Help needed with my Dongle!!

[Bevev's]

Hi guys,

Due to arrive next Saturday for a few weeks and want to bring our laptop. Can someone advise us, which is the best dongle to bring, or would we be better off buying one in Adelaide. Never used mobile broadband before. Will want it for general emailing and surfing only. Any advise will be greatfully appreciated.

 

Thanks

Bev:nah:

[Guest JoTanCalOwen]

Hi Bev,

 

When we were going, I enquired here in UK about a dongle I was told that as the servers were basically over here, it would have to bounce the signal from satellite to satellite thus incurring larger costs even if / when we were able to connect, We found we were welcome to use the libraries in Oz, otherwise maybe look into a pay and go dongle out there,

 

Hope this helps

 

Tanya

[Guest Andrew&Ren]

You can get pay as you go dongles from 3 and vodafone here but you pay about $150 upfront and then add credit to it ($30/50).

 

Otherwise theres internet cafes all over the city or places with free wireless internet connections...I know Glenelg Mcdonalds has free wireless internet!

 

xxx

[Anne B]

Virgin prepaid mobile broadband is $89 which includes 2GB (was only 500mb when we bought ours). You can top up 3 gb for $50 I think. Works fine, not mega fast, depends on how good the mobile signal is.

[orrelljet]

...I was told that as the servers were basically over here, it would have to bounce the signal from satellite to satellite thus incurring larger costs even if / when we were able to connect...

 

That's the funniest thing I've heard in ages! LOL!

 

As long as the dongle isn't "locked" to whichever carrier it was used on, you can bring it and use it with a new Aus SIM, much like a mobile phone.

[Bevev's]

Hi Orrelljet,

Thanks for that. I've never had a dongle before, but looking at the price of them I think it's cheaper to buy in UK. Is there one make better than the other to buy eg, vodaphone or t-mobile etc and does Adelaide have bettr signals with different makes. Sorry, but I'm a complete dongle virgin, but really need to use laptop whn I'm there. Thanks for all your advice.

Bev

[orrelljet]

Hi Bev.

 

Telstra has the best network and widest coverage (giving you the best chance at a good signal) but I think you may struggle to find an unlocked dongle in the UK.

 

If you have a rough idea of where you will be living when you first get here, and where you intend to settle, that should help with the decison-making; optus and virgin (and 3) are cheaper than Telstra but some have had issues with coverage.

 

Have a look here for prices etc.

 

www.virginbroadband.com.au

 

www.optus.com.au

 

www.telstra.com.au

 

www.three.com.au

 

www.broadbandguide.com.au

 

J.

[sueoc]

I'd get one here,just shop around in somewhere like the City or Marion for what suits your needs,it's not outrageously expensive.