Broadband dongle

[Flo]

This is latest dongle from Broadband and it looks a bit like the arrangements offered by '3' where you pay a one off fee for dongle including some free gigs of usage, no contract or minimum use, just top up as necessary. Not absolutely sure that it does not expire but seems not to so may be worth a look for existing BT BB customers. £39.99 for existing customers.

Tel no 0800 731 0286 to find out more - but very busy at the moment!!!!!

http://www.productsandservices.bt.co...=CON-MOBILE-R1

[Guest]

Having a quick look at the website my reading of it is that there is a one month expiry date on each top up, much like 3 and all the others. Vodafone was the exception, and I have used mine for nearly two years on the origional £15 usage, but they stopped selling the scheme this year, although I have just topped up without problems. You may still be able to get the Vodafone deal on Amazon, I haven't looked lately.
Colin

[Flo]

Whoops, I meant Vodaphone, which I have. I could not find out about the expiry but it does say no minimum usage which I took to mean no expiry. Still can't get through but will have another go today as it would be great if the others could get the same as the Vodaphone if they wanted.

BT do do an offer of anywhere internet by joining their shared network BTFon for free. Will have a look at that too. Apparently you share your broadband but security is covered and that means others also share and if you are within range of them you can use their access.

[Graham]

My Vodafone dongle has stopped working for some reason and I've still got about £2 credit.

As Colin says they have stopped selling the original 1gb dongles even on Amazon and you now only get 30 days to use up your credit on the new ones.

[Flo]

Just phoned Bt and the small print does say you have to use it up. Shame about why your dongle doesn't work but worth keeping the sim card or whatever as it may work in anothe dongle or take it back Graham.

Have checked out the BTfon and sounds like a good option for free wireless access anywhere and the more who sign up the more places to be able to use it.

[Tentpeg]

BT Openzone maybe an option. I have the misfortune to be a BT customer, (no other realistic alternative). But they have this new idea which I think is (credit where it is due) is brilliant.

As a customer you agree to set aside a very small part of your bandwidth for other people's use, appropriately secured by BT, this is an openzone. AS a bt customer you have access to other openzones free. SO when you are out on your travels if your computer can pick up another BT customer you can log in using your original account details.

I do not use broadband camping and have not had a chance to use it since I took out the new broadband contract.

Also I suspect BT will be more prevelent in rural areas as they will have my problem. Many of the rural exchanges have not been updated and Talk Talk, Virgin etc are charged an access fee to provide broadband of I think £15 a month (this sum maynot be quite correct but you get the idea). This means the packages offered by any other company other than BT are different to the standard ones they offer and make them more expensive than BT. So you are stuck with INDIAN telecome (otherwise known as BT).

[Vanderella]

The BTfon is a wonderful idea in principle and I have tried to use it. Problem is, it does not seem to work in the places we like to camp - up mountains, deep in the forest, lonely beaches etc etc. Also have a 3 dongle. It is an absolute pain having to pay £10 each month, only using 10 minutes or so and have the rest expire.

More and more sites are getting Wireless now, and that can work well providing they do not charge too much. I have stayed on a couple where it is free (Yipee!!). Nothing worse than wading through a bog, dongle in one hand, lap top in other, trying to get a signal!

Every time I declare that I am not going to take the lap top, leave it at home and have a relaxing and stressfree weekend. But it seems to pack itself!

[gadgetman]

My Vodafone dongle has stopped working for some reason and I've still got about £2 credit.

As Colin says they have stopped selling the original 1gb dongles even on Amazon and you now only get 30 days to use up your credit on the new ones.

Hi Graham my Vodafone dongle is still working I am on it now sending this reply, still with fifteen quid to go, very happy with it.

[Graham]

Hi Graham my Vodafone dongle is still working I am on it now sending this reply, still with fifteen quid to go, very happy with it.

Hi Bryan

I've managed to get it going again, I went into a Vodafone shop and he told me to uninstall the software and reinstall, I thought I had already done that but I did it again plus tried one or two other things and its working again.
The chap in the shop also said they don't sell these dongles anymore the new ones give you £15 but it runs out in 30 days!! We'd never use up £15 in 30 days so I'm glad I've got mine going again.

[lunnie]

mine is still going strong as well!! I brought my dongle after reading about yours Graham. Had to use it at home when my router died due to a power surge whilst I was away, so it has been of excellent value.

[Graham]

mine is still going strong as well!! I brought my dongle after reading about yours Graham. Had to use it at home when my router died due to a power surge whilst I was away, so it has been of excellent value.

Yes they are excellent value Joan, in fact too good value, that's why they have been discontinued, glad we got one when we did, well done with yours.