Mobile 3G Dongles, any recommendations ?

[bhaexpress]

I'm considering getting one, especially as I face a lengthy commute if the RMT strike goes ahead. Just about all the companies seem to be useless from what I've read but surely there must be one half decent one. Granted I wouldn't touvh 3 with a sterilised barge poll and I don't have much time for T-Mobile either.

Anybody having a good experience with a 3G dongle ?

 

[Bozza]

I've got both 3 and Vodafone currently but they are coming to the end of their contracts so going to cancel both.

Currently O2 are doing one that comes with the first 3 months for free (I saw it in an ad on the top of NSC funnily enough), and if you go via Quidco, you should get £60 cashback too.

 

[Bozza]

...but based on what I've had...

Vodafone - good.
3 - poor.

 

[porkypie]

Im on vodafone, its very good!

 

[DerbyGull]

I'm with 3. And it's pretty shit tbh.

 

[beorhthelm]

you have to make sure you are in a strong signal area, and judge the networks on that. I went with a T-mobile PAYG one a year ago, one reason was because it had the good signal and also it had a decent map app on the site that showed this.

 

[Fred Oliver - Legend]

been using a vodafone one for nearly 4 weeks now and still have over 1g left and my daughter's been using it loads, no probs here!

 

[bhaexpress]

Thanks for the advice, the only problem is that whilst Vodafone looks good I know it's dead where I live.

 

[chez]

3 is shit. We went for one of those free laptop if you get 3 mobile offers. The dongle is absolutely unusable where we are and we have had to use the home network since the start.

Go vodaphone!!!!

Just read the above post: go Orange then, anything but 3!

 

[Turkey]

We have a 3 dongle at work for people to use when they're not working in the office. It's totally useless when I'm down in Brighton, can't get any signal at all.

 

[Colossal Squid]

I have an O2 pay as you go dongle which I have to say has served me very well over the past 12 months. As I'm currently waiting for my new home broadband service to go live I have been relying on my O2 dongle for all my access over the past few weeks and I have been pleasantly surprised at the speeds it achieves. Admittedly this is from my city flat, not actually on the move at all however when I have used it on the go it has generally been more than capable, with the occasional drop off when on the train due to tunnels and the like.

They charge £15 for a month's worth of access (up to a maximum of 3gb downloaded) and offer decent speeds. However as Bozza points out you can get better value for money if you don't mind paying a monthly subscription, tied to a contract

 

[Gwylan]

I had Vodafone which was not very good and changed to 3, which is also not very good

I think it depends where you use it though - the Brighton to London line has got terrible reception but when I use it at home, it's fine.

 

[logan89]

Been looking at getting one myself, Tmobile look like they've got some good deals, but obviously don't know what the coverage is like.

can anybodyy shed any light on this?

 

[Colossal Squid]

Tmobile coverage is poor.

The UK network with THE best coverage is O2. If you want reliable reception then go with O2. They are also well priced and have good customer service.

And no, I don't work for them

 

[Al Bion]

I have an O2 PAYG dongle as I have to travel about a bit for work and it saves on expensive hotel connection fees. I've never had a problem (yet) connecting wherever I've been in the country though it's sometimes slower when right out in the sticks. I've also used it a couple of times on train journeys and it's connected ok though obviously it loses the signal whilst in tunnels etc. I'd recommend O2!

 

[webbyson]

3 PAYG.......as good as broadband here, Vodaphone PAYG ......no signal so useless, just goes to show you have to chose the network with the strongest signal in the area you wish to use it.

 

[Kick Ass Minton]

Sprint is the way to go...

 

[Titus]

I've used my T-Mobile one all over the South and hardly had a problems.

 

[beorhthelm]

Been looking at getting one myself, Tmobile look like they've got some good deals, but obviously don't know what the coverage is like.

can anybodyy shed any light on this?

all the networks websites have maps showing their expected coverage (though one is shite just giving yes/no for your post code orange i think?).