Re: Data plans
 

The network operators have been ripping people off all over the world for a long time now. I hope the EU starts taking notice of things like phone locking which have made the networks lazy and uncompetitive.

Broadband ISPs are competitive, so why aren't mobile ISPs too?

(BTW, phone locking was illegal in Finland until recently, which is partly why there are such good prices here, because it increased competition.)

Re: Data plans
 

Ah, just wait for the Canadians to find your thread. From what I understand, cellular companies there regularly invade homes during the night to poke their customers with sharpened sticks.

Re: Data plans
 

We ear a bit about this lately in France too, mostly because the IPhone is only available at Orange which piss off a lot of people.
But the law is moving slowly. I also hope EU will do something about it soon.

Anyone has an idea why we have unlimited data plans for like 30€ / month but we can't use the phone as a modem(it's in the contract)?
We can only use web and mail on the phone, not on the PC or the IT... IMHO it's just stupid.

Re: Data plans
 

There is absolutely no technical reason for it, it's just the network operator being greedy.

I have a 10e month plan which lets me use the connection with ANYTHING, the network doesn't care what I'm connected to.

In fact Saunalahti positively encourage people to use their data plans with computers, the adverts show people using their laptops with their phones. If you sign up for 2 years of data, you get an EEE PC and USB 3G modem for 10 euros a month extra:

http://saunalahti.fi/puhelimet/puhel...79&type=bundle

They had a Nokia tablet bundle too last year.

Re: Data plans
 

We have such thing now 30€ / month for data with a 3G usb modem and an EEEPC for 99€.
But:
1) It's expensive for data only.
2) I'm pretty sure it's usable only with the 3G USB modem which makes it unusable on the NIT. And even if I take the sim card out of the key to put it in a bluetooth phone, it means I can't make or recieve phone calls then.

:-(

Re: Data plans
 

Read and cry (for me :) )

Romania, Vodafone 3g:
2,38 euro with 10 Mb traffic included, additional 0,0023/10KB

They also offer a crappy 4,76 EUR/month unlimited internet 500 mb traffic plan. Although all the sales idiots said that it's true internet AND I specifically asked if other ports than 80 work because I use internet on my mobile for much more than web it's basically proxy-ed web&wap.

Oh, they also have 3g usb crap modems for use with laptops with much cheaper rates. I tried the sim card for one of those in a phone and it works, so you could get one of those and convert a 3g phone in a bluetooth modem for your IT.

Re: Data plans
 

XS4All, The Netherlands:

1 year contract, monthly payment.

Start: 33,57 EUR 768/384, 1 GB
Lite: 50 EUR 1800/384, 2 GB
Basic: 80 EUR, 3600/1400, FUP

All prices excluding VAT (add 20% ;))

Current XS4All customers get 25% cut.

Expensive, but they're known for not tampering with connections. You won't get strange **** like 'not allowed to run VPN', 'not allowed to run VoIP', or 'strange RSTs on certain protocols'.

I might opt for this (w/Start), or consider a cheaper solution (Vodafone and T-Mobile are cheaper but pose limits on the connection). I'll have to look up their prices, will add them later.

What I'd like to do is use a GlobeSurfer (the USB one) + Linux on laptop & NIT. I think, with a miniUSB to USB converter (example) I am all set, correct?

Re: Data plans
 

Please include the speed! This is very important.

http://www.t-mobile.nl/persoonlijk/h.../tarieven.aspx

Look here what T-Mobile tries to pull. They give you a capped speed of e.g. 24 kbit/sec. This is outrageous!

It is also very important what the costs are outside the country.

Here are Vodafone NL prices

http://www.vodafone.nl/prive/mobiel_.../wat_kost_het/

Addendum: Both posts above are for laptop (or: "any device"), they are not for mobile phones. For mobile phones the data plans are cheaper, but also more limited. I don't want a phone, I want to use my NIT as phone!

Re: Data plans
 

Cingular/ATT Media Net is $15 unlimited. The old $20 plan included 200 text messages which is now a separate $5 fee.

Re: Data plans
 

Yet another reason against the much hyped iphone.

If i go ahead and sign a contract and take this plan.... can the later on increase the the monthly charge for internet??