Reasonably Priced GPRS

I know the mobile networks don't know how to spell 'cheap' but does
anyone know of any cheaper GPRS packages.

My computer club generally has a permanent dia up network connection
for about 2 hours on club nights (once every 2 weeks), it is 0845
access so is only 1p per minute.

We would like a stand by option but understand GPRS is quite
expensive.

I appeciate the networls appear to charge by the KB or MB download but
I have not much idea how much data a normal surf actually downloads.

Anyone any comments.

Geoff Lane
Welwyn Hatfield Computer Club - Hertfordshire, UK
www.whcc.co.uk - Online facilities for non locals

"Geoff Lane" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> My computer club generally has a permanent dia up network connection
> for about 2 hours on club nights (once every 2 weeks), it is 0845
> access so is only 1p per minute.
>
> We would like a stand by option but understand GPRS is quite
> expensive.
>
> I appeciate the networls appear to charge by the KB or MB download but
> I have not much idea how much data a normal surf actually downloads.

If you surf the web, or do anything using a lot of data (downloading,
surfing the web, downloading mail with attachments) GPRS is going to be
seriously expensive, even on the cheapest tariff. If you do anything
requiring reliable communications, GPRS won't be your choice, and if you
require services such as VPNs, that rules out Orange in most cases. And so
it goes on...

I'd say you had the most reliable option...

Vince

On Mon, 5 Jan 2004 00:43:16 -0000, "Vince"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>> My computer club generally has a permanent dia up network connection
>> for about 2 hours on club nights (once every 2 weeks), it is 0845
>> access so is only 1p per minute.
>>
>> We would like a stand by option but understand GPRS is quite
>> expensive.

>If you surf the web, or do anything using a lot of data (downloading,
>surfing the web, downloading mail with attachments)

True, one never knows what is attached to mail nowadays.

>GPRS is going to be
>seriously expensive, even on the cheapest tariff.

Thought as much, wonder who actually uses it.

>If you do anything
>requiring reliable communications, GPRS won't be your choice, and if you
>require services such as VPNs, that rules out Orange in most cases. And so
>it goes on...

Yeah, we've 'played' with VPN but on DialUp it is not really usable.

>I'd say you had the most reliable option...

Yes, you are probably right, it is just that on our last club meet the
network was really playing up and we couldn't figure out why. Not our
own private phone line either so difficult to arrange for checks.

Hence the thought of GPRS.

Geoff Lane
Welwyn Hatfield Computer Club - Hertfordshire, UK
www.whcc.co.uk - Online facilities for non locals

"Geoff Lane" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> >GPRS is going to be
> >seriously expensive, even on the cheapest tariff.
>
> Thought as much, wonder who actually uses it.

Business Users mainly because companies foot stupid comms bills anyhow.
People who want low bandwidth use (system administrators etc), people with
e-mail only style requirements, it's good for WAP use, that sort of thing.

> Yes, you are probably right, it is just that on our last club meet the
> network was really playing up and we couldn't figure out why. Not our
> own private phone line either so difficult to arrange for checks.

You could try having a couple backup ISP dialups - assuming the line isn't
the fault (more unlikely than an ISP fault) you would at least have a
backup.

> Hence the thought of GPRS.

Assuming this isn't some big commercial use where the cost will be swallowed
up, it wouldn't be great. For what you want the speed would probably be
(even more) crippling than a dialup.

Vince

On Sun, 04 Jan 2004 23:31:32 +0000, Geoff Lane <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>I know the mobile networks don't know how to spell 'cheap' but does
>anyone know of any cheaper GPRS packages.

http://www.mobileshop.org/costs/vodagprs.htm

vodafone select might be appropriate for standby as it has no fixed
monthly charge, though it is not a vailable on all phone tariffs.

The charge is for data sent each way. If you were using it fairly
heavily you might average 2.5 kBytes/s so an hour could cost you £20

A second phone line would be £10/month

Phil

On Mon, 5 Jan 2004 02:18:58 -0000, "Vince"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:


>> Yes, you are probably right, it is just that on our last club meet the
>> network was really playing up and we couldn't figure out why. Not our
>> own private phone line either so difficult to arrange for checks.
>
>You could try having a couple backup ISP dialups - assuming the line isn't
>the fault (more unlikely than an ISP fault) you would at least have a
>backup.

We actually use a Linux box as a server but, I know this sounds silly
for a computer club, not too many of us know how to read or alter the
set up pages. It uses IP cop and is only used once every two weeks,
not all of us can make all meetings so it is not a case of easily
being able to all learn how to use it.

Bit like the Honda advert, take it for granted as it works.

For private purposes I often use BT Click for back up but on this
occasion those of us present on club night couldn't get in to the
Linux box to alter any settings. Then of course by the time one
decides to give up on that option time has run out for alternatives.

Geoff Lane
Welwyn Hatfield Computer Club - Hertfordshire, UK
www.whcc.co.uk - Online facilities for non locals

On Mon, 05 Jan 2004 09:01:08 +0000, Phil Thompson
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>>I know the mobile networks don't know how to spell 'cheap' but does
>>anyone know of any cheaper GPRS packages.
>
>http://www.mobileshop.org/costs/vodagprs.htm
>
>vodafone select might be appropriate for standby as it has no fixed
>monthly charge, though it is not a vailable on all phone tariffs.
>
>The charge is for data sent each way. If you were using it fairly
>heavily you might average 2.5 kBytes/s so an hour could cost you £20

Whoops, I nightly premises rental is £15, our normal phone bill is
about £1.50 per night.

>A second phone line would be £10/month

Not our line unfortunately, we have actually offered to pay for adsl
but the premises committee are reluctant, don't know why.

Geoff Lane
Welwyn Hatfield Computer Club - Hertfordshire, UK
www.whcc.co.uk - Online facilities for non locals

"Phil Thompson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> vodafone select might be appropriate for standby as it has no fixed
> monthly charge, though it is not a vailable on all phone tariffs.
>
> The charge is for data sent each way. If you were using it fairly
> heavily you might average 2.5 kBytes/s so an hour could cost you £20

I don't know what you do with your connection, but I'd say that was a pretty
low average for multiple users.

Vince

On Tue, 6 Jan 2004 02:45:15 -0000, "Vince"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I don't know what you do with your connection, but I'd say that was a pretty
>low average for multiple users.

more to do with the capability of the GPRS link than what you might
want to do with it, old boy.

Phil

On Mon, 05 Jan 2004 09:01:08 +0000, Phil Thompson
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
>vodafone select might be appropriate for standby as it has no fixed
>monthly charge, though it is not a vailable on all phone tariffs.
>
>The charge is for data sent each way. If you were using it fairly
>heavily you might average 2.5 kBytes/s so an hour could cost you £20
>
I use the basic Voda GPRS to get email away from home, and learned the
hard way to set Outlook Express not to d/l messages with attachments -
someone sent me a large pdf file that cost me nearly £20!