[liam182]

sorry if its in wrong section.

why is mobile data so expensive!! 25p for 400Kb i mean come on.

The network is already there. We should be having real unlimited data for around £3 month bolt ons these days.

You can get unlimited home broadband for much cheaper.

Whats the cheapest network for mobile data, any good deals around at the minute?


Liam

[martin_eyles]

O2 do a bolt on for data at about £7.50 a month. It's got a fair usage policy, but I think most of the mobile operators' data packages have.

[flatfrogger]

This is one of the reasons I went with t mobile, with a phone capable of 3.5g I didn't want to be stung with O2's stupid and unrealistic data charges, my sister didn't know about it and managed to clock up around £50 on data charges alone when she got her SE

[liam182]

the one for £7.50 a month hardly gives you anything though!

[psychomania]

Thats O2 for you!

They love to rip their customers off.

[patc]

I think you'll find that's EVERY network!

Last time I checked, the best deal was with T-Mobile but even that is over-priced - and has the totally un-"fair usage" cap - that really ought to be illegal: either something's unlimited OR there's a cap, it can't be both.

Actually, if 02 are charging 64p/MB they're WAY cheaper than some. I think Voda charge up to £2/MB under certain circumstances - like using data

With UK property prices in free-fall, it's still going to be cheaper to buy a house with broadband everywhere you're ever likely to go

[frenchmeat]

I never thought i'd actually go up to bat for a provider, but I think O2 freakin rocks. Their phones are unlocked, their plans are reasonable, and they don't gouge you when you use Voice over IP through their network. Their international rates are not THAT bad for out of the box plans.

And (/me covers his ears) their Data Plan, while I agree it really should not be capped, really offers more than you will need with a Mobile. I'm a really heavy user of the 3g network for Truphone (voice over IP), for web browsing, and for checking my G-Mail account and I don't come close to the 200mb limit. Its really hard for a mobile to get there. Especially if you use Opera Mini which optimizes web pages to a measly 100kb or less.

Of all the providers I honestly believe O2 is the lesser of the evils. Especially since they have unlocked phones and open networks with no hidden charges when you use the data plan however you want to. 200mb is enough especially if you use Wifi at home in between that.

[psychomania]

I agree with most of that but 200mb isn't enough if you want to download music or maps.

Also why call it unlimited when it's not???

I've stuck with O2 for years because they don't lock the phones but now they don't want you to update the phones, which really annoys me. They can sell N95's with v12 or V20 but you can't update to it.

[frenchmeat]

I fully aggree. Theres no way that I will 1.) Stream Nokia Internet Radio over 3g or 2.) Buy tracks over Nokia's Music store over 3g unless I know how many MB's I have left for the month and feel that I need to kill my limit in one swift move to get my money's worth.

However, the reason this doesn't bother me is that constant 3g connection absolutely obliterates my battery. When I DO listen to internet radio via o2 3g I can guarantee it will nuke my battery in no time. I'm talking about losing a few bars within 30-45 minutes of usage.

I think they will eventually remove the cap but I'm pretty happy until then.

[patc]

Is that 200MB per day? Per Week? Per Month?

200MB would definitely last a long time for browsing and e-mail, thing is, the networks seem to want us to use our phones for music downloads, YouTube etc etc

I use around 300MB each Friday morning when I do my weekly podcast download session .. that would be a VERY expensive 30 minutes if I used my phone.

[psychomania]

Per month.

[frenchmeat]

Patc -

But thats the point. It would take you ages to download 300mb over 3g via your Nokia. Also, it would obliterate your battery.

Chances are you're doing it while your phone is plugged into the power charger. If its plugged into the power charger the chances are very high that you are also close to a Wifi network. Then these problems are no longer problems.

I see where you are all coming from and of course I agree it would be best to have unlimited data (as they freaking advertise it - I still can't wrap my head around how they get away with that here in the UK. I'm pretty sure you can't say UNLIMITED LOL and have a freaking limit in the USA. But I digress). However, just know that if you restrict heavy downloads to when you are on Wifi and you use 3g for things like browsing or Voice over IP you'll be just fine.

[patc]

---

20-Dec-2007 10:14 AM
frenchmeat wrote:
But thats the point. It would take you ages to download 300mb over 3g via your Nokia

---

Is it really that slow?! I thought 3G speeds were reasonable .. can you tell I'm way to tight to have tried?

[frenchmeat]

To be honest, its fast, but not as fast as Wifi. And it cuts out quite frequently especially when attempting large downloads. For me at least and I live , work, and really never leave Central London.

So yes- its faster than edge no question. But as fast as Wifi? Hell no!!!

[d3ville]

o2 sales guy here so shh lol

the web bolt on for 7.50 p/m yeh u get 200mb, but tbh, that bolt on is aimed a lot at blackberry's, for there emails n stuff, sure people wanna ave it 4 other phones but 200mb is a lot remember, for a phone, simple browsin remember, and u ave the option to turn of images on sites aswell, so thats not eatin away at ur mb's either, but if u want internet on the move, buy a laptop, buy a data card and ave 3gb of browsin for 30quid a month lol

[liam182]

you shouldnt have to turn images off. Mobile operators charge way over the odds for data. FACT.

[paholman]

I'm tempted to move to O2 from Orange PAYG for their "Simplicity" SIM Card at £15 per month (30 day notice period) and a £7.50 "unlimited" usage bolt on. I have an unlocked N95 8GB, and using it more and more on PAYG for calls and data is costing me a fortune in topups.

Many networks define "unlimited" but cap to a limit, but do they actually do anything if you go over the limit. I read "3"'s terms and con's about this, and they said frequent overuse will bar you from using it until the following month.

Do "o2" have the same clause?

and yes, it's definitely against trading standards to call it "unlimited" if it's capped.

There's a crackdown in the UK on the "up to 8MB" broadband packages when hardly anyone is getting anywhere near that speed. Providers are being asked (not pushed) to describe their network speeds with a "minimum" or "maximum" as opposed to "up to".

The same should be done with Mobile Network Providers and their "unlimited" data plans. As someone else described it's either "unlimited" or "capped". It can't be both!

Message Edited by paholman on 21-Dec-2007 12:51 PM

[d3ville]

---

21-Dec-2007 12:49 PM
paholman wrote:
I'm tempted to move to O2 from Orange PAYG for their "Simplicity" SIM Card at £15 per month (30 day notice period) and a £7.50 "unlimited" usage bolt on. I have an unlocked N95 8GB, and using it more and more on PAYG for calls and data is costing me a fortune in topups.

Many networks define "unlimited" but cap to a limit, but do they actually do anything if you go over the limit. I read "3"'s terms and con's about this, and they said frequent overuse will bar you from using it until the following month.

Do "o2" have the same clause?

and yes, it's definitely against trading standards to call it "unlimited" if it's capped.

There's a crackdown in the UK on the "up to 8MB" broadband packages when hardly anyone is getting anywhere near that speed. Providers are being asked (not pushed) to describe their network speeds with a "minimum" or "maximum" as opposed to "up to".

The same should be done with Mobile Network Providers and their "unlimited" data plans. As someone else described it's either "unlimited" or "capped". It can't be both!

Message Edited by paholman on 21-Dec-2007 12:51 PM

---

long as u dnt go over the 200 mb ur fine, if u do, u wont get charged for it, but constant over usage of over 200mb, will result in o2 sending u letters to calm ur usage, and afetr a few letters if u continue they will tell u in the letter they will cut u off

[patc]

T-Mob cut your network speed for 14 days after they've warned you and eventually kick you off if you keep exceeding the hard limit .. sorry, "fair usage".

Re the "crackdown" on broadband speed claims: the Gadget Show's trying to get a backlash going but so far only one tiny ISP is actually taking any notice and all they're doing is quoting the range of possible speeds the BT exchange reports, so instead of them saying "up to 8" they'll be saying "between 2 and 8". No money back if you're paying for 8 but getting 2.

Also, don't forget that "fair usage" scam started on broadband.

We really should be complaining to Ofcom (or whichever toothless, industry-friendly quango looks after these things) about the so called "unlimited" plans .. not that it'll do any good at all. At best they'll waste hundreds of thousands of our money on an "enquiry" (read: series of ludicrously well paid junkets complete with industry "entertainment" and "assistance" ) which will find in favour of the networks.

Cynical? Me?

I prefer to think of it as realistic ..

Message Edited by patc on 21-Dec-2007 02:49 PM

[junglism]

@freshmeat
Do you still use truphone over 3G? i've tried it and cant get it to work. Have googled for ages and cant find any instructions. would very much appreciate knowing how to use it if you have the time

cheers