USB Mobile Broadband PAYG UK

[mashcaster]

Hello

I have been using Ubuntu for some time now and am very happy with Ubuntu 8.04. I have been trying to find out about mobile broadband so I can use the internet on my laptop on the move, but I cannot figure out if it will work with Ubuntu.

Basically, I am after a USB mobile broadband package in the UK which is preferably a pay as you go package which is easy to setup, preferably plug and play.

Has anyone in the UK been successful with these type of mobile broadband devices yet?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Regards.

[mashcaster]

Here is a link to a list of potential packages which I might be interested, but no where does it say anything about ubuntu compatibility.

http://www.broadband-expert.co.uk/mobile-broadband/?s=year_cost&o=asc&c=8

Please help.

p.s. I know that list is not for pay as you go packages, as payg is a preference only.

[Neil_The_Newbie]

Same here. I'm after it as well. i tried carphone warehouse but was unable to contact them via there online contact form as it doesnt seem to to work properly.

[isomer]

The only UK company that I know does PAYG USB mobile broadband is 3, and they only specify Windows and Mac OS as supported.

[mashcaster]

So far I have discovered that if you update ubuntu so it has network manager 0.7, the following modems with any branding should work out of the box. Huawei E220 and E172. E172 is faster at 7.2Mbps and E220 is about 3Mbps. I know vodafone does the E172 and E220, and I know three does the E220.

If anyone has any more info, please let us know.

[mashcaster]

So it seems ones you have upgraded to network manager 0.7, you can get this broadband modem for £49:

http://www.three.co.uk/personal/mobiles_/discover.omp?CID=1193835363623

£10 per 1Gb

[mashcaster]

This works but it's just an E220 which is about 3.2Mbps
http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/27/mobile-broadband-is-go/

Probably better to get the E172 which is about 7.2Mbps

Both work on ubuntu apparently out of the box after upgrading to network manager 0.7

However you have to do an 18 month contract at £15 per month for 3Gb.

So far I am thinking of getting the 3 PrePay as I probably will not need it all the time. The contract versions have 3Gb per month if you use them or not it seems, I am hoping the PrePays don't have the same problem...

For example, if I get £10 credit 1Gb, and I don't use it all up within a month, will I loose the rest of the bandwidth at the end of the month?

[mashcaster]

I don't get this...


There's one major caveat though; 3's charges for excess use on Pay As You Go packages are enough to strike fear into even the most intrepid web surfers. It charges a full £1 per extra MB downloaded (an obscene £1024/GB), so even if you think you've a while left 'til you reach your data limit, it's better to top-up earlier rather than later.
Source: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/cheap-mobile-broadband#choose

How can you go over if you run out of credit? Normally when you run out of credit you get cut off don't you?

[Neil_The_Newbie]

Thats VERY uncompetitive. I think i'll steer well clear of 3. I am keen to ditch my landline though...

[Neil_The_Newbie]

I went into town today and asked some shops about whether they could offer mobile broadband that would work on linux....

02 - "What's Linux?"
Carphone Warehouse - "Yeah - should work on all networks" (said with no certainty at all).
Phones4U - "Whats Linux?" and "How do you spell that?" and "Did you say Linx?"..... eventually they took my mobile number and said they would make some inquiries. They rang back later in the day and said Vodafone would work. Although i am not sure if they do Pay as you go.

If i had a penny for everytime someone said - "Whats Linux?"......

:-)

[Neil_The_Newbie]

Coverage is also an issue. Unfortunately you cannot check it on the vodafone website with linux + firefox. You get the message
"Sorry, unfortunately the Vodafone Coverage Viewer application is not fully compatible with your web browser or platform, and therefore not supported at this time. Please try to use another web browser."

[Plumtreed]

The only UK company that I know does PAYG USB mobile broadband is 3, and they only specify Windows and Mac OS as supported.

Vodafone have a 'monthly contract' and you pay 49GBP for the modem. Monthly conract is 20GBP but the overlimit penalty is not a severe as 3.

[Plumtreed]

Coverage is also an issue. Unfortunately you cannot check it on the vodafone website with linux + firefox. You get the message
"Sorry, unfortunately the Vodafone Coverage Viewer application is not fully compatible with your web browser or platform, and therefore not supported at this time. Please try to use another web browser."

You may have to 'do something' with your Firefox because I could view the area covered. Have you got Flash loaded?

[Redptc]

Have you seen this thread, it may have an answer for you....



http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=919148&highlight=huawei

[mashcaster]

I went into town today and asked some shops about whether they could offer mobile broadband that would work on linux....

02 - "What's Linux?"
Carphone Warehouse - "Yeah - should work on all networks" (said with no certainty at all).
Phones4U - "Whats Linux?" and "How do you spell that?" and "Did you say Linx?"..... eventually they took my mobile number and said they would make some inquiries. They rang back later in the day and said Vodafone would work. Although i am not sure if they do Pay as you go.

If i had a penny for everytime someone said - "Whats Linux?"......

:-)

I know what you mean!


Coverage is also an issue. Unfortunately you cannot check it on the vodafone website with linux + firefox. You get the message
"Sorry, unfortunately the Vodafone Coverage Viewer application is not fully compatible with your web browser or platform, and therefore not supported at this time. Please try to use another web browser."

Do you have a link?


Vodafone have a 'monthly contract' and you pay 49GBP for the modem. Monthly conract is 20GBP but the overlimit penalty is not a severe as 3.

Do you have more info about this as I can't find much on their site. For example, do you have to topup after a month similar to payg? what is the overlimit penalty? can you carry bandwidth over to the next month and so on.

[Plumtreed]

Check the vodafone site again. I think there is a page where you are asked about the plan you require; '12 months,18 months, 24 months, 1 month?'. You may have to proceed as if to order.

From memory, the monthly charge was GBP20. I couldn't get the 'coveage area'map to make sense so i think I will buy from 3. I'm going to the UK for about 5 months and the Huawei E220 seems to work 'happily' with Ubuntu.

Don't know about 'carry over', doubt it!

[Plumtreed]

http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/mobile-broadband/mobilebroadband/&planDuration=30

This is the web address. It is a '30 day' account!

I guess I don't know how to make a 'link' so if this doesn't work you can cut & paste.

[mashcaster]

Sounds more like a standard contracted £20 a month for 3Gb. the difference being that if you pay £20 instead of £15, you get to cancel it if you give a months notice, instead of having to pay £15 per month for a full contract.

Is this true?

[Plumtreed]

Mate, you want to check it out for yourself! You don't have to sign for any period longer than a month. You are not in a contract that forces you to pay for a year. Obviously, they feel you should pay a premium for that privelage. If you live in the UK and want to benefit from a less expensive long term deal then there may be better choices.

I am going to the UK for 5 months so a long term contract will be a waste of money. So I will pay by the month. I think 3 offers better coverage in the area I will be based so I will buy from them. Quite frankly, Vodafone's coverage map was hard to 'sort' so I just gave them away.

I also hope to reuse the 'dongle' back in Australia and for subsequent visits to the UK.

[mashcaster]

Thanks, just found out from vodafone that it is just like any other contract except you have the right to give them a 30 notice to end the contract. So basically there is no topup like pay as you go stuff, you simply pay £20 a month every month until you give them your 30 cancelation notice.