Mobile internet

[Burbage]

It seems that hotels etc in Australia are never going to understand the marketing advantage of offering free internet access, so it looks like I need moblie connection of some sort. I know that various companies do these in Oz via differnet methods, a USB gadget, via a telephone etc. Has anyone looked into it? I'm just looking for a connection, nothing fancy. Cheap and reliable. Recommendations? Methods?

[Fat Bob]

I have used my Nokia phone via a PC connection to browse the internet. It is possible to use the Bluetooth and IR ports, but in the end the cable was so much easier.

The newer versions of the Nokia software make the set up very easy (ou just click on a button). I can't always get it to work when abroad. You will have to check you phone model to make sure it can do it, you do have a 5-year old phone so not sure what it's capabilities are. I would suspect the bandwidth would be limited to 56kbs. With mine it reports a 300+kbs bandwidth.

If you are stuck to your laptop to do the work, then the USB dongle with SIM card or pcmi (?) card with SIM card is an option as well, but depends on what your providers allow you to do.

Last option is a new phone with web-browsing support.....surely you wouldn't succumb to that?!?!?

[Snaffled]

Free Internet is coming at hotels, but it'll be phased in for certain customers, and Australia will lag behind in offering it. The cost in Australia in particular is way too high but most people are still willing to pay. Europe is also very expensive but many other places are more reasonable or it is being bundled as a package.
Not that this helps at all with getting mobile internet access..

[Burbage]

I'm more interested in productivity than browsing. So a phone only option isn't much use. But I might consider a phone which connects and provides a wireless signal for other devices an option. that would allow use of both my Palm and my iBook. Ihavn't got bluetooth in teh mac, but I can always buy the appropriate hardware. The hardware isn't really the problem though, in the end it's the monthly costs that you need to keep low. And you'll often get the hardware cheap or for free with the plan.
Anyone know the best deal from the Australian service providers? From a basic chocolate, vodaphone seems the cheapest with a USB thingy.

[Kooky]

We have the Big Pond mobile internet plug-in gadget but had to take out a contract to get it - about A$50 a month.

[Burbage]

Vodaphone is 30$ so it is still ahead. Though there is an option from Telstra for pay as you go with 2$ for every megabyte per session.

[Kooky]

If it's for occasional use, PAYG may be more economical. We took this one out as we couldn't get broadband quickly enough to satisfy my internet addiction; thankfully Neo can claim for it.

[Fat Bob]

I do it through my phone purely as it's an occasional thing. Therefore my costs are pretty low, and I don't worry about them. Simple really.

[Burbage]

Your needs are different to mine FB, and the phone suits you. If I only have a phone with me I won't need an internet connection, because I can't do the things I want the internet for on a phone.

[Burbage]

You could be right with PAYG Kooky. As obviously I don't need it at home. And since I'm already a Telstra customer it might be worth looking into.

[baloo]

The new nokia phones (3.5g) have a piece of software that turns them into a WiFi hot spot. The phone connects using 3 or 3.5G and the devices connect to the Nokia via WiFi. Obviously you want a good wireless data plan for that. here in SNG I get unlimited data for $36 a month.

It also means you need to upgrade your devices to use it, but it means that where ever you get a phone signal, you can have a WiFi connection. It's a bit like the 5 blades of mobile computing.

[Burbage]

It's a bit like the 5 blades of mobile computing.

You mean it's only 1% better than something half the price?

I'll look into the phone thing. If I can get a good deal on a phone that can do that with a plan it might be worth looking into. Howdoes it impact the battery life of the phone?

[baloo]

It's a bit like the 5 blades of mobile computing.

You mean it's only 1% better than something half the price?

I'll look into the phone thing. If I can get a good deal on a phone that can do that with a plan it might be worth looking into. Howdoes it impact the battery life of the phone?

Don't know, I don't own it, I've just had a demo of it. I imagine battery life will be impacted, but I'd assume it's more than 1%

[Bender]

Anyone know the best deal from the Australian service providers?

Cheapest (as long as you're within their coverage area because when out of range the fallback is to roam onto the Tel$tra network): 3Mobile.

Greatest coverage, and highest cost: Tel$tra.

You generally have a choice of expresscard or USB modems. The expresscard is more compact, but the USB is more versatile in that you can plug it into any USB compatible computer. You can also get WiFi routers (like the Netcomm) which support the wireless modems.

There was an article about wireless broadband in a recent Choice magazine.

edit: crappy link, missing spaces

[Fat Bob]

Your needs are different to mine FB, and the phone suits you. If I only have a phone with me I won't need an internet connection, because I can't do the things I want the internet for on a phone.

I'm glad my needs are different to you. It's ballsing up your thread like you do with everyone else's

But sorry, I meant to say I connect my PC to a phone and get to the internet that way. As an occassional user (mainly because Singapore is so small I never bother) then this is quite convienient, as long as you can get the reported 300+kbs. It costs the price of a cable and the new Nokia phones are using standard mini-USB cables (or standard enough that I have ones provided by at least 4 other vendors including Canon, Seagate and Logitech).

Battery life of the phone would be impacted, but only as much as the battery life of your laptop. If you are in your proverbial hotel room searching the internet for....well, whatever a single man alone in a hotel room would search for, then laptop and phone chargers would be available, so not an issue.

[Burbage]

Even that is probably the least convenient option FB. Baloo's wifi option would be better since I could connect my Palm and my iBook (though maybe there is a cable for the palm). Wifi is the impact on battery life I was talking about, not just having the phone on.

Thanks Bender. That's useful.

[Burbage]

Hmmm... having examined all that it looks like taking my data on a USB key to an internet cafe is still the best option. Ho hum.

[Fat Bob]

Must say, cost of most of these thing would also make me look for an internet cafe. One thing about Singapore, it seems much more friendly with these things.

[Kooky]

Must say, cost of most of these thing would also make me look for an internet cafe. One thing about Singapore, it seems much more friendly with these things.

There are lots of things I love about Australia but its level of technological advancement is not one of them.

[Burbage]

In Paris virtually all the pubs and cafes have free internet. Once one starts the rest have to follow.

[Kooky]

And it's not like you can go to Starbucks 'cos they've started shutting them down already!

[Bender]

Did someone say "free internet"? You could always download netstumbler and go piggyback.

[BFG]

I'm guessing that is very different to bareback...

[Bender]

I'm guessing that is very different to bareback...

Don't know... what is "bareback"? Is it an IT thing? I've found a couple of definitions, but don't know that any of them fit in this context.

[BFG]

Less an IT, more an OT thing...