UK Mobile broadband-SIM only

Hi my laptop has built in WWAN and i understand that this is unlocked. My laptop came with a sim that was defective so i threw it away. Now i need a sim for mobile broadband. My laptop is basically the same model as this and it has built-in WWAN HSDPA 3.6Mbps with Rx Diversity and a built-in Modem V92/V.90.

http://vaio.sony.co.uk/view/ShowPro..._cons&pageType=Overview&category=VN+SZ+Series

I want PAYG for now so i can just top up myself. I like the service that 3 are offering and i called them and i was told that i could not use their service without using the usb modem that they supply. I do not wish to use any external modem i just want to use a SIM.

Does anybody know what i can do or where i can get what i need? I have had a look at o2 and T-Mobile as well and all they all seem to be offering as well is their mobile broadband dongle/usb packages. Even Orange is the same.
http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobi...ns/pay-monthly/mobile-broadband-laptop/plans/

http://shop.o2.co.uk/promo/o2mobilebroadband

Could i just buy an ordinary 3 or T-Mobile sim and would it work? Three appeals to me the most as they are the cheapest PAYG package.
http://www.three.co.uk/personal/products_services_/mobile_broadband_/price_plans_payg.omp

Also just wondering how much would 1GB get me say if just wanted to surf 8-9 hours a week and do a few emails would this be ok? I would not do any downloading or anything.
Thanks

 

Vodafone is the carrier that Dell use for laptops they ship with WWAN in the UK, so I imagine Vodafone can organise something without an external modem.

 

Vodafone do this from what i can make out. Found this:

http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=6675

I think you may have to get it directly from vodafone

 

Thanks for your help.
I just had a look on Ebay and they seem to be selling what i need on there. It looks like what i need is a 3G data card. I didn't think to look on Ebay before. My laptop came with i presume a T-Mobile 3G HSDPA card. I would prefer to get it from a shop but i think that they may just mainly sell these to business customers. I think that i may give it a go and i hope that the card is alright when i get it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-HSDPA-BRO...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1308&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

 

I have been without my laptop for a little while but i have it now. I inserted the 3 sim into my laptop and my WWAN light lit up. My HSDPA modem is also on as well. I looked on the three website and i can see no software that can be downloaded.
I need to get this working by tomorrow. Does anybody have any idea how i can get this 3 sim working in my laptop?
Also is it ok to have the WWAN and wifi on at the same time?

 

I don't have an SZ, but on my Z I have successfully used a Portuguese SIM card (TMN network) when on holiday over there.

To get it working I just switched off, swapped the SIMs (removing my usual T-Mobile SIM) and booted up again. Then double-clicked the "GlobeTrotter Connect" icon on my desktop. It prompted me for a PIN number which I found printed on a card which I got with the new SIM (not all SIMs have a PIN though, I believe).
On the Z at least, the XP version of the GlobeTrotter software isn't locked to T-Mobile.

I believe you just need the GlobeTrotter Connect software or equivalent for your WWAN device. Have you tried Sony's FTP site? This might possibly be what you're looking for...?

ftp://ftp.vaio-link.com/PUB/OS/XPDOWNGRADE/SZ7/DRIVERS/12_WWAN.ZIP

Oh, and it's OK to use both WWAN and WLAN simultaneously, but you might get a slight performance hit due to the two radios interfering with each other. Also, you'll obviously reduce battery life more than using one or the other.

I have successfully shared my WWAN connection with a friend using a peer-to-peer WLAN (via the standard Windows Internet Connection Sharing feature in XP), so I know it's possible to use them at the same time...

 

Thank you InfyMcGirk that worked.

Now i just need to figure out how i read what my password is so i can top up online. I registered online and they sent my online access password to the sim. Probably i will need to borrow someones phone that uses 3G so i can read my password. When i bought credit in a shop i was told that i would be able `read the contents of the sim when i inserted it into my computer but i don't appear to be able to do that.

They are asking me for a username and password and i would presume that my username was my telephone number but i am not sure what the password is.

I did not know that the public could access Sony's ftp website i tried to use that site in the pass but they were asking me for sign in details.


Edited to add:
I found out that the three username and password is set to < none > for both with no spaces. I think i will probably need the three software in order to be able to read of my sim card.

 

Glad that you've nearly cracked it. It's a shame they're making it difficult for you to find the details you need. With my TMN SIM in Portugal, I got a little credit card sized card with it which showed various reference numbers. To top up, I just handed the card to the newsagent with my €10 and he seemed to know what to do with it.

With T-Mobile, I just got a contract so no need to top up. Good luck with your 3 SIM and do let us know how/where to find the details you need to top up, when you find them.

 

InfyMcGirk i used my WWAN today and i noticed that it consumed quite a lot of power battery life wise is this normal? With wifi on and WWAN disabled my start up time was 6 hours 30 mins plus but using the same settings using WWAN and wifi of my start out time was more than one hour less than the stated time above. I thought that there was something wrong with my computer at first. Do you get less battery life on WWAN also?

I can top my card in a shop but i just cannot right now check what my usage is online or top up online because i need to know my password for online access that was sent to my sim. Hopefully this weekend i will find someone that uses a 3G phone. Hopefully if i put my 3G data sim card into their phone it will work.

I searched for the 3G software as well and downloaded a couple of things from the AU website but it never worked. I would deleted the 3G software after i have read the info that i need to.

 

There are two factors I can think of: (i) the power used by the card for transmitting (I'm guessing that this could be up to about 2W) and (ii) the extra CPU activity generated when the link is operating.

To get a fairer comparison of battery time you need to try (a) web browsing over wired internet with WLAN and WWAN disabled; (b) web browsing using WLAN (and other connections disabled) and (iii) web browsing using WWAN.

You can use the battery info page of RMClock to see the power drain. It will fluctuate but you can see the range for each option.

John

 

Thanks John i will give that a go soon and see what is going on.

 

Also, if it's anything like a mobile phone (which is must be to some extent as it's using similar tech)... you'll get increased battery consumption if the connection is borderline between two cells, or two speeds. So if the connection keeps switching between GPRS and UMTS, or UMTS and HSDPA, you'll get worse battery performance than if you have a strong, consistent HSDPA signal.
Also, you'll get worse performance on trains where there will frequent renegotiation between transmitters as you physically move across the country.

To be honest, I haven't tried using WWAN for a full battery so haven't noticed any change in battery time.

 

Thanks you know with the GlobeTrotter connect software i have four options for the different networks but HSPDA is not one of those. What is listed is UMTS preferred, UMTS only, Edge/GPRS preferred and Edge/GPRS only.

I noticed that my settings mainly stay with UMTS but it can switch over to Edge/GPRS.

Maybe i am missing something but should there not be a HSPDA setting?

Maybe there are some other companies i should try and well and see what i prefer.

 

My software is the same - I just leave it on UMTS preferred. But if I'm in a strong signal area, it will quick switch from UMTS to HSDPA in the connected status in the bottom right of the window. (I've seen that both in the UK and Portugal.)

Are you located in a major city or somewhere there's very likely to be HSDPA coverage? At my house, I can only get UMTS/EDGE... but in Nottingham where I work, I can get much better performance (HSDPA). Strangely, the TMN network in Portugal seemed much stronger than here even though I was in a relatively remote area. Guess I must have been lucky and near to a transmitter...

 

Thanks i go between London and Kent i have only properly tried it in Kent so far and i was not picking up HSDPA there. I have yet to try it at home properly because i have wireless at home.

I think that i am going to give T-Mobile a go next month and see what i make of them. I use them for my phone anyway i use about £10 a month on PAYG. Maybe they could do something for me if i combined the two and went on some contract i have been with them for a while. I have used T-Mobile 3G on my phone to access the internet and the service was pretty good.

The three service was ok at times though it was a bit slow or it cut out. They are pretty cheap though at £15 a month for 3MB with no contract.

 

OK. I have wireless hooked up to ADSL at home too, so luckily don't need a strong signal there (deep dark rural Leicestershire!). Otherwise, the T-Mobile service seems good. I popped in to Carphone Warehouse to talk about the various networks and the chap I spoke to said T-Mobile had good coverage and he used them himself, which is one reason I opted to sign up for a contract with them. Also, T-Mobile have the cheapest rate for roaming on European networks if you travel. Still extortionate at £1.50/MB... but that's apparently better than their competitors, believe it or not!

BTW, surely that's £15 for 3 GB with three..?

 

You're right i always make that mistake.

If T-Mobile are good enough i might cancel my wireless at home when my contract is up and just use mobile broadband all the time. I mean i am paying nearly £20 a month for wireless and say £15 for mobile broadband it seems a bit excessive to me and there is my mobile phone on top of that.

It is a shame that BT do not do anything decent in the way of mobile broadband i am with them for ADSL.

 

I hate BT (long story), so I would be on cable if my village were covered. As it is, I pay BT the minimum possible (line rental only) and get my ADSL from Plus.net. So it ends up expensive, but I get good service.

Certainly if you include my mobile (Orange contract) and mobile broadband (T-Mobile contract)... I spend a lot of my various connections! I'd put it all with one provider if I thought I could and still get good service and no hassle with changing numbers etc.

 

Actually 3 are ok. I pick up an HSDPA signal at home in London and in Kent i can pick up to for the most part as well. I am using it on a train right now. Maybe where i was before was a poor signal area.

I bought a T-Mobile sim as well anyway so i might give them a go still.

I went to a 3 store and i got them to sort out this password problem for me so that is sorted now.

 

Glad to hear it.

I had a minor problem with T-Mobile at the weekend... I tried to view Facebook and got some crappy message about T-Mobile 'protecting' me from unmoderated public content and social networking.
I had to put in a credit card number before they would let me through. That seems pretty pathetic given that I have a contract with them (which I need to be 18 for!). Ah well...

 

I'm Portuguese and I used to have TMN service (total crap) there's a lot better in Portugal.
Anyway not all SIM cards fits!
For example vodafone Portugal sim cards don't work in any modem other then what they supply. You can't just switch sim cards. You must assure compatibility and there's no way to known it before trying. I think it has to do with the SIM type (not to mention modem firmware issues and network software). For example some SIM cards are almost impossible to copy. Others are easy thing to do.
But now, at least here in the latest month the networks started to sell just sim cards to put in any modem. And those sim cards fit anywhere. Just plug and play.

 

I guess I must have got lucky with coverage for TMN then, because wherever I tried it, it was a fast, stable connection...

I'm sure there are restrictions on some hardware/SIMs/software. But if you have unlocked hardware and software then at least that's 2 out of 3. I purchased my TMN as an (official) 'SIM-only' pack... so it would be pretty stupid if they locked it to their own hardware.

 

Hi,

I have a Sony Z Series Vaio laptop which has a built in 3G/HSDPA modem. I reinstalled Vista and installed GlobeTrotter Connect software.

Since my laptop has WWAN, i would like to get a PAYG Data Sim and be able to surf when i'm out and about. Maybe about one or twice a month or so.

I will buy the THREE 3G/HSDPA BROADBAND 3.5G DATA SIM CARD NEW PAYG from ebay (same one rachUK bought) and then buy some PAYG credit.

Can i buy this card, what happens after 30 days? Does the credit expire?

They do Broadband Max - £25 = 7GB data allowance which would be perfect if it doesnt run out after 30 days.

also, what would i put in the Username, Password and APN?

TIA

 

bbsra the username and password is set to <*none*> without the two stars and any spaces in there it won't let me write it without them in there. The apn is picked up automatically the apn is three.co.uk

You need to top up every month because your credit expires after 30 days. After that you just top up again. You can register online to top up like i did. The £25 deal seems a bit excessive to me if you only plan to use it every now and then. I am using the £15 deal and will probably stick with that or try the £10 deal next month.

 

Is there any PAYG version that doesnt expire after 30 days?

 

Don't think so, no... otherwise nobody would ever get a contract!

Essentially, the advantage of PAYG is that you can not bother paying for a few months if you know you're not going to use it, then just top up before you next want to use the service.

Having to remember to keep track of when I last topped up and potentially forgetting and thus not having access to WWAN at a time/location when I can't easily top up totally spoils the 'anywhere/anytime' advantage of WWAN for me. This is the reason I plumped for a contract even though I doubt I'll come close to using my 3GB/month allowance...

 

Thanks for the replies.

Since i'll only be using it once in a while, can i just put my UK Vodafone Sim into my laptop out of my n95 and use that.

Vodafone will do me a 500mb bundle for extra £5/month.

 

It certainly might work... but you'll probably find it easier to use your N95 as a Bluetooth modem and thus you'll still be able to receive calls etc, and not have to mess around taking batteries out of your laptop and phone?

 

If you use the N95 as a modem i cannot imagine that the battery will last that long.

Also if you want to use your N95 sim make sure that your sim is a 3G broadband HSDPA data sim card as if it is just a normal 3G mobile sim card your speeds will be lower.

 

I have a TZ with the WWAN Modem, I uninstalled the T-Mobile Software and installed globetrotter connect, and I use my I Phone 3G Sim card in the Laptop, I have an unlimited data contract, and all you need to do is type in the APN, Username and Password, having come from various Windows Mobile phones this wasn't anything new to me, before long was up and running on the HSDPA connection, funny as my Iphone 3G connection is bad yet my laptop's connection is perfect, for note I get 1mbps DL and 384kbps UL, I did download 40MB in one Minute so it's fast, i'd say on par wth a 512kb/s Broadband connection...

As for T-Mobile they do pay as you go mobile broadband for £2 a day, but you have to buy their modem for £50 with it, but i'm sure you can pop the sim into your laptop and just enter the T-Mobile APN/Username/Password to get online..., you can also send and recieve texts, but I know some 3G Datacards do Voice to, so am looking into making and recieving voicecalls on your laptop via the SIM...

PM me if you have a question..