Mobile Data in Lieu of Broadband via BT – Open Reach

[Andrew]

Re Windowsphones, many of these are much more up to date with security updates than the vast majority of Android phones

Not any more. Microsoft stopped using security updates for Windows Mobile last year. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4485197/windows-10-mobile-end-of-support-faq

 

[Andrew]

Ookla is a great free tool for testing 4G performance, if you're not sure what it will be like where you live and are considering ditching broadband. I get around 100Mbps download here in Scotland, which beats my 76Mbps fibre-to-the-cabinet. Definately got me thinking.

 

[in h]

Until earlier this month I was pleased with Three. Recently they seem to have messed up their routing, giving poor speeds, terrible latency and frequent dropouts. If they can't support a 4G network, when 5G finally does arrive here, will it be worth having?

Three has continued to be a bit crap round here, and I had to switch to using 4G Band 20 (which has less bandwidth but fewer users) to be acceptable connection speeds.
But at long last, at some time since the middle of last week, Three seem to have sorted things out and once again I'm getting decent speeds on 4G Band 3.

 

[ScoTTyBEEE]

Ah good old Elon Musk
His system should give everyone fast internet but we will need to wait and see how it all pans out. At the moment a SIM card is the best option

Look up at 22:01 tonight and you'll see over 40 of these starlink satellites cross the sky

 

[in h]

I'm talking about something like this: https://www.starlink.com/

It's broadband anywhere in the world, it will be perfect for motorhomes. No roaming fees, full speed all the time, low latency...etc

We shall have to see what it actually costs to use, how big the user's antenna has to be, whether it works under tree cover, near buildings, what the hardware costs. It might be great, but then again, there are other possibilities.

 

[Deleted member 84631]

I have just done very similar to what you are asking. My broadband was about to end its initial term and the price would jump to over £50 per month. As I am planning to go travelling as soon as possible I thought instead of paying for home broadband I will switch to mobile broadband and take it with me when I go. So I purchased a 4g (5g options available also) HUAWEI router For £50 and ordered a three unlimited data sim for £24 per month (business rate). Works great! I get a constant 20mb download and around 5mb upload which is good enough for streaming Netflix etc. The router allows 16 devices to connect and is always on. No messing about reconnecting all the time like you have to when tethering to a phone. Plus it’s battery powered as well as usb powered. Only draw back is the lack of a lan port. I have got round this by purchasing a cheap WiFi extender with lan port.

 

[in h]

Three has continued to be a bit crap round here, and I had to switch to using 4G Band 20 (which has less bandwidth but fewer users) to be acceptable connection speeds.
But at long last, at some time since the middle of last week, Three seem to have sorted things out and once again I'm getting decent speeds on 4G Band 3.

Sadly, it was only good for a week or two. Then all the cells on that church tower went off again.
Hopefully it'll be back eventually.
In the meantime, I've locked it to Band 20 again.
The contract is up is a couple of weeks. Not decided what to choose next.
The moral of the story is that you shouldn't lock yourself into a long contract to get a lower price. Things change.

 

[Dowel]

Long time since my opening post on this subject but I have come to a conclusion after research and testing.
I live in a village and found mobile phone reception variable using my old Nokia phone on O2. I looked on all the coverage maps which indicated that 3 who own Smarty just had the edge over their competitors.

Bought a G4, category 6 LTE phone and a 30GB Smarty SIM card. Used them to do some field tests which gave good results.

Used the phone as a hotspot using wifi to connect to my Dell desktop PC, a Lenovo win10 laptop and a Samsung Galaxy tablet. Used Ookla speedtest to compare Smarty mobile with Plusnet ADSL. Plusnet was connected to the Dell desktop by ethernet to the TP Link ADSL router.
Average figures from over 40 tests showed the following:
Plusnet: Download 1.23 Mbs Upload 0.48 Mbs Latency 25.33 ms
Smarty (3) Download 22.9 Mbs Upload 8.34 Mbs Latency 56.99 ms

Encouraged by this I bought a used Huawei B525 router via ebay. I was slightly disappointed to find that was no faster than the phone. I added a Panorama Ultra Wideband MiMo Antenna which again was a disappointment as it made no difference at all whether the router was set to use internal, external, mixed or Auto selection of antennas. The Panorama antenna is mounted on the inside of a window just a couple of feet above the router, which also "looks" through the window, so both are probably receiving much the same signal.

I will try a further experiment with that antenna mounted on the section of flat roof above our first floor because the very best download speed achieved with the phone was 73Mbps in that location. It is not an antenna intended for use outside but if a success may tempt me to buy a weatherproof antenna.

I expect the Panorama antenna may also be useful in the van.

Overall the experiment has been a success although download speed alone is just one of the factors in a useful connection. £10 for 30 GB a month will suit me and unlimited texts and phone calls are included free.

Thanks for advice given and for the discussions which I also found very helpful.

 

[witzend]

12 months ago we cancelled our BT landline and now use have a Huawei router on a unlimited 2 yr contract with 3 every thing works as it did before and we can take it away with us as it works off vans 12v supply

4G & 5G Home Broadband | Three

As well as offering 4G, we now offer 5G on our Home Broadband. Choose an Unlimited plan on Pay Monthly and get it the next working day!

tinyurl.com

Until the last 3 weeks an now because of the crowds visiting Cornwall their network just can't cope, But until now it's been fine

 

[in h]

I suggest that you install huaCtrl on your phone and try setting the network bands. I find that band 3 is much faster than band 20, though allowing the router to use both (LTE+) is better still.
Don't assume that the strongest signal gets the fastest speed. There may be a different cell that has more capacity. I use a directional antenna, carefully positioned so it sees a distant base rather than a nearer, slower one.

 

[in h]

Sadly, it was only good for a week or two. Then all the cells on that church tower went off again.

Update, in July, it came back. All is good again. About 35mb/sec up and 35mb/sec down. That's easily good enough. Anything over 20 is good enough.

 

[ricc]

weve got a tplink ac750 router in the workshop office connected on a 3 internet with legs data sim. the laptop connected to itoften has internet when the android phone on plusnet cant get a data connection. we also use a 3 sim in a 10 inch android tablet.... gut feeling is the aerial in the phone is obviously smaller therefore crapier.

 

[colinm]

Not any more. Microsoft stopped using security updates for Windows Mobile last year. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4485197/windows-10-mobile-end-of-support-faq

Sorry missed that first time around.
Even though MS stopped the security updates, phones with WM10 are more up to date on security than the majority of Android phones, the simple fact is most Android phones have to rely on manufacturers updates, and these are woefully behind and in many cases don't happen if the phone is not a current model. This is why I've been careful to choose a Android phone for gf that gives good security updates, as we don't change phones very often.

 

[in h]

You can believe that if you like. My Android phone last got a security update last week,

 

[in h]

You can believe that if you like. My Android phone last got a security update last week,

I commented too soon. Yesterday evening, my phone got the August 2020 security updates.

 

[colinm]

I should maybe modify my post, certainly it was correct for last year, this year probably the number of Android phones in circulation with worse security updates than WM10 might well be less than half of them.
My point is people with Android phones should not blindly believe they are up to date with security, AFAIK no phone as old as my 950XL, either Android or iPhone has more up to date security. Also the security on many newer Android phones is more out of date, the newer the phone it might have better security, but that's not guaranteed as some makes have a appalling record for updating. Some just don't bother updating old models, others can be months late with updates. If phone security is a must, and if like us you don't chase every bright shiny new model, then you need to look into the security update record of the company.

 

[B9K9UK]

As a boy we didn't have a telephone at home, you used those call boxes pressing button A if you got through and button B if you didn't to get your money back.

Then when phones in doors did reach the masses they were usually a shared line and you had to wait 3 months for that.

Skip forwards 50 years, driving my lorry in the North the phone rang and we talked to the boss in the South without taking our hands off the wheel.

A new series had just started on television called StarTrek, 'Beam me up Scotty!'. Life was catching up with fiction.

We can speak to and see people the other side of the world. We can send messages, documents, pictures to anyone anywhere provided only that they have Internet access.

Skip forwards another couple of decades and my Microsoft Phone just will not die. It is a mini computer, linked through the MSContinum hub and a keyboard and mouse and a suitable monitor it does everything a mini computer can do. I link it to MSOffice 365 and have everything I need without lugging around heavy laptops.

Only got an android phone because of WhatsApp. Don't like the Android, Google, Samsung, and those annoying Apps all trying to sell you something an Android phone or tablet is just like having a commercial break in your pocket all the time.

Yes my Microsft Lumia will run Google Maps if I insist.

Who in their right mind would rely on manufacturers security alone. My choice is Norton, yes there are plenty of free anti-virus programmes out there. At present on a campsite in Wales with free Wi-Fi. I have it covered with Norton VPN, the bad guys can't get thorugh.

I think my MS Lumia 950XL will die when I do.

 

[witzend]

Until the last 3 weeks an now because of the crowds visiting Cornwall their network just can't cope, But until now it's been fine

Well after 3 weeks of complaining still not as good as it was but usable and they've reduced my payment by £5 a month until the end of my contract 16 mths to run yet