Mobile dongles (again!)

[maccasa]

I have finally got the up to date story on UK mobile dongles for all those thinking of "going dongle" for their internet. During my recent visit I tested the Vodafone systems to find out if they did or didnt work etc

So:- A new type Vodafone mobile dongle ex UK, WILL work in PT using the uk sim card - it will connect to vodafone PT - BUT - if you download anything you will do so at a cost of around £6 per megabyte - so basically a £15 sim card will last 1-2 hr on any normal internet use with a few downloads.

They will NOT work using a PT sim card as they are locked to UK. (see later)

A new, pay as u go, Vodafone PT dongle costs €49.90 with 600 mins of connection time - this is fine, but downloads will also eat the time very quickly, so beware when using. I got 5 days use out of mine connecting for about an hour a day, but downloading items every time. The vodafone PT sim also connects to TMN, Optimus etc.

I also reliably informed that the UK dongles can be unlocked using a simple acess procedue and connection to PC, but this is actually illegal.

[Michael Crane]

I don't know if you can answer this but . . . .

I have BlackBery 8900 Curve via Vodafone. Apparently it can be used as a modem to connect a laptop to the web. Would this work in Portugal?

[tjthedj]

Just in case anyone reading this missed my reply to the previous Dongle subject this is what I posted:

I have a UK purchased Vodafone dongle, it works fine in the UK and in Portugal, I use it every month of the year when we visit CVO.

The problem is (AND THIS MAY NOT HAPPEN WITH A NEW ONE) that when you enter a new country the dongle doesn't automatically roam for that countries network, whereas a normal mobile phone/BlackBerry does.

Thre is a simple solution to this, when you arrive in Portugal, take the sim card out of the dongle and put it into your phone. Turn the phone on and let it search for a network, once this is done, you put the sim card back into the dongle and hey presto, you can now use your UK dongle in Portugal through Vodafone PT. Remember to repeat this when you return to the UK to get back onto a UK network.

Now the nasty bit, my dongle from Vodafone costs me £25.00 per moth with unlimited UK access, when overseas Vodafone charge £8.50 for 24 hours unlimited use. even if you only use it for 5 minutes you still pay the £8.50. This is charged straight to my Vodaphone bill. The way I work is simply to start the 24 hours in the afternoon of day 1 so that I can still take advantage of one £8.50 cost during the morning of day 2. Then I don't buy another 24 hours until the following day. It works for me and means I can have internet access everyday.

Let me know how you get on this way.

[maccasa]

Thats the problem you burn a £15 UK pay as u go dongle in 2 days! Do you have a fixed residence in PT? If so you would be better off getting a PT phone + cabo broadband - it works out @ €11 for the phone line and broadband @ additional €15 - So cheaper if you use it that often.

[maccasa]

Hi michael - I tried that with my nokia system - connecting it to my laptop and using the vodafone pt sim card - still burnt fast with any downloads! Im working on another approach and will let you know.

[Michael Crane]

Hi michael - I tried that with my nokia system - connecting it to my laptop and using the vodafone pt sim card - still burnt fast with any downloads! Im working on another approach and will let you know.

Keep me posted.

[EMM]

Why not buy a local vodaphone dongle ???

[fmm]

FOr £10 my vodafone dongle had something like 600Mb which is a reasonable amount for holiday use. If you are doing anything other than holiday use, then you ought to get a proper phone line and get broadband from that.
Don't go for minutes as it is too easy to accidentally leave the dongle connected (did that the first time and burnt £10 in a day).

[Hoser]

Try this site to unlock your dongle: http://www.dc-unlocker.com/. After reading many forums, it appears the whole world including the U.K. unlocks their dongles in addition to their cell phones (you call them mobiles on the Island). I bought a TMN dongle this year and unlocked it using DC-Unlocker. I now can use it with any sim and pay-as-you-go plan in the UK, Europe. It makes it easier finding the best low priced broadband wireless supplier while travelling in various countries. Try it.

[WEK]

Re using a Blackberry as a Modem. I have done it in Canada but it’s a very expensive way of doing it. I tested it vs. a regular modem and cost difference unbelievable. I have used my Canadian Blackberry for a number of years (not as modem) in Carvoeiro and got excellent reception. What I did was set up my regular (non BB) email to forward messages to my BB but to keep cost down I go into the filter on my regular email and set it up so it only forwards emails from people I want to hear from and most important, set your BB not to accept attachments. I would receive 3 to 4 emails per day on my BB and this usually cost about 1 Canadian dollar per day.

Having said that, last year I bought a TMN dongle for my laptop for 60 Euros and a pay as you go system for I think it was 20 Euros per month for 2 MB. I believe this better than paying by minute since no danger of accidently leaving it switched on and using up all your minutes. One problem is if you don't use the dongle for 90 days you have to buy a new sim card for it but you can avoid this by paying TMN on line 10 Euros every 3 months and this is credited to your use when you return. I do this for my phone also. This winter, this is system I will use.

Finally, yes you can unlock a dongle from UK or anywhere just like you can unlock a phone, In Canada many shops will do it for you and probably same in UK. I did this with my phone but since didn't have a Canadian dongle simply paid my 60 Euros for one in Portugal.

Hope this helps

[maccasa]

the latest dongles have unlimited "life" and dont die after 90 days on pay-as-u-go

[Ma-Ja's]

We have a local Vodafone dongle which we pay 35 euros a month for. This gives us unlimited time/downlaods etc. The only problem is that you have to take a year's contract, which is OK if you live here but maybe won't be that cost effective if you don't.

[maccasa]

For less than €35/mth I think you get a PT phone and cabo braodband - obviously much faster than dongles - I spoke to someone in aug who has this - he said the PT phone was €11/mth and the cabo broadband was ~ €20. Certainly you can get a full package inc TV for €39.99 - its advertised on a huge board on the way in to CVO before Intermarche.

[Ma-Ja's]

For less than €35/mth I think you get a PT phone and cabo braodband - obviously much faster than dongles - I spoke to someone in aug who has this - he said the PT phone was €11/mth and the cabo broadband was ~ €20. Certainly you can get a full package inc TV for €39.99 - its advertised on a huge board on the way in to CVO before Intermarche.

The only problem I have is that I need internet connection for both at home and in the restaurant and this was the cheapest way I found of achieving that.

Now that I have done it this way, I am sure someone will come up with a cheaper way of doing it

[fmm]

Plus the dfficulty of those who do not live in Cvo to make an appointment to be there in order to get the line installed! My main plus point is that I only pay for what I use, and I don't pay for the 8 months when I am not out there!