says, T-Mobile don't allow laptop use. Whilst you might get away with it occasionally, it isn't a good idea for long term use. I think, you've got your prices wrong as well, its £1 a day or £2.50 for a 5 day web'n'walk pass.

26-01-2008, 14:44	#7
koantemplation Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Wolf359 Posts: 96,797	I would have thought it would be better to get one of those USB 3G dongles and a data plan?

26-01-2008, 18:22	#8
Toilet-Duck Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Tyne And Wear Posts: 688	Quote: Originally Posted by prking As the first post says, T-Mobile don't allow laptop use. Whilst you might get away with it occasionally, it isn't a good idea for long term use. I think, you've got your prices wrong as well, its £1 a day or £2.50 for a 5 day web'n'walk pass. Ive been using mine for over a year now for £1 a day and not had a problem

26-01-2008, 20:19	#9
Talizman Forum Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: On a journey Posts: 1,901	Quote: Originally Posted by tekgirl Afternoon, Vodafone charge £1 for the first 15MB you use in a day then £2 per MB there after. You can connect the phone to your Laptop or PDA but please bear in mind that you will be using more of your MB allowance on the laptop then if you were using a phone. To see our frequently asked questions relating to the Pay As You Talk data pricing please visit the relavant section of our website here With this in mind I wish you look finding a data package that suits your needs. Tekgirl Vodafone UK Vodafone is so expensive! Too expensive in fact.

26-01-2008, 20:21	#10
Talizman Forum Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: On a journey Posts: 1,901	Quote: Originally Posted by prking As the first post says, T-Mobile don't allow laptop use. Yes they do. The daily cap is 40mb. Do you really think you'd get that off a phone?

26-01-2008, 21:53	#11
prking Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Weston-super-Mare Posts: 9,167	@Talizman, I've just checked the pay and go terms and conditions, only surfing through a handset is allowed. That's not to say that you can't use a laptop but you are not supposed to. @Toilet-Duck, as above. And have you really spent £365 on web'n'walk through your laptop? You could have a phone line installed and a years broadband plus some change for that. Or three years of mobile broadband.

27-01-2008, 01:11	#12
Toilet-Duck Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Tyne And Wear Posts: 688	Quote: Originally Posted by prking @Toilet-Duck, as above. And have you really spent £365 on web'n'walk through your laptop? You could have a phone line installed and a years broadband plus some change for that. Or three years of mobile broadband. I didn't say I used it everyday just occasionally, I prefer using the £1 a day meaning I'm not tied into any contract Ive used it like this over a year now and never had a problem...

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Pay As You Go Internet from a Laptop