News - Three unveils premium dongle

[HEXUS]

Huawei E367 offers performance boost.

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[Noli]

My ZTE Blade (Orange San Francisco) android smartphone cost £100 (you can get for £80) on PAYG and unlocked it and went to giffgaff (which use O2 network) to get 250 mins and truly *unlimited* data for £15 / mth. Although it's not technically allowed in the contract, I can simply tether a laptop to the mobile for 3-5 mbit 3G internet. You can USB tether or create a mobile hotspot for up to 4 devices. Sure it's a little slower than this new HSPA+ but for the same money you get most of the same mobile internet capability, a smartphone and 250 mins of talk. I know some people don't know how to sort it all out but I know what I'd rather have...

[aidanjt]

Anything made by Huawei can hardly be called 'premium'. :\

[directhex]

My ZTE Blade (Orange San Francisco) android smartphone cost £100 (you can get for £80) on PAYG and unlocked it and went to giffgaff (which use O2 network) to get 250 mins and truly *unlimited* data for £15 / mth. Although it's not technically allowed in the contract, I can simply tether a laptop to the mobile for 3-5 mbit 3G internet. You can USB tether or create a mobile hotspot for up to 4 devices. Sure it's a little slower than this new HSPA+ but for the same money you get most of the same mobile internet capability, a smartphone and 250 mins of talk. I know some people don't know how to sort it all out but I know what I'd rather have...

Worth pointing out that Three will give you "truly *unlimited* data for £15 / mth", with 300 minutes, with an explicit "yes we approve of tethering", with PAYG.

[Noli]

Worth pointing out that Three will give you "truly *unlimited* data for £15 / mth", with 300 minutes, with an explicit "yes we approve of tethering", with PAYG.

Thanks - didn't realise about this recent deal until your post. Apparently people have called and Three's 'unlimited' is actually 80GB/mth, which is huge, but still not unlimited. Legitimate tethering is definitely a bonus though. Either way I don't really see the point of dongles apart from more easy to use for those who don't know about/want to tether.

Giffgaff prices now updated: £10 gets you 250 mins, unlimited texts & internet & giffgaff-to-giffgaff calls. 50 fewer mins but otherwise similar to Three £15 plan and saves you £60/yr. Otherwise giffgaff £15 get you same as £10 but 400 mins.

[Alistair]

Went & got one of these today & am impressed I am getting around 8 Mbps whereas with my old dongle i was getting around 2.8Mbps. I have ordered an external directional aerial & have cancelled my landline based BB which topped out around 1.8Mbps & is very unstable ( Long line to exchange) My nearest 3 cell is under half a mile away as the crow flies at Broadwood Stadium, which I can see from the upstairs window. So fingers crossed with the external setup things get even better

[Prowler]

Went & got one of these today & am impressed I am getting around 8 Mbps whereas with my old dongle i was getting around 2.8Mbps. I have ordered an external directional aerial

I got an E367 too, for the external aerial capability. It was an improvement over the ZTE.

What external directional aerial did you get ? Was it any good?

[Alistair]

I got an E367 too, for the external aerial capability. It was an improvement over the ZTE.

What external directional aerial did you get ? Was it any good?

It was this one. I ended up sending it back as i couldn't get it to work with the dongle. They said there was nothing wrong with it & charged a ridiculous test fee -took ages to refund too, avoid!

I ended up buying a pair of powerline adaptors so I have my draytek router which the E367 is plugged into upstairs. I seem to top out at around 9Mbps at best, but will wait & see what I get when three upgrade their masts.

[Prowler]

Thanks, I'll avoid this one.