4g wireless router - any good as net connection?

[ik9000]

my friend is advocating the 4G wireless router he got (Alcatel one touch Y800 4G from EE). As we can't get decent broadband at our flat, but can get reasonable mobile signals, would people recommend this as a way of getting off the 3G dongle we're having to tolerate as our internet connection?

[herulach]

Can you get a 4G signal where you live? If so then its probably decent (other than data caps). Why not just get him to bring it round and trY?

[peterb]

I've just bought one (Good deal at PCworld/Currys at the moment) but EE 4G coverage is patchy. I did a speed test and got 15Mb/s down and about 1.6 up.

The deal at PCW was £29.99 for the Y800 on a monthly 3GB/month contract at £15.99, with the first month free. You have to give 30 days notice - however the terms with the sim state that you can cancel within 7 days - which I will be doing tomorrow. (otherwise cancel on the day you buy to give 30 days)

Not sure how long that deal will be available - it is pretty good.

[ik9000]

can you keep the thing though if you cancel?

[peterb]

Yes. It is locked to EE, but if you do an appropriate Google search, you can get an unlock code for around a pound.

[peterb]

Just been playing with it again - got it by a window and getting this:

[Agent]

That's not too bad, my first broadband connection (512) wasn't much better ping wise. Impressive upload too.

[peterb]

No, that was quite good, although it did require careful positioning! The first tests are in the 'post your speed' thread.

If you do have 4G coverage it is an option if you don't have fttc - but at a price - £15.99/month - and that is for 3GB! But sufficient for e mail, web browsing etc, but not heavy downloading.

[ik9000]

No, that was quite good, although it did require careful positioning! The first tests are in the 'post your speed' thread.

If you do have 4G coverage it is an option if you don't have fttc - but at a price - £15.99/month - and that is for 3GB! But sufficient for e mail, web browsing etc, but not heavy downloading.

Do you think it would let us watch iplayer?

[peterb]

Do you think it would let us watch iplayer?

Short answer: Yes (Just tried it! )

Long answer yes - but in the 35 or 40 seconds or so that I watched it, I used about 40 Mbytes of data, so In my case I would use my monthly allowance in about 45-55 minutes. So not a cheap option. And of course depends on the signal strength/coverage where you live.

[ik9000]

Short answer: Yes (Just tried it! )

Long answer yes - but in the 35 or 40 seconds or so that I watched it, I used about 40 Mbytes of data, so In my case I would use my monthly allowance in about 45-55 minutes. So not a cheap option. And of course depends on the signal strength/coverage where you live.

that is my worry. we barely get through 1GB a month at the moment but that's because our 3G dongle is so laggy and stuttery we cant game or watch iplayer. We can barely use it do online shopping at times.

According to EE signal strength is very good in and outdoors and uprated already to the double speed 4G. *disclaimer but they promise nothing.

[peterb]

that is my worry. we barely get through 1GB a month at the moment but that's because our 3G dongle is so laggy and stuttery we cant game or watch iplayer. We can barely use it do online shopping at times.

According to EE signal strength is very good in and outdoors and uprated already to the double speed 4G. *disclaimer but they promise nothing.

You should be able to watch I player on a good 3G signal, so maybe it is the dongle. The Y800 may be better than the dongle on 3G.

I have just cancelled my 4G contract, it cost me a month and a bit of service, but worth it to try it out so the Y800 has cost about £45 pounds, and unlocking may cost a pound.

4G is good - when it works - but coverage is patchy. But it may be worth a punt for you. You are effectively getting a Mi-Fi device for £30, and paying £!6 for a month's trial. Cancel the contract on the day you buy it, you can always re-instate it if you find it works for you, or you could try it with your 3G sim (after unlocking the Y800).

[ik9000]

Bought it last night. £30 as you said. Will see how it fares. If we don't like it we'll cancel, if we do we'll just stick with it and stop researching landlines. Went for the 8GB/month pack so £26pm instead of £16. Thanks for the tip

[peterb]

No probs - in a signal area it is great- so hope it works for you!

Let us know how you get on!

[ik9000]

my device oscillates between 1bar 4G (lying EE website good signal my foot) and full 3G+ (presumably HDSPA+). Net is certainly faster than before, iplayer still jumps but this is when it goes from 3G+ to 4G. (as opposed to old 3D dongle that would only do HDSPA+ some of the time)

on a hunt for unlock code so I can stick in 3G card and compare networks.

Speed stats from iplayer:

iplayer

download 3415 kpbs
stream 1 3794 kbps
stream 2 3297 kbps
stream 3 3288 kbps

so doing some maths that's approx 437 KB/S

AV file download
250KB/S=2000kbps=0.24MB/s=1.95Mb/s

can't wait to see it on full 4G signal but doesn't look like that will be possible from here.

My comp reckons it's getting 65Mb/s to the unit itself over wireless N

[ik9000]

a 215MB upload took a while. Probably 10 minutes.