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  • Mobile Broadband

    I've only had my little IdeaPad for two years & I've just discovered this section in the user guide. :o
    Apparently there is a place to insert a 'SIM card' but can anyone explain to me how this works & if it is expensive to use mobile broadband?
    I only, very rarely, use PAYG on my phone.
    Vivienne passed away July 2013

  • #2
    No-one else has replied, so here's my gut feeling!

    Taking the SIM card from your mobile phone and putting it in the IdeaPad would mean the phone network would (try to) treat the Pad as if it were the phone. Such as setting up a broadband connection. Then (depending what applications the Pad has installed) you might be able to send text messages, download a film to watch, or check on FamilyTreeForum! I think it is likely to be expensive compared with home use but it may still be good value for money if what you want to do does not involve sending/receiving a lot of data. With PAYG (ie prepaid credit) you may be cut off in mid-flow, of course!

    Anyone with real experience to share with Vivienne?

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    • #3
      Thanks for trying Col, our thinking is along the same lines.
      I wouldn't want to use it that often but I was hoping it might be cheaper to use than the hospital system when I have to go in again, it would certainly be easier. I don't download music or movies, it would only be for emails, FTF, FB or maybe a bit of research, depending how long I'm in for & how I feel. lol
      The ideal would be to link it to my home phone/broadband deal but I haven't found any indication that that could be done.
      Vivienne passed away July 2013

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      • #4
        Vivienne, you might be better off looking at a dongle - which basically looks very similar to a USB stick which plugs into the side of the computer.
        I have used one in the past when we have been in the UK and I need internet connection. I can activate mine whenever I want for short periods of time, e.g. for 1 week/2 weeks/1 month etc. - I don't have any sort of permanent contract on it.

        When I was looking to purchase it the first thing I did was to visit a website which told me which ISP had the best coverage for the postcodes we were visiting. I can't find the link at the moment and am just getting ready to go out, but will have a search for it later today (unless someone else can give it to you in the meantime).

        The dongle I use is from T Mobile - http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/
        Elaine







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        • #5
          Check this thread Vivienne - might be something of use on there.
          Elaine







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          • #6
            Thanks Elaine, I don't pretend to understand how they work but I had thought of a dongle before I discovered my SIM slot.
            From reading that thread it seems a dongle needs a SIM so surely my Idea Pad slot does the same thing without a dongle.
            Vivienne passed away July 2013

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            • #7
              Sorry Vivienne, I've no idea. :(
              Elaine







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              • #8
                We use a sim card in our ipad. We got ours from "three" and the speed seems good along with the coverage. To date we have not had a problem using it. We pay £15 for 10Gb download capacity and we have never run out. We do however use our wireless broadband when at home but we are perfectly happy with the service from using the sim when not at home

                Linda
                LindaG

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                • #9
                  Thank you Linda, the first person who knows what I'm talking about! lol

                  Do you get your mobile phone from Three as well, do you have to take out a contract? I only have the simplest of mobile phones from Orange on PAYG & I have no idea how it would work with my IdeaPad.

                  I guess if I go into the local Orange shop they may be able to tell me. I think I do have a spare SIM actually, as last year I bought a cheap phone just to get a new battery for my phone.
                  Vivienne passed away July 2013

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                  • #10
                    Slightly peripheral, but the latest (December 2011 !!) Computer Shopper magazine (the UK mag of that name) has an article on UK Broadband, with 5 paragraphs on Mobile Broadband (page 110-111). It is about performance and coverage rather than cost. The next few paras are about public WiFi, and that does talk about cost as well.

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                    • #11
                      Viv

                      We don't have a mobile phone at all, OH has one from work and we make use of that when we need. The £15 a month that we pay is not the cheapest package out there but suits our needs as OH takes it everywhere with him. The ipad we have takes a micro sim and when we got ours, the sim cost us nothing and the £15 a month is only a 30 day rolling contract so we can cancel when we like.

                      This site might help you get an idea of cost - they seem to be pushing 3 and vodaphone at the moment though, but my guess is they are all much the same.

                      http://www.uswitch.com/broadband/com...pad_sim_cards/

                      I would take the pad into the local shop and see what they can offer.

                      Linda
                      LindaG

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                      • #12
                        Thanks Col & Linda, I'll have to do some research before I need it.
                        Vivienne passed away July 2013

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                        • #13
                          Sorry, Dont want to hi-jack the thread.
                          Does anyone know of a mobile broadband dongle that I could top up and use, and then say not use it for a
                          few months but when I go back to use it my original top up is still "active" ? (until the data is used up of course)
                          Regards......John

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                          • #14
                            yes you can now if you google mobile broadband you can top up there is quite a lot of info on it

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