3G Home Options!

alexx

alexx

alexx

Associate
Joined
18 May 2006
Posts
784
Hi guys,

I'm sadly moving to an area that doesn't have a decent cabinet or wired phone line system in Scotland...

The good news is that there is a 3G mast in the field near the house.

I can get a 20mb connection to it outside but the walls are thick so I need some external antenna / wifi / homeplug solution.

Has anyone done this with any specific recommendations?

Also does anyone know what package would be best for mobile data usage? I can live with a 20gb cap is needs be but I'm a web designer so need it to be reliable.
 
A web designer, moving to an area with no reliable forms of internet access does not sound like the greatest idea ever.
3G dongles aren't bad but I wouldn't try doing anything mission critical like run a business using one.
 
It does sounds slightly wild I know but the potential of moving to this area is far greater than this hurdle.

I think the technology part isn't too bad the issue seems to be which contract will actually let me use this much data!

But I'm keen to hear from both the hardware and software point before I go with satellite which is reliable just terrible pings.
 
If this is going to be your business and you're working from home then seriously consider a leased line.
 
DG13 OHW is the closest but it's not right on it for the map.

Leased lines sound extremely expensive..... I only turn over around 40k tops.
 
Just a quick google shows it'd be cheaper to get a leased Audi and commute for internet and I'd still be quids in rather than a leased line :D
 
Have you heard of the Scottish Broadband Roll Out before? Link below.

http://www.uswitch.com/broadband/guides/scottish_broadband_roll_out/

Looking at your exchange if the same as your actual postcode, you're only option is ADSL! In your OP do you mean you have a phone line but it's presumably very long and unstable? Or you don't have an actual physical BT line at all?

Mobile coverage wise, EE seems to be the only network offering 3G coverage in your area!?

Satellite broadband could be an option as well if you don't plan on any ping-sensitive games? i.e. online FPS, RTS, etc.

Example company -
http://www.satellitebroadbanduk.com/tooway-satellite-broadband-scotland
 
It is a BT cabinet I believe, and the quality and hardware is very ropey. Even the closest town (Langholm) at the start of the valley keep having shocking performance and reliability issues when they are meant to be on a solid 6mb.

The roll out plans as far as I'm aware on on halt in our area... they got some good funding to update the cabinet and lines in the valley but its all on hold until BT decide if they will pilot their fibre roll out in the area.

Basically leaving me with needing an option for the next 2 years I'd imagine.

The people in the valley at the moment use Tooway for satellite which is expensive if you compare it against what the Three One "All you can eat" package used to offer but its not ridiculous.

Basically I was more tempted with 3G as I can do 1 month rolling contracts or at least shorter contracts. Have a better ping (circa 80ms) and 20 down 3mb up.

I don't fancy getting tied into a crap package and if the 3g out performs satellite then it seems wiser to go that way.

Since there is a vodafone and tmobile mast there shouldn't that mean that services like Three (who I thought use T Mobile) would be active in the area also?

Many thanks
 
Oh and the link you said was just the basic option that was granted to Scotland rural areas I think which is boggo satellite for no better price other than free installation I believe but still with lengthy contracts and poor allowances.
 
I wouldn't recommend using SiteFinder, as some of the networks don't provide information to OFCOM anymore.

It looks like it is an MBNL site, so you SHOULD get Three and EE coverage.

A quick look on the Three site, shows you'll get DC-HSDPA from that site (http://www.three.co.uk/Support/Coverage), however the results don't look great for EE and I'm not sure why, it seems 3G could be a hit or miss and you might only get 2G via them at that location.

Vodafone are only showing 2G in that location and o2 shows no coverage. So it looks like your only real option at that location (according to the coverage checkers from each network) is Three.

I'll let others that are more up to date with antennas / 3G routers to give you some options.
 
Last edited:
I should have mentioned - I know for a fact that EE outside gets a good 3g signal (20mb down 3mb up) so I was kinda thinking three would be the same.

I guess it was more of a question of what hardware to keep that signal strong inside and what package that won't bend me over on data usage.. I dont mind getting a bit creative with tethering with a dedicated phone and resetting it every morning if needs be.
 
4GEE+ seem to have a package with a dongle that is 50gb a month for £50. which I can just about live with.

I probably can get away with 20gb of data but dont want to go over their limits as it gets costly!

The Three one package was meant to be very good with a true unlimited data cap with tethering but now it seems they may actually call unlimited 2gb...

doh!

Why are the allowances so small!
 
alexx said:
4GEE+ seem to have a package with a dongle that is 50gb a month for £50. which I can just about live with.

I probably can get away with 20gb of data but dont want to go over their limits as it gets costly!

The Three one package was meant to be very good with a true unlimited data cap with tethering but now it seems they may actually call unlimited 2gb...

doh!

Why are the allowances so small!
Click to expand...

I thought that was only with phone plans. Sim only is still unlimited?

Cheap smart phone and off you go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom