Using a 3G modem as primary internet

Associate
Joined
7 Nov 2011
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128
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North Yorkshire
Hi,

Currently I am on a ADSL line and it is very slow, maximum is 1.8Mbps, now around 480kbps! I am not in a particularly remote area but it is rural and we are far from the exchange so I don't think there's much hope.

I sometimes tether my mobile device to my computer but it isn't really sustainable and can't use it for the whole network. Do any ISPs provide a 3G connection/modem?

I could afford up to around £40, and would probably need a download allowance of around 80GB.

Thanks!
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Nov 2004
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3,792
Get yourself a Three "The One Plan" SIM. This allows tethering and "All-You-Can-Eat" data (which in reality is 1TB of usage a month) and is the best that I am aware of for this kind of thing. Shouldn't be more than £15 a month either.

Edit: Just tried looking for the £15 SIM and it seems that deal ended in January 2014. You can still get The One Plan SIMs they are just more expensive now.
 
Last edited:

bJN

bJN

Soldato
Joined
23 Nov 2009
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Norwich
Get yourself a Three "The One Plan" SIM. This allows tethering and "All-You-Can-Eat" data (which in reality is 1TB of usage a month) and is the best that I am aware of for this kind of thing. Shouldn't be more than £15 a month either.

Edit: Just tried looking for the £15 SIM and it seems that deal ended in January 2014. You can still get The One Plan SIMs they are just more expensive now.

Not any more unfortunately. When 4G arrived they decided to can the all-you-can-eat data idea, so to speak. There is still a version available to do it, which I think is £20, but it's bloody awkward to actually get it.
 
Associate
OP
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I still have unlimited tethering on my SIM but I don't really want to use it for the whole network.

Relish.net seems interesting, but it isn't in my area. Virgin Cable isn't either, but I'd rather avoid the big brands anyway. :(

Go back the good ol' days of fapping over the Next directory

Hahaha.... :(
 
Soldato
Joined
17 Jun 2012
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11,259
I use 3g as primary internet at the moment, have for a few months. It's a bit iffy for videos like youtube. iPlayer sometimes works, the rest is generally fine. If you google for yaki aerials or something like that you will find a page of some ex-telecoms guy who builds his own antenna/disk thing which can vastly improve your reception, all about angles and hardcore electromagnetism theory of propagating waves through the atmosphere. You can also get USB crappier aerials never tried either btw but I am sure they work to some degree. I say that about the aerial as you will always get better 3g reception on a laptop compared to a PC, can be quite a big difference as the laptop has a built in wifi antenna and the 3g must somehow utilise that(i assume), or maybe the actually shape of the laptop acts as an antennae itself, but to conclude, a good antennae can/will make a substantial difference. You can also check coverage available on the providers websites, usually pretty accurate. I would suggest buy a PAYG dongle for about £15 you should get a £10 starter and see if it works.
 

bJN

bJN

Soldato
Joined
23 Nov 2009
Posts
3,697
Location
Norwich
If cable/ adsl are out you might consider satellite?

Horrendous ping times but probably no worse than mobile internet.

Mobile internet latency is far, far better than satellite. I used to get ~150ms on 3G out in the sticks, and sub 40ms in cities.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
7 Nov 2011
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128
Location
North Yorkshire
We're currently using VOIP so satellite probably wouldn't work either. :(

3G is fantastic. I have used 30GB and it is still working at 12Mbps during peak times.

I didn't really understand about the ariael? Are we enhancing the 3G connection?

I'm out in the sticks as well 4k from the exchange, so ADSL is slow and is often down.
When needed I use the mobile network for connection.

H+ on Mifi or tethering. http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/a/903177458

Nice! Is that 4G? I bet you don't get much download allowance though!
 
Associate
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Land of Dragons
No 3G H+, and its been unlimited so far for me when I have needed to use it, use Three and the £15 all you can eat data PAYG booster/add on for 30 days, when needed.
 
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