GPRS & EDGE II - This time it's a summary

[SicilyNewbie]

Hi All

Quick report back to all those who helped me a while ago and perhaps others in the future. I'm using the Draytek 2800VG and a Huawei wireless modem.

I have used it with "TRE" and "TIM". Very easy to set up though TIM works better as in my area they have the fastest HSDPA network so I get 3.6 MB connection which is great.

Have been using the Voice over internet facility so it's great to make calls back to the UK for 0.9 pence a minute (and of course people can call me on a UK number which is cheaper for them too).

Also means we can use my wife's laptop and a "Magic Box Imp" internet radio all at the same time .......we need both laptops working at the same time as we've both got businesses to run.

Have been using the network for 3 weeks now.

Setting a Draytek up for the 3 network
To help others........To set up the draytek with the 3 network you just type tre.it in the field in the router where is says "APN Name ". Then click on the "apply" . It then just works with all of the other default settings

Setting a Draytek up for TIM network
.......To set up the draytek with TIM type in ibox.tim.it in the field in the router where is says "APN Name ". Then click on the "apply" . It then just works with all of the other default settings

VOIP feedback
For some reason VOIP only seems to work properly using the TIM HSDPA network. When I use 3 it seems to roam onto TIM at a slower rate using one of the slower standards at 1/10 of the speed. (I presume I am out of range of the 3 network and TIM have to provide roaming for "TRE" whilst they roll out their network). In spite of the fact VOIP should work at speeds of 236,000 it didn't. However, in my area the mobile network seemed slow to respond. (I am making an assumption that TIM have been told by the regulator that they have to share with TRE until their network is running. I assume "TIM" give "TRE" a degraded Quality of Service as they don't really want to share with a competitor!!......all guesses though .....but may help others if they are having problems with VOIP)

Data Usage Feedback....... TIM anytime rate
I have already eaten up a TIM "Daytime/Anytime" allowance (MaxxiTIM Web Facile per navigare gratis 24h su 24) This was 500Mb plus a free 500Mb for 20 Euro and the SIM was 5 Euro. It lasted 2 weeks. (I've topped up the same SIM with another 20 Euro but have no idea if I got the extra 500Mb free again........ does anybody out there know??....it may be better to buy a new SIM each time if the " free offer " is only for new contracts. Any feedback would help myself and others.

Data Usage Feedback....... TIM evening & weekends rate
I have also subscribed to the evening and weekend rate (MaxxiTIM Web Time per navigare gratis sera e week-end). Others have mentioned this is unlimited but it is actually 9 GB. So far in 3 weeks I am still running. I'm watching the odd UK TV programme using my sling box in Jersey (which eats up data) Have made lots of phone calls and have even listened to Radio 4 on the MagicboxImp a little.

Critisism of the Draytek
There is no facility on the Draytek router to see how much data you have consumed (unlike the software on my laptop which can list total usage any time). I have no idea how much allowance I'm using.

Questions for others?
My experience raises the following questions
1. Is there any way one can check data usage (or what's left) by dialling one of the TIM automated numbers? I've only found how to check any "voice" credit
2. I bought 2 x "TIM" SIMS; one for each tariff. I change the SIM card over at 5pm and at weekends!!! - Does anybody know if you can put both TIM data "packages" on one card??
3. When you top up the daytime tariff for the second time do you get the 500MB free? If not people should be buying another SIM card for 5 Euro each time!

Hope my feedback helps somebody and any feedback from TIM data users would be appreciated

Regards - SicilyNewbie

[NickZ]

Originally Posted by SicilyNewbie

Hi All

2. I bought 2 x "TIM" SIMS; one for each tariff. I change the SIM card over at 5pm and at weekends!!! - Does anybody know if you can put both TIM data "packages" on one card??

I doubt it. The off peak actually allows you to use it during peak hours. They ding you based on data transfer IIRC. It might even include some free amount but I don't remember. So from their point of view you already have a combined package.

Con Maxxi TIM Web Time Recharge puoi navigare pomeriggio, sera, week-end e festivi GRATIS (Nota 1) e in più, se navighi in altri orari, per ogni 6 euro di spesa (Nota 2) TIM ti regala 600 euro in traffico Internet (Nota 3)!

Nota 7. I costi per la navigazione in Internet.(GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA/Wi.Fi pubblico) effettuata nella fascia oraria non coperta (dal lunedì al venerdì dalle 9 alle 17) e per eventuali consumi eccedenti i 9 Giga (della fascia oraria coperta) sono pari a 0,6 centesimi di euro/KB (IVA incl.).

So to translate quickly. You can use it other times. For each 6 Euros spent during that time they give you an added 600 Euro of traffic.

The fee for peak or exceeding 9gig is 0.6 euro cents per KB. Or 6.12Euros per MB. But they then give you 600 Euros free or for 6.12 Euroes you get 101MB. I guess. Check my math

[libero]

HI
If you have "Tre Mobile" coverage you can get a 3 GB package with the "Three Mobile UK" for £15 per month, 12 month contract, with a free HSDPA USB dongle thingy and you can use your UK allowance in Italy free of charge.

Coverage link
3 Wired Portal - 3 For You - 133 on line - La Copertura in Italia e all'Estero

[pigro]

There is some more detail in previous discussion on the Three Italia roaming package here http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/cos...html#post73156 and here http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/cos...html#post80505

[pigro]

update - Three have apparently launched a promo, offering existing account holders half price on any of their data bundles for the duration of the contract (so eg. 1GB/month for £5 instead of £10, on a 24 month contract).

Existing customers can now get all 3's mobile Internet packages half-price for the duration of the contract, making it the cheapest provider by a country mile. This deal's so good that if you're due to upgrade your mobile soon and you want 3g broadband too it may well be worth joining 3 simply to take advantage of it. The offer's only available in-store, and is apparently limited, so go soon if you want to get involved.

still has the killer benefit of the data bundle including use on all of 3's own network, (i.e. Austria, Australia, Denmark, Italy, Ireland, Hong Kong, & Sweden) - as before though, you must be sure you're on 3's network when roaming - if you go out of coverage and onto a roaming partner, you start to rack up the crazy roaming data charges.

[EDIT] while I remember, heres a link to the 3 Italia coverage map (a more useful one, with Italian places marked on it, unlike the one that Libero linked to above) ... it's a búgger to find - I could never track it down on the tre Italia site, but just found it via the UK site ...
3 - Coverage
the map is clickable to zoom in for greater detail (only by 2 levels, i.e. you can't keep zooming right in to a point of your choice - unfortunately for me as I appear to be right on the boundary of their coverage, grrr - but it's pretty detailed at max zoom)

[Adrian Brown]

Taking laptop to Italy next week. Operating system for computer is XP.

Have a Nokia N95 mobile.Can I just buy a Tim data sim card for the phone to enable me to get internet access. If I take my laptop down to the Tim shop when buying the sim will they sort out the APN details for me and then I will be up and running or have I missed something?.

Adrian

[NickZ]

Assuming the phone can be used as a modem then all you need to setup is dialup on the computer. Considering no password or username it's pretty easy

The TIM DNS servers seem overloaded at times so I'd suggest pointing your system to better public servers but that's it for setup.

[Cassini]

For Sicilynewbie ... You do get the additional 500 on each re-charge. Check the tim website for details. If you register on the website you can then check your usage online.

[Adrian Brown]

Originally Posted by NickZ

Assuming the phone can be used as a modem then all you need to setup is dialup on the computer. Considering no password or username it's pretty easy

The TIM DNS servers seem overloaded at times so I'd suggest pointing your system to better public servers but that's it for setup.

Nick

Thanks for the reply. Is the "setup" that you refer to under properties in internet explorer?

Tim seems to be the best reception in our area. Can I just put their sim card in the phone or does the phone need any configuration?

[NickZ]

Bringing up your control panel. Click on network connections. Then click on create new connection.

Then put in the phone number. Thats the least you need to do.

I don't know your phone so I can't say. But you can connect everything up now and see if the computer sees it.