Vodafone TopUp and Go Mobile Broadband

Hi,

The subject product looks interesting but the offer is less than clear.

Vodafone says: "No time pressure - your TopUp won’t run out after 30 days"
but what does that mean? 31 days, one year, never?

Is anyone using this (or under contract) and what speeds are likely?

What is "usage"? I guess it's the sum of downstream and upstream data but
does someone know whether mobile ISPs count data that way or they just
measure the downstream, like the DSL ISPs do their counting.

I see Vodafone offers this with a "Modem Stick" but they offer users under
certain contracts a "Modem Stick Plus". What is the difference and is a
Plus modem stick available from anywhere for use with a TopUp and Go SIM?

I mostly use BT Openzone when away from home but this looks like a great
way to fill in for emergencies and when away from hotspots, so long as the
pre-paid usage can be held in reserve and so is truly unlimited in time.

Tony

I have a Voda dongle.
It must be used at least every 180 days (a 1p connect will suffice) or
the credit expires but otherwise it lasts indefinitely.
I've not had good speeds but I seldom get a 3G signal.

It's good for downloading emails for minimal outlay when away from home.
I am happy enough.

--
Helen Vecht
Edgware

On Wed, 5 Aug 2009 18:17:53 +0100, Helen Deborah Vecht
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I have a Voda dongle.
>It must be used at least every 180 days (a 1p connect will suffice) or
>the credit expires but otherwise it lasts indefinitely.
>I've not had good speeds but I seldom get a 3G signal.
>
>It's good for downloading emails for minimal outlay when away from home.
>I am happy enough.

I too have a Vodfone Mobile Broadband USB dongle and although 3G is a
non starter throughout most of Scotland, GPRS is fine for checking
emails. I asked Vodafone about the expiry and was told that I need to
login at least every 90 days otherwise it is put "into quarantine".

On Wed, 5 Aug 2009 18:17:53 +0100, Helen Deborah Vecht
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I have a Voda dongle.
> It must be used at least every 180 days (a 1p connect will suffice) or
> the credit expires but otherwise it lasts indefinitely.
> I've not had good speeds but I seldom get a 3G signal.
>
> It's good for downloading emails for minimal outlay when away from home.
> I am happy enough.

Hi Helen,

Okay on your speeds (but surprised if you seldom get 3G in Edgware) and
thanks for the great news about just 2p per year minimum spend to keep the
account alive and ticking.

So it sounds like a near-perfect resource for my very occasional use in
emergencies. Allowing me to roam abroad would make it quite perfect for
this purpose.

I see Maplin has a £5 discount on this until the end of the month.

Tony

The message <(E-Mail Removed)>
from "Anthony R. Gold" <not-for-(E-Mail Removed)> contains these words:

> On Wed, 5 Aug 2009 18:17:53 +0100, Helen Deborah Vecht
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> > I have a Voda dongle.
> > It must be used at least every 180 days (a 1p connect will suffice) or
> > the credit expires but otherwise it lasts indefinitely.
> > I've not had good speeds but I seldom get a 3G signal.
> >
> > It's good for downloading emails for minimal outlay when away from home.
> > I am happy enough.

> Hi Helen,

> Okay on your speeds (but surprised if you seldom get 3G in Edgware) and
> thanks for the great news about just 2p per year minimum spend to keep the
> account alive and ticking.

> So it sounds like a near-perfect resource for my very occasional use in
> emergencies. Allowing me to roam abroad would make it quite perfect for
> this purpose.

> I see Maplin has a £5 discount on this until the end of the month.

> Tony

It does not work abroad, I'm afraid.
I spent last week at Lee Valley Youth Hostel in Cheshunt. Connections
there ranged from the fair to non-existent, with frequent line drops.


--
Helen Vecht
Edgware

On Wed, 5 Aug 2009 19:31:20 +0100, Helen Deborah Vecht
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> The message <(E-Mail Removed)>
> from "Anthony R. Gold" <not-for-(E-Mail Removed)> contains these words:
>
>> So it sounds like a near-perfect resource for my very occasional use in
>> emergencies. Allowing me to roam abroad would make it quite perfect for
>> this purpose.
>
>> I see Maplin has a £5 discount on this until the end of the month.

That was wrong. Maplin claims there is a sale until 1 September but I now
see that Vodafone dropped the list price to £34.99 and Maplin has merely
passed through the change.

> It does not work abroad, I'm afraid.

Yes - it's just a SIM restriction so things could improve.

> I spent last week at Lee Valley Youth Hostel in Cheshunt. Connections
> there ranged from the fair to non-existent, with frequent line drops.

There is WiFi with a latte at Starbucks in the Brookfield Shopping Centre.

Tony

"Helen Deborah Vecht" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> The message <(E-Mail Removed)>
> from "Anthony R. Gold" <not-for-(E-Mail Removed)> contains these words:
>
>> On Wed, 5 Aug 2009 18:17:53 +0100, Helen Deborah Vecht
>> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> > I have a Voda dongle.
>> > It must be used at least every 180 days (a 1p connect will suffice) or
>> > the credit expires but otherwise it lasts indefinitely.
>> > I've not had good speeds but I seldom get a 3G signal.
>> >
>> > It's good for downloading emails for minimal outlay when away from
>> > home.
>> > I am happy enough.
>
>> Hi Helen,
>
>> Okay on your speeds (but surprised if you seldom get 3G in Edgware) and
>> thanks for the great news about just 2p per year minimum spend to keep
>> the
>> account alive and ticking.
>
>> So it sounds like a near-perfect resource for my very occasional use in
>> emergencies. Allowing me to roam abroad would make it quite perfect for
>> this purpose.
>
>> I see Maplin has a £5 discount on this until the end of the month.
>
>> Tony
>
> It does not work abroad, I'm afraid.
> I spent last week at Lee Valley Youth Hostel in Cheshunt. Connections
> there ranged from the fair to non-existent, with frequent line drops.

Tesco Mobile should be good in Cheshunt ;-)

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

The message <(E-Mail Removed)>
from "Anthony R. Gold" <not-for-(E-Mail Removed)> contains these words:


> > I spent last week at Lee Valley Youth Hostel in Cheshunt. Connections
> > there ranged from the fair to non-existent, with frequent line drops.

> There is WiFi with a latte at Starbucks in the Brookfield Shopping Centre.

Thanks.
I'm afraid that would have been little use, given that the YH was the HQ
of an event that ran round the clock (and I'm disabled and without
wheels).

--
Helen Vecht
Edgware

"Graham." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:h5cqk7$jhp$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>
> "Helen Deborah Vecht" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> The message <(E-Mail Removed)>
>> from "Anthony R. Gold" <not-for-(E-Mail Removed)> contains these words:
>>
>>> On Wed, 5 Aug 2009 18:17:53 +0100, Helen Deborah Vecht
>>> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>>> > I have a Voda dongle.
>>> > It must be used at least every 180 days (a 1p connect will suffice) or
>>> > the credit expires but otherwise it lasts indefinitely.
>>> > I've not had good speeds but I seldom get a 3G signal.
>>> >
>>> > It's good for downloading emails for minimal outlay when away from
>>> > home.
>>> > I am happy enough.
>>
>>> Hi Helen,
>>
>>> Okay on your speeds (but surprised if you seldom get 3G in Edgware) and
>>> thanks for the great news about just 2p per year minimum spend to keep
>>> the
>>> account alive and ticking.
>>
>>> So it sounds like a near-perfect resource for my very occasional use in
>>> emergencies. Allowing me to roam abroad would make it quite perfect for
>>> this purpose.
>>
>>> I see Maplin has a £5 discount on this until the end of the month.
>>> Tony
>>
>> It does not work abroad, I'm afraid.
>> I spent last week at Lee Valley Youth Hostel in Cheshunt. Connections
>> there ranged from the fair to non-existent, with frequent line drops.
>
> Tesco Mobile should be good in Cheshunt ;-)
>
>
You mean O2 network

check out Ofcoms sitefinder to find your local BTS's
http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk/

Steve Terry

On Thu, 6 Aug 2009 02:29:55 +0100, "Steve Terry" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

> Get it unlocked and try a Three 3pay sim in it

Is Vodafone's USB modem stick/dongle SIM-locked? And if so, who can do
this unlocking?

> it'll only cost you 50p per day on 3 internet, use it when you can't get
> Voda

AFAICT 3 PAYG topups expire after 30 days so it will cost 50p per day under
this suggestion regardless of whether or not one can get Vodafone.

Tony