# Dongle coverage in Scotland



## Boppintone (Mar 17, 2008)

I am about to invest in a new laptop and wondered if anyone has knowlege of the strength of coverage in Scotland, paticularly north of Perth and west of the A9, I am advised that the best way to get broadband conection is via a Dongle,  please go easy on me as I admit to being a bit fick when it comes to such technical things,any advice would be more than welcome before I go and spend some money.

Thanks  Tone


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## Hazy-thoughts (Mar 17, 2008)

Bugger I thought this thread was in praise of Sporrans 

I have heard tell that T Mobile is amongst the best in UK, not sure about their coverage though I suppose it would depend how far North you were thinking of heading.
Check the link out it gives details of their plans and prices, it may even give info regards coverage

Good Luck

Wally


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## merlin wanderer (Mar 17, 2008)

Boppintone said:


> I am about to invest in a new laptop and wondered if anyone has knowlege of the strength of coverage in Scotland, paticularly north of Perth and west of the A9, I am advised that the best way to get broadband conection is via a Dongle, please go easy on me as I admit to being a bit fick when it comes to such technical things,any advice would be more than welcome before I go and spend some money.
> 
> Thanks Tone


Vodaphone at £15.00 a month now thats not bad eh!


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## Trevor (Mar 17, 2008)

Hazy-thoughts said:


> Bugger I thought this thread was in praise of Sporrans
> 
> I have heard tell that T Mobile is amongst the best in UK, not sure about their coverage though I suppose it would depend how far North you were thinking of heading.
> Check the link out it gives details of their plans and prices, it may even give info regards coverage
> ...


I am not 100% sure but are these Dongle only any good when you are at a hotspot


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## Graham Hadfield (Mar 17, 2008)

Trevor said:


> I am not 100% sure but are these Dongle only any good when you are at a hotspot



No, they work on a mobile phone signal, picking up a 3G or 2G according to the coverage.

I have a T-Mobile dongle which I bought a few weeks ago so haven't used much yet. I was a bit disappointed this weekend at Newark show to only get a GPRS signal, rather than 3G, but I'm sure that will improve in time - and it does show that the T-Mobile dongle/software does revert to 2G when 3G isn't available. 

However, I've seen a tip on another forum tonight that if you use the second connector cable which comes with the device and allows you to plug into two USB ports for extra power then you can get a better signal - haven't tried it myself yet of course.

Coverage for T-Mobile can be checked HERE. You can put different places into the Live/Work/Play fields to check all at the same time. I tried Perth, Aviemore and Braemar and got Good, Very Good & None for 2G and Good, None & None got 3G respectively.

Three have a similar checking page HERE and Vodafone have one HERE.

Graham


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## Boppintone (Mar 17, 2008)

Thanks for that Graham and for the info you gave me at Newark, sorry I missed you when you left. I thought I would ask this question on here to maybe get 1st hand info from some of the chaps who post regularly from up in Scotland like Hillwalker and others but maybe none are using this kind of connection, but its early yet maybe someone will come up with the goods later.

Tone


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## Graham Hadfield (Mar 17, 2008)

Boppintone said:


> Thanks for that Graham and for the info you gave me at Newark, sorry I missed you when you left. I thought I would ask this question on here to maybe get 1st hand info from some of the chaps who post regularly from up in Scotland like Hillwalker and others but maybe none are using this kind of connection, but its early yet maybe someone will come up with the goods later.
> 
> Tone



My pleasure Tony. Pity we missed each other more than met at Newark  We left after lunch yesterday instead of staying until this morning because of so many traders having to pack up and go.

All being well more people will see the thread and respond in the next few days.

Graham


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## Polly (Mar 17, 2008)

*Dongle*

What's a DONGLE?????????


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## mikejay (Mar 17, 2008)

When we went up as far as we could go lol john o groats i never lost my 3g connection on my 3 phone.i have been looking into the 3dongle as its pay as you go now £10 a month for 1gb downloads put more top up on if you need to use it more only thing is on pay as you go you have to buy the modem (dongle) £99.99 unless you are on 3 for your mobile then its 50% off thats what it says on there site.Another way is if you are on 3 just get the xseries  £5 on your phone and use your phone as the modem not as fast as hsdpa but cheaper 

Mike


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## Graham Hadfield (Mar 18, 2008)

Polly said:


> What's a DONGLE?????????



Generically it is something which attaches to a computer through one of the built-in ports. Originally they tended to be for security to allow you to use software (and prevent use of pirate copies). In those days they would attach via the serial or parallel port but these days they usually attach via a USB port.

The types we are talking about on this thread are like the Web'n'walk USB modem HERE.

Graham


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## Graham Hadfield (Mar 18, 2008)

Boppintone said:


> I am about to invest in a new laptop



Tony, something just struck me - it's OK it didn't hurt 

When you are looking at laptops ask the sales people about battery life, especially if you are going to be away from mains charging facilities for any length of time.

I bought a 12 volt charger like This One for mine which works OK. You need to check the output voltage of the mains charger which comes with the laptop to make sure that there is an appropriate setting on the 12 volt charger.

We have an Aldi Power station like This One which I used at Newark at the weekend to charge the laptop (rather than take power from the leisure battery).

Graham


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## sagart (Mar 18, 2008)

Western side is a bit of a desert and hard enough to get a mobile signal. 
My Nokia 9500 can connect GPRS with Vodafone and O2 but struggles otherwise, and 3g is a no, no.

3G is not an option here or the Western Islands where the best chance is a wireless hotspot (for example Aros here on Skye http://www.aros.co.uk/) or to use a site such a as http://www.free-hotspot.com/

Using public access terminals is rarely helpful as their equipment often lacks Usb ports - nothing to do with security as much as the age of their hardware.
Some hotels. pubs, B&B's etc do provide wireless access, either free or with a drink or a meal.
Others, like Starbucks. insest on a prticular data plan being used


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## sagart (Mar 22, 2008)

Forgot to mention also http://www.myhotspots.co.uk/


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## Rose & Dave (Mar 23, 2008)

*Rose & Dave*

Hi, we have just purchased a pay as-you-go broadband dongal from 3mobile. Presently online in Dundee.  We did a lot of reseach and 3 seem to be the best coverage we could find for UK.

Rose


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## ggrigg (Mar 24, 2008)

*Dongle*

Hi Rose and Dave 
You have just convinced another member to register!

I looked at getting online while out and about and have changed my O2 MP contract to include FREE unlimited web access.  This coupled with a USB cable for the Sony K800i means I can now access the www where ever I can get a MP signal. If GPRS is available then it uses that mode which I think is what is used by the cards.

The Sony phone software has a simple "mobile web connection" icon which sets the up both the phone AND the laptop into O2! Only discovered after lots of grief in MSWindows connections!

So cost is nil usability ....?
Ill tell you if I can reply further as we are of to look at a couple of sites found on here NOW!


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