Reply to: USB 3G PAYGO Dongles

[AtW]

3 mobile broadband dongle is virtually unusable, as is the My3 app - avoid.

It's pretty tulipy I can confirm - did not work on the train

[voodooflux]

Whats this my3 application? I've had my 3 dongle for 18 months, the application that comes with it is a very generic modem connector/driver thing.

(and wouldn't sucks*10^12 have sufficed? )

I think Nick might be referring to the My Three customer portal website, which attempts to report such information as how much monthly data allowance you have remaining, but tends to exhibit epic fail on a daily basis.

[Shimano105]

3 mobile broadband dongle is virtually unusable, as is the My3 app - avoid.

[Fred Bloggs]

Well I certainly haven't seen anything like 3mbs via 3g! Maybe the "value" deals get inferior technology at one end or the other - I'll try a speed test next time I have the thing fired up! I think you'd be lucky to actually achieve your 12-14gb in any given month tbqh

I would certainly find a way of gettting a test before commiting to a 12-18 month contract with it!

R

Thanks, I will try to get a trial period.

[Spacecadet]

EDIT: Oh, and 3's "my3" web application is one of the most useless piles of fail the world has ever witnessed. Seriously, it sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks (that's not enough instances of the word "sucks" to adequately encompass the awesome level of fail that 3 have devised for their hapless customers, but I couldn't be bothered holding down Command-V any longer).

Whats this my3 application? I've had my 3 dongle for 18 months, the application that comes with it is a very generic modem connector/driver thing.

(and wouldn't sucks*10^12 have sufficed? )

[FiveTimes]

I've got a T-Mobile dongle and the cost is £2/day for usage or £10/week.

I've only used it a couple of times and the credit doesn't expire.

Worth a try if you just need something to throw in your carry case

[Halcyon]

Well I certainly haven't seen anything like 3mbs via 3g! Maybe the "value" deals get inferior technology at one end or the other - I'll try a speed test next time I have the thing fired up! I think you'd be lucky to actually achieve your 12-14gb in any given month tbqh

I would certainly find a way of gettting a test before commiting to a 12-18 month contract with it!

R

[Fred Bloggs]

Oh dear. I can only get a Vodafone 3G connection where I live. No 3G coverage on any other network. They do a 3G router that I was seriously considering replacing my 512kb/sec ADSL line with. The only thing holding me back is the bandwidth cost. Vodafone do a business deal for £18/month/10Gb bandwidth +VAT including the 3G WiFi router. I regularly use 12 to 14Gb a month. Vodafone reckon I'd get 2Mb/sec where I live. You reckon Vodafone 3G could be less reliable than a very flaky ADSL line wit terrible SNR then?

[Halcyon]

I'd second Vodapone in terms of "value" - I bought one, I think it was about £40 including your first Gig, and is about £15/Gig thereafter on a top up basis. I only really use it for email and a bit of surfin', have uploaded the ocassional photo whilst out and about, and haven't even used 300mb so far since July.

I wouldn't want it as my only connection to t'internet, it is comparatively slow even when it finds a 3G signal (no better than the old ISDN) and if I let the software self boot (which it does when you make the USB connection without first having started the software) it invariably causes the PC (Asus 901 eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepc) to blue screen. I wouldn't want to be without it though, and I wouldn't want to pay North of £120pa on a contract for the amount of use I give it.

[NickFitz]

They vary between sucking donkey balls and being the best thing since sliced bread.

Unfortunately this applies to the same "dongle" (it's a modem FFS, why don't they call it that?) with the same provider on the same tariff during the same hour at the same location.

A friend who lives in the next street to me has just bought a Vodafone one on the basis that they offer some PAYG tariff which doesn't expire what you've paid for after thirty days, unlike most. He's found it to be OK when it works, and not so good when it doesn't. However it's worked for him most of the time over the last two days.

I gave up on 3 in the end and got an O2 one (both PAYG). The O2 one doesn't seem to suffer the endemic fail of the 3 one, which was unusable about 80% of the time.

I offer no conclusions or recommendations because it seems that they either work or they don't, you can never predict which it will be, and just at the point where you've developed enough faith to rely on them they will let you down.

EDIT: Oh, and 3's "my3" web application is one of the most useless piles of fail the world has ever witnessed. Seriously, it sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks (that's not enough instances of the word "sucks" to adequately encompass the awesome level of fail that 3 have devised for their hapless customers, but I couldn't be bothered holding down Command-V any longer).

[Spacecadet]

I've been using Three, no real complaints so far
Contract runs out soon, I'll probably switch to a cheaper tariff and keep the modem.

[AtW]

Don't just consider the cost - consider which network has best coverage where you are going to be using it.

Shhhhhhhhh! He was planning to use it on the go to continue post tulip on here using miriads of his sockies - let him buy on cost grounds, after all all that NI increase will require more to pay his buttler maintaining his Swindon's mansion

[ee61re]

Don't just consider the cost - consider which network has best coverage where you are going to be using it.

[RichardCranium]

I got a T-Mobile 3G dongle earlier this year. The financial deal was excellent - they had an offer on that meant they paid me £2 to take it away. We got one for the Missus too.

The installation software applied some clever stuff that compresses all downloaded images and makes them lossy. This was in effect even when I was on broadband. Removing it was a nightmare.

Life was also made hard by my laptop not supporting USB 2.0 when I thought it did.

[downsouth]

if your with NTL/Virgin or whatever they call themselves for other products then give them a bell and see if the £5 pm dongle offer still on, for the sake a fiver a month defo worth it and saves messing about topping up etc