PAYG (‘prepago’) dongle for laptop
Posted: 11 January 2010 03:30 PM  
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Advice and comments would be very welcome on the subject of PAYG dongle (non-contract) for PC laptop…....coming to San Pedro de Alcantara for 2 months and I need a decent internet connection for that time only.  The apartment I am in has neither broadband nor wi-fi set up.  ‘Prepago’ dongle the best answer?  If so, who to choose and how to get through the paperwork etc?


Have read about BIMGO, SIMYO, Vodafone etc etc but still not really clearer on who to go for.  Interested in good price, but also reliability.  I won’t be downloading music, films, videos etc so really only need decent speed internet connection to let me surf and do emails.  All thoughts and insights gratefully received!

Many thanks.

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Posted: 11 January 2010 09:40 PM   [ # 1 ]  
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Hi

Vodafone is probably your best bet.
But make absolutely certain that 3G coverage is available in your area.
PAYG dongles available at all Vodafone outlets.

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Posted: 12 January 2010 01:42 AM   [ # 2 ]  
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I agree - vodafone should do it.  Coverage should be OK in San Pedro.  Check the running cost though - I believe that every day you user it will cost you 2 Euros minimum.

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Posted: 19 February 2010 12:25 PM   [ # 3 ]  
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(re my post on our home phone/internet about to be cut off)... I may need to consider a dongle until we can get a replacement..

We DO have a Movistar signal - just!
I am totally new to these ‘Dongles’ connections via mob phone providers for a laptop.
Can someone explain to me please how they work,
what to expect to pay, etc.

(I am fairly confident with technology, I just need to get my hands on it and get started!
I usually ask around for advice on best buy etc first, as it is easy to fall into the trap of being
over/mis sold anything these days!

I just need it at present to check emails dails and do some general web surfing. Occasional
download of print articles/pdf and on-line shopping, plus uploading a few photos now and again.
I have been told that the ‘average home user’ only uses around 2 - 2.5 GB pcm.
Does this sound correct?
Does anyone have a price/comparison guide to Movistar etc and what they offer.

(Tips on what to ask for in the shop and how to ‘insert’ it into my laptop also welcome.
Just to get me started! lol!)

Thanks…
sj

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Posted: 19 February 2010 06:21 PM   [ # 4 ]  
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Hi Susan…
Before you go investing in a movistar PAYG dongle, you need to make absolutely certain that Movistar have a decent 3G coverage for your area. You say you have a Movistar mobile service ‘just’; from this statement alone I would guess that 3G cover, essential for wireless dongle service, is probably equally as marginal.
I would suggest you visit a Movistar shop to make sure that 3G coverage is available.

To be honest, Vodafone might be a better bet, or Orange. Both offer PAYG dongles. Vodafone claim to have cover in something like 95% of the mainland. Again a visit to one of the shops is adviseable.

My wife purchased a netbook on her last visit to the UK and bought a PAYG Vodafone dongle at the same time. What she was told at th time was that ‘roaming’ ie the ability to use the system in other countries would not be possible and this has proved to be the case. So the chances are that similar rules apply over here; ie., a Vodafone Spain PAYG dongle will work in Spain but not in the UK.

OK so what is a dongle? Basically its a device for converting digital signals into a format suitable for transmission and reception over radio links. It acts as a mobile phone that plugs into a USB slot on your computer. It uses a different set of characteristics that make high speed data transmission and reception possible. Much faster than a conventional mobile phone. Not having been there when my wife bought hers I cannot say whether there is any additional software to be loaded onto your laptop but I would imagine there is. I would suggest you take your laptop to your chosen service provider and let them set it up for you.

When you plug the dongle into a USB port it goes through a self check procedure. It takes it’s power from the USB port so you dont need to worry about batteries. Having completed its self-test routine it then searches for and synchronises with the nearest wireless mast operated by your chosen service provider. That done you should be able to use the net as you would normally. As you surf or download so the available credit is counted down until you are getting close to zero at which point you will receive a message from the service provider telling you to recharge. I believe that its just a case of taking the donglre into a service providers store and handing over the cash. You will need to know the number of your dongle; it has its own dedicated phone number the same as a mobile phone. It may be possible to recharge the dongle over the net or at stores such as Carrefour; I’m not sure. Perhaps someone else can provide an answer to this point.

As for operating costs…they are more expensive to use than conventional ADSL services, but it all depends on useage; clearly shifting large amounts of data, photographs, and downloading music etc is going to use up your allotted useage pretty quickly, so you should use a bit of caution…a typical CD music album transcribed at 320kbs will use something like 120Mbs ie 1/10 of a 1Gb; downloading video clips is probably a bit of a no-no if you want to conserve your allocated usege.

If your laptop has a wireless card installed you should be able to make use of the Free WiFi services offered at some hotels and other outlets…(RENFE AVE services offer free Wifi as do some longer distance coach services.) If using a free wifi service you should ensure that the dongle is removed from the laptop; so that the laptop communicates with the Free Wifi service rather than the mobile service provider thereby saving you money.

Hope some of this helps…

BTW were you ever based at Rousilllon Barracks in Chichester…You let slip somewhere on another thread that you were a redcap at some point so I guess you must have been…

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Posted: 19 February 2010 07:40 PM   [ # 5 ]  
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foxbat - 19 February 2010 06:21 PM

Hope some of this helps…
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As per usual, 10/10 Sir Fb 😉
DSB.

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Posted: 23 February 2010 09:10 AM   [ # 6 ]  
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Many thanks for excellent info FB.  Will go check with Movistar we are in 3G coverage.
Sadly Orange, Vodaphone etc, etc will not work/no signal here.  So it is Movistar or nothing.

Am considering Satllite option for internet as final solution. Costly on set up, but hopefully all Ok if
it is a good system. (Have been advised to go for Tariman/EuroBird system as Spanish Astra is iffy).

Oh the joys of living in the campo! 😉

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Posted: 26 November 2011 10:43 AM   [ # 7 ]  
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I found a cool product i bought one of these gobabymobile Mini WiFi ?dongle dock? works with ?ANY DONGLE ON ANY NETWORK?

Works great now me and the whole famliy can use the internet , and you can have upto 50 devices conected to it at anytime

and it will work with any dongle on any network anywhere in the world ( see pic below )


Just google ( gobabymobile ) as they have a said iam not able to post links ?


Thanks for reading

Ed 😊

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Posted: 26 November 2011 10:44 AM   [ # 8 ]  
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Mois - 11 January 2010 03:30 PM

Advice and comments would be very welcome on the subject of PAYG dongle (non-contract) for PC laptop…....coming to San Pedro de Alcantara for 2 months and I need a decent internet connection for that time only.  The apartment I am in has neither broadband nor wi-fi set up.  ‘Prepago’ dongle the best answer?  If so, who to choose and how to get through the paperwork etc?


Have read about BIMGO, SIMYO, Vodafone etc etc but still not really clearer on who to go for.  Interested in good price, but also reliability.  I won’t be downloading music, films, videos etc so really only need decent speed internet connection to let me surf and do emails.  All thoughts and insights gratefully received!

Many thanks.

This was my soulution

(gobabymobile) there Mini WiFi ?dongle dock? works with ?ANY DONGLE ON ANY NETWORK?

Works great now me and the whole famliy can use the internet , and you can have upto 50 devices conected to it at anytime

and it will work with “any dongle on any network”  “anywhere in the world” ( see pic below )


Just google ( gobabymobile ) as they have a said iam not able to post links ?


hope this helps


Ed smile

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