Mobile Broadband Plug Ins for Laptops?

[Mark]

Did you get this working Paul ?

Mark

 

[pollensa]

Here's a link to a place I've found on the internet before - http://www.spainsim.com/vodusbadslmodem.htm

They appear to sell either the dongle (USB Modem) + SIM for 199 EUR (seems quite expensive) plus 'bonos' topup cards for 40 - 400 EUR (25 Mg - 5 Gb).

You can also buy the SIM separately for 59.95 EUR - see www.spainsim.com/voda3gSIM.htm if you already have a modem - I assume this includes a UK one, good idea as I think they're cheaper than 199 EUR here. I thought you could get them at £99 on a PAYG basis in the UK but their website is only showing contracts today. If you can get the modem in the UK & buy this Spanish SIM (to replace the UK one) it looks quite a good deal & there's some useful info re how to top-up.

 

[sws97sdg]

Hi Pollensa
Not sure that would work, someone earlier in the thread had trouble with the top up because the two countries have different numbers on them,

" bought a £10 UK Vodafone voucher from a post office in UK, this does not work as it only has a 12 digit activation code, Vodafone Spain SMS activation service expects a 16 digit activation code,"

So I think the only option is a Spanish dongle and top up, but last I heard none available on the whole island, that may have changed now. I have had a kind offer of the loan of a Spanish dongle from a forum member, and will need to top it up, so I can find out more next week when I am there if that would help.

 

[pollensa]

Hi sws97sdg,

I think the previous issue related to buying a UK top-up card.

I think there are actually 3 components:

1) the USB Modem (or dongle) which plugs into yoir laptop via the USB port

2) the SIM (similar to a phone SIM)

3) the top-up

I'm pretty sure that the actual Modem is similar to an unlocked phone & that you can buy this anywhere. They key thing that you need to get to use it in Spain is the Spanish SIM. This may come with a certain amount of data credit & then the issue for the previous poster was to top it up regularly to stop it expiring. This is where you can try & do it by phone (but it may be in Spanish) or online or via your bank if you have a Spanish account or buy a topup card which must be a Spanish one. This is fine if you are in Spain but if in the UK you need to buy from one of the web sites quoted in this thread.

I have the same issue topping up my Spanish mobile phone & try & do it whenever I'm in PP.

 

[sws97sdg]

Oh thanks, I assumed the modem had a dedicated sim, or rather the modem always comes with a sim.

 

[Mark]

" bought a £10 UK Vodafone voucher from a post office in UK, this does not work as it only has a 12 digit activation code, Vodafone Spain SMS activation service expects a 16 digit activation code,"

That was me

The problem was that I tried to top us a spanish sim in the UK, and not done it yet apart from paying people online to do it in Spain for me while I am in UK.

If I had a Vodafone Spain mobile phone I could do it apparently, as spanish tourists do this in UK to top up pay as you go spanish mobiles when in UK on holiday.
I need a vodafone Spain pay as you go phone from somewhere to try this in England. Ideally a Nokia as I am familiar with the menus and it might be in Spanish.


A UK USB modem might work with a spanish sim, that would be ideal, but no one knows if it works yet...

If anyone has a UK purchased vodafone USB modem they can send me I will test it with my Spanish Sim and report back.


Mark.

 

[pollensa]

There's an interesting post here on the vodafone site - see http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3432 where the vodafone guy says a UK purchased modem is locked to vodafone UK but you can pay to unlock it (if PAYG) but someone else had been advised by vodafone that it was unlocked & he managed to use a Spanish data SIM purchased from spainsim.com OK in Menorca.

 

[sws97sdg]

This is getting complicated, that works if you already have a dongle on a contract, you can unlock it then, but can you get a dongle without a contract and unlock that for use with a Spanish payg sim card?

 

[pollensa]

I think you really have to check with vodafone as reading that post, the vodafone guy says that they will do it free if on a contract but will charge £20 if PAYG modem but you need a PAYG SIM in order for them to charge you the £20!

But the guy who went to Menorca implies that his was already unlocked! I think you could contact spainsim.com, who would supply the Spanish SIM, to ask what the procedure is. They are selling the SIMs separately so I can only assume that these are for the Modems bought elsewhere e.g. in the UK.

And then vodafone.es (all in Spanish) is selling Modem with SIM online for 69 EUR (PAYG)!

 

[whaleywanderer]

Hi Mark

Thought I had it all sussed but you have put some nagging thoughts in my head regarding security. (See http://www.forum.puertopollensa.com/internet-telephones-mobile-phones/2897-wifi-update.html - webmaster)
Your 3G USB data modem sounds the best way to go but not sure if I can use it with my laptop which has not got windows it is Linux with the Firefox browser, it does have USB connections though. I don't want to go to the expense of buying one only to find it will not work with my laptop.

I have read your previous posts regarding this matter and concluded that the best place to go is the Vodaphone shop in Pollenca. Topping up should not be a problem as we are lucky enough to visit about 4 times a year but where do you go to top up, is it where they do 'recarga (mobile phone topup's)'? - What would my initial cost be for purchase of the modem? - What are the approx running costs, obviously I understand this depends on useage? - Is it PAYG or Prepay, I would not want a contract?

You seem to be quite clued up so perhaps you are able to answer my questions or hopefully someone else out there may be able to help. I would like to get this sorted on my next visit which commences 3rd Sept

I'm just wondering if in the long run it would just be cheaper and more convenient to get a phone line installed in the apartment, but didn't want to pay rental for the time that I am not there.

 

[Mark]

You must have an Eeepc ASUS | Eee PC

As this thread is about people with Windows PC's I have started another thread so people dont get confused, as Linux devices need different settings and software.

http://www.forum.puertopollensa.com...sus-eee-pc-other-linux-laptops.html#post24341

You can use firefox or any browser or email program, as once you are connected the computer works just as though it is plugged in at home to your broadband connection, its no different, just no wires

Mark.

 

[Paul S]

Cheap way to use modemwork in Spain

Hi

I bought a vodafone UK modem for £50 and had to buy one months subscription for £20 which I cancelled immediately.
My local Vodafone shop said I needed to pay an additional £20 to unlock the modem. When I didnt recieve an unlock code I chased up and Vodafone confirmed it was already unlocked and they refunded my £20. On arrival in Pollensa I went to the Vodafone shop and purchased 150 meg of data for 20 euros. It worked a treat and was ample for a couple of hours work a day over 3 week holiday - saving me £180 against using a UK sim.

Hope this helps

Paul

Did you get this working Paul ?

Mark

 

[pollensa]

On arrival in Pollensa I went to the Vodafone shop and purchased 150 meg of data for 20 euros.

Hi Paul,

that sounds very cheap. Can you confirm what exactly it was that you bought in Pollensa. Was it a Spanish SIM including data or just a data topup? Did you have to take your UK SIM out of the dongle & put a Spanish one in? i.e. how did you install/activate whatever it was that you purchased in Pollensa. It sounds so much cheaper than the other options described above.

Thanks.

 

[graham]

I found it really easy this time. I went to Vodafone in Pollensa, bought a dongle and a spanish PAYG SIM which I'll simply top up whenever I come out. No problem whatsoever especially as the girl in the shop speaks perfect English. Her mother comes from 't Leeds.

 

[Sparky]

That sounds good Graham, how much did it cost in total?.

 

[pollensa]

Thanks Graham.

But I'm really interested in having a UK one that I can use in other countries as well without paying roaming charges. Unfortunately running this site & forum, means that I cannot go anywhere without accessing the internet for at least an hour a day. Fortunately most places have wi-fi now but it can restrict where you stay.

 

[graham]

It was (I think) 69 Euros. You can obviously top it up with different amounts when you come out. All you need to do is take the card back to the shop and they'll top it up for you

 

[Sparky]

Thank you Graham, that is a good price. I will look into it next month.

 

[graham]

Just remembered -if you're using a mac you'll need to download a piece of software to make the dongle work. You can find it at www.vodafone.es/macmodem. It's really easy, though. Even I could do it and I have a physical aversion to the words 'download' and 'software' especially when in close proximity to one another!

If you're on PC it's simply Plug 'n Play.

 

[Paul S]

They took the UK Sim out and replaced it with a spanish sim and they had to phone from the shop to activate it. For further top ups I use the same Spanish sim. Back in UK I replace it with the UK sim
Hope this helps
Paul