Wednesday 4 August 2010

Mobile internet

Our mobile broadband contract with 3 had expired, so they sent us an offer for a new, faster dongle.  The cost was the same, but the monthly allowance was a lot less, down from 5GB per month to 1GB.  We rarely use anything like 5GB in a month, but it’s nice to know it’s there.  So Adrian rang them and said we’d like the new dongle, and we’d like to keep paying the same.  And we’d like to continue our existing allowance.  After a while, they said yes.


When the new dongle arrived, we discovered it had nowhere to plug in the antenna we stick on the roof of the boat to improve the signal.  A bit of research turned up a little device which plugs into the antenna, and connects to the dongle merely by touch.  It’s held on with a bit of velcro.




I can’t yet tell whether it works.  The connection with the antenna doesn’t match, so I’ve had to buy an FME to SMA connector from eBay.  So it looks as though all the savings from the 3 contract are being spent on all the bits and pieces to go with it.

2 comments:

Dave&Chris NB Silkwood said...

Adam
I have one of those 5GB for £7-50 a month thats way past it's 18 month contract.
When we were last in Chester in April i queried about any updated dongles & they wanted to sell me a new contract, less MB for same money.
I decided on keeping what i had!!
I only use the dongle when out on Silkwood & occassionally when visiting relatives.

Halfie said...

We have a "3" mobile broadband dongle which we use on a pay-as-you-go basis. £10 buys 30 days or 1GB, whichever gets used up first. We've never got anywhere near using up the 1GB allowance in 30 days, but we use it only on the boat. I assume that as you have a contract you use it at home as well, in which case the allowance limit might be more important...