PDA

View Full Version : vodafone dongle



wullboy
06-06-2010, 11:19 AM
Hi, would there happen to be anybody with a vodafone dongle that they no longer use & stuck in a drawer somewhere, I am looking to go mobile with my laptop for a couple of weeks, so i do not want a contract dongle, any offers please, THANKS !!

Reddevil
06-06-2010, 11:27 AM
You can pick up a 3 dongle in argos for ?17 i think the advert said, depending where you are going though you would be better checking coverage of networks then decide which one. you can always flog it on fleabay after use.

Diablo13
06-06-2010, 06:21 PM
I was looking at doing exactly the same thing a couple of days ago.
I asked in Currys, where they have a full range of dongles for 15 quid, including your first months connection. They check your postcode and coverage of the various networks, to make sure you get the best reception for where you will be wanting to use it.
If you lived in Birmingham for example, but were going away and wanted to use it in Glasgow, they could tell you which provider had the best coverage of that area, which I thought was a really usefull service?
They had 1 gig, 3 gig usage etc, with contract or monthly role on contracts which you could easily cancel etc, as well as pay as you go tariffs.
The thing that put me off is that ALL providers only give you 30 days to use your credit, or else you lose it.
Be careful because the salesman I spoke to initially denied this, until he was pushed to check with a more senior colleague, another case of MY knowing more than them!
Another salesman suggested I buy one and only activate the credit when I needed to, so that the 30 days use would be deferred. You should also know that while he had a valid point, the credit is only valid up to 90 days and is once again lost if not activated in that time.
Providers USED to have a 1 gig dongle with unlimited time to use your credit, ideal for the occasional user, which they have now all dropped.
As I said to Curry's when I refused to buy one under those terms, "what a bloody con, that is taking advantage of occasional users, who in many cases pay upfront and then don't use all their credit".
I hope you find this bit of research and warnings useful wullboy?

wullboy
06-06-2010, 06:35 PM
I was looking at doing exactly the same thing a couple of days ago.
I asked in Currys, where they have a full range of dongles for 15 quid, including your first months connection. They check your postcode and coverage of the various networks, to make sure you get the best reception for where you will be wanting to use it.
If you lived in Birmingham for example, but were going away and wanted to use it in Glasgow, they could tell you which provider had the best coverage of that area, which I thought was a really usefull service?
They had 1 gig, 3 gig usage etc, with contract or monthly role on contracts which you could easily cancel etc, as well as pay as you go tariffs.
The thing that put me off is that ALL providers only give you 30 days to use your credit, or else you lose it.
Be careful because the salesman I spoke to initially denied this, until he was pushed to check with a more senior colleague, another case of MY knowing more than them!
Another salesman suggested I buy one and only activate the credit when I needed to, so that the 30 days use would be deferred. You should also know that while he had a valid point, the credit is only valid up to 90 days and is once again lost if not activated in that time.
Providers USED to have a 1 gig dongle with unlimited time to use your credit, ideal for the occasional user, which they have now all dropped.
As I said to Curry's when I refused to buy one under those terms, "what a bloody con, that is taking advantage of occasional users, who in many cases pay upfront and then don't use all their credit".
I hope you find this bit of research and warnings useful wullboy?



Thanks diablo13, yes it is a total rip-off m8, but i have bought one of the older vodafone sim cards [ E bay ] that will stay activated so long as you use it within a 180 day period,and there is no loss of credit at all !! :wink:

Diablo13
06-06-2010, 06:42 PM
As a very occasional user that is exactly what I was looking for wullboy, just to check emails etc on the odd occasion when I am away from home.
Please could you post the model number etc, so that I can have a look on ebay for the same thing? :thumbup2:
I'was thinking of the dongle again when I asked the question.
I am on Voda for my mobile, so are you saying that I just need to get a Voda dongle and connect through my phone?

wullboy
06-06-2010, 07:26 PM
As a very occasional user that is exactly what I was looking for wullboy, just to check emails etc on the odd occasion when I am away from home.
Please could you post the model number etc, so that I can have a look on ebay for the same thing? :thumbup2:
I'was thinking of the dongle again when I asked the question.
I am on Voda for my mobile, so are you saying that I just need to get a Voda dongle and connect through my phone?


NO m8, i have bought a vodafone payg mobile broadband sim card only,[ that does not need topped up every month ] & i`m hopeing to pick up a cheap dongle just so that i can use my laptopon the net for a couple of weeks while i`m away from home ??