mobile broadband

[pigro]

out of interest, what is the data bundle product name - I looked on the wind website & I can't see any offer for 5GB data/month for 10€ on PAYG? There's various data options badged under the "LEONARDO" name, and there's the i-Mode portal which offers data bundles too ... but I can't see any products or promos that offer this deal.

This website Italy - Wind - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access appears to agree with my understanding (5GB would cost 30€, which is what I used to pay ... it included 3G/HSDPA where available, though I could only use GPRS in my location). Please, if possible, provide a website link on Wind that describes the product you have, it may be very useful for others.

[Val]

I will be there this thursday to top up my payg so I will gather the facts and get back to you.
Val

[chillout]

Just for information if anyone is interested.

Tim do some good deals too on pay as you go. (TIM) Chip only costs €10

€25 for 150 hours a month Off Peak. (1700 - 0900 weekday + anytimeweekend + public holidays) (about 5 hours a day)
or
€25 for 100 hours anytime

You can use - Gprs, edge, umts, superumts or wifi depending on your phone / modemcard and what signals are available in your area.

Hope this helps

[NickZ]

Which deals are those?

Tim Maxi recarica [Something like that. You'd think I'd remember after all these months]

is 9gb of traffic and unlimited time from 5pm to 9am. Which is alot more then 5 hours per day.

IIRC the hourly plans had more limited traffic.

The monthly billed deal was worse IIRC.

[NickZ]

TIM

TIM

I guess the 150 hour plan has no data limit? Might be worthwhile if you're in a fast area.

[chillout]

The tariff is tim alice (or maxi alice - cant remember) 150 or 100.

Yes, and there are no data limits. I get super umts signals in my area and from speed tests i get on average a true 1.5MB download speed although sometimes faster.

not bad for a mobile phone!

My previous italian isp fixed adsl data line was 4mb but to be honest it was always around a true 2MB.

The Modem cards boast speeds of up to 7mb but have never used one. If you have public wifi coverage they boast speeds of up to 11MB on the same package.

A cheap solution for those not wanting to sign any long term contracts and without data restrictions.

Hope this helps

[NickZ]

Originally Posted by chillout

The Modem cards boast speeds of up to 7mb but have never used one. If you have public wifi coverage they boast speeds of up to 11MB on the same package.

Any of the phones that support HSPDA also claim 7.2 meg. The phones are getting cheaper. Last time I looked I think TIM had one on offer for little more then 100 Euros.

The local Expert electronic shop has a Samsung I600 smartphone on offer now for 160.

[pigro]

While the TIM network is good, and the deals you refer to are excellent for a heavy data user, I started this thread to specifically reccomend what I consider to be the best low budget solution for a holiday home owner looking for 'average' internet usage (whatever that is?!) while in Italy. For me, 'average' is a minimum of 1GB/month, ~512Kbps downstream, strictly PAYG, with 24x7 access and with no possibility of being hit with unexpected roaming charges.

By that yardstick, I still reckon the Three UK deal of 1GB on HSDPA for £10 (i.e. about 13€) with the data consumable in both Italy & UK is an absolute winner, even in comparison to Val's 5GB for 10€ for Italian use ... because the Three deal also buys you a ready made broadband backup and mobile solution for the UK too.

To be honest I am still pinching myself every time I think about the deal. At the risk of further boring everyone, let me reiterate:

• The hardware only costs £50, one off ... & if you buy the newest one it is XP, Vista, Linux & Mac compatible. You can just stick it in any computer with a USB port and get instant net access provided you are in coverage.
• Installation is totally idiot proof - it self installs (Windows/Mac) from its own internal memory, with no user intervention.
• It offers 1GB of mobile broadband data for £10, to use whenever you want within a 30 day period. If you regularly use more than 1GB/month while you are on holiday, you are a sad individual!
• Sad individuals who do use up the 1GB within 30 days can just top up with another 1GB - you DON'T start getting hit with any extortionate 'out of bundle' data charges
• there is no contract and no ongoing charges, and there is a UK website/helpdesk to follow up any problems/issues
• international roaming is provided free of charge while on Three's network

honestly , this trully is Xmas come early for anyone in my circumstances who has Three coverage in both their home locations :-)

[pigro]

Originally Posted by libero

I’ve just got back to the UK, the modem which is on 3 does pick up the Tre ITA signal, however I couldn’t log on even with the international barring removed.
After about eight calls to 3 back in the UK ,I finally got through to someone who actually knew what they were talking about, yes I was surprised by that!
I discovered from the phone call that all modems need the International baring removed (which I was aware of) AND also need the modem to be activated by 3 to be able to roam abroad.
They’ve informed me that this has now been done, I am going back over in six weeks, I'll let know how I get on!

FYI, the PAYG modem I bought about 3 weeks ago came already configured & enabled for international roaming, it didn't need anything done by Three ...

[rewob65]

Is there anyway to tell if the bars international an roaming have been removed while in the UK. Many times I speak to under skilled people in call centres who say they have done somethi yet it turns not to be the case.

Also am I right to think 3 only use 3G and therefore any gprs overage is roaming so is £££s per mb?