Internet without a BT Line?

[larry]

See which 3G providers offer HSDPA where you live, and find the best deal, and buy one of these:

http://www.linksysbycisco.com/UK/en/.../WRT54G3GV2-VF

I have one as a backup router, because I had flaky broadband for a while. I just plug my vodafone data card in, for which I have a business data contract for use in my laptop at client co offices.

You can get 3G data with upto 3Gb download for ~£15 per month.

I've just signed up with three.co.uk for their USB dongle but going through hell trying to get it going with the latest version of Ubuntu. The operating system seems good but it falls over in support. Even Microsoft works effortly with dongles!

Thanks for that. Thanks also to everyone else.

The sooner I can see the back of Microsoft/BT, the better...

[Moscow Mule]

I've just signed up with three.co.uk for their USB dongle but going through hell trying to get it going with the latest version of Ubuntu. The operating system seems good but it falls over in support. Even Microsoft works effortly with dongles!

Thanks for that. Thanks also to everyone else.

The sooner I can see the back of Microsoft/BT, the better...

I think that might be your problem. I seem to recall reading somesuch about the latest version missing a driver. Google it, and see what you get...

[larry]

I think that might be your problem. I seem to recall reading somesuch about the latest version missing a driver. Google it, and see what you get...

The missing driver is just at the tip of an enormous installation pyramid!

The driver in question is a vodafone driver which controls modems from three.co.uk and vodafone that are manufactured by Huawei. The fun starts when the driver has dependency issues and some of the dependencies themselves won't work as they too have dependencies.

I long for the days when linux can package everything into an exe file.

[swamp]

Wait for Naked DSL (which probably won't happen )

Go and live in a Virgin cable area...

Wait for WiMAX to happen (if it ever actually works).

As suggested, HSDPA is probably your best bet.

Seems ridiculous to have to pay £10 a month for a BT land line just to get broadband in most of the UK. And land lines are largely pointless these days.

[VectraMan]

Seems ridiculous to have to pay £10 a month for a BT land line just to get broadband in most of the UK. And land lines are largely pointless these days.

BT would say the £10pm line charge pays for the general maintenance and installations of the physical line, i.e. you're paying for the wire, not for the phone service. Would it be better to have £10pm more expensive broadband and no phone line charge? Not really.

The minimum contract does seem a little unfair though.