internet access

[SilverTT]

Who uses what, internet phone, vodafone usb modem.

Interested in using the net when i'm aboard for weather, emails and of course the forum.

How do people get on. is it slow, half decent or frustrating to use.

comments would be appreciated

 

[Kipper]

I found it all depends on network coverage if you are using normal mobile devices. I found my BlackBerry gave me the best results round the North Eales coast and that was on o2 but my vodafone mobile is vertuallu useless in terms of coverage. The BlackBerry worked out an awfull lot cheaper as well.

Gary

 

[Kipper]

Oh and the Forum seems very slow on any connection I use at the moment, but I think its being sorted.

Gary

 

[DAKA]

I use '3' and I find it very usable at home, at work and on the boat.
It is the only broadband we have at home.
Cost £15 month 3 gb limit.
Speed is about 1mbps , can be more but that is about it.

There are extra charges while abroad but not prohibitive.

'3' get some bad press but from my experience they are excellent to deal with

example

While off the coast of Africa I thought I would see if the modem worked

I received all my emails but the connection failed before I could send my replies.

I was charged £2.47 for this.

I complained by email and a pleasant young lady phoned to apologise and refunded my next account /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

It cost us both more than £2.47 in time but there was a principle at stake /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[SilverTT]

Although the vodafone network states high speed under the 3G network most places i will be using it there isn't much coverage so it will work only on the standard network. Sounds like the same speed your on.

glad yours is working well. i might pop in the 3 shop see what they're offering.

cheers

 

[rickp]

Dual pronged approach for me. I have a very good wifi aerial on the boat which can drag in signals from several miles away, along with a T-Mobile 3G modem (which gets me over 1Mb/s in places like Newtown Creek and the lower reaches of the Beaulieu river).

Both of these work pretty well. Wifi has a lower latency, so is preferred when I'm working on development kit in the US, but the 3G is usable and plenty fast enough for e-mail and web browsing.

Okay, I can understand that some folks want to go to the boat to get away from it all - but for me, it means we can spend longer on the boat, as I can get some work done whilst away. eg. Over Easter we got away a few days early and enjoyed a smooth run to Weymouth - beating the gales.

Rick

 

[itsonlymoney]

I use "T mobile" web and walk on handset and can use as modem for my laptop, 3g usage (which is laods) reasonable fast but wont play streaming £12.50 per month

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

I use a Vodafone 3G stick for mobile internet - very good when you get a 3G signal, passable on 2G. £15 per month.

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[nonitoo]

How does that work out cost-wise on the continent ?

Tom

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

On the £15pm package it's £8.50+vat per 24h in 'selected countries' (which includes France, which was the only country I was interested in) or a scary £4.25 per mb elsewhere. If you're away a lot you can pay £60pm to avoid the £8.50 charge, but there's a much lower data allowance, 200mb against 3gb in the UK.

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[rickp]

Thats what they told my mate too. He did get the £400 roaming charges refunded eventually /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Rick

 

[dfleminguk]

Its possible to use most modern mobile phones as a modem with your laptop, and if your phone is 3G or HSDPA enabled, depending on service area, it is possible to achieve near broadband speeds.

Im on Orange and I pay £5 a month which allows me unlimited data access evenings and weekends which is ideal for the boat. I assume that this is capped, however I use it frequently and have not as yet reached a limit.

Ive found that service is really good. Depending on where you are the speed varies quite alot but I have never been unable to connect at all.

 

[nonitoo]

Thanks Jimmy,

So about a tenner a day in France, might be useful.

Tom

 

[Nick_H]

I now have a triple pronged approach, Wi-fi aerial, USB wotsit, and cable broadband which plugs into the shorepower box in my home berth. As you say, it means more time on the boat, so makes perfect sense to me.

 

[oceanfroggie]

iPod touch