Advice needed re internet connections without broadband

ME14addick

We're moving soon to a rented property which has no land line so will not be able to get broadband. Owner of the property who lives next door says that he uses his mobile phone on 3 network to get a signal. My husband and I don't have smart phones at the moment and we only have a desktop pc, no tablet or laptop. Do all smart phones allow you to connect your pc to the internet? Would a dongle be better? Neither of us is very techno savvy so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Absurdistan

If you haven't got a smart phone, dongle would be cheaper but still expensive unless you don't use much bandwidth.

ads

You can get a free sim from mobi-data.co.uk and put it in a dongle, mines £5 a month for 2gb and works fine, no good for YouTube and iPlayer etc but ok for standard stuff. Or you could try virgin cable, you wouldn't need a landline for cable.

SilentAddick

The 3network does an "all you can eat" data tariff (unlimited) and that's the one if you're to use this for online browsing...

ME14addick

We have unlimited broadband with Sky at the moment and when at home leave the pc connected to the internet all the time - so we can look at Charlton Life! We mainly use the pc for emails, surfing the internet, looking at occasional videos but don't download much.

ME14addick

ads said:

You can get a free sim from mobi-data.co.uk and put it in a dongle, mines £5 a month for 2gb and works fine, no good for YouTube and iPlayer etc but ok for standard stuff. Or you could try virgin cable, you wouldn't need a landline for cable.

Unfortunately no cable as the property is a bit remote.

cafcfan

It's been reported recently that poor broadband speed wipes 20% off the value of a house. I hope the complete lack thereof, not to mention the landline phone, has had a similar effect on the rent you'll be paying!

IdleHans

I've just got a Three dongle to replace the t mobile one I had before - I live in a thick-walled house in a valley with a hopeless T mobile signal. The Three dongle has been fabulous by comparison for light use. Cost was £20 from PC world inc 1GB data, and top ups are £10 per month 1GB, £15 per month 3GB on payg.

swords_alive

Smartphone + '3 mobile' 'all you can eat data' with tethering- i think 3 are the only company that allow all you can eat on a tethered connection. That's the way to go i reckon. Cost is about £18/month on 3 with basic smart phone i think. Their shop staff are good in my experience as is their helpdesk.
Tethering involves 3 clicks/touches on the phone to set up (on the Android operating system).
Your PC will be able to 'find the phone' (with tethering turned on), either using its wireless capability (you set password on phone and give this to PC too), or using the usb lead that comes with the phone.

ME14addick

Thanks for info.