I have done a search, and read through many of the excellent posts about getting wifi in London and Europe. I was wondering if anyone had rented a mobile hot spot device from "3". It looks like for about £49 you can get the device and a Gb or so of data. And I was wondering if there are other hidden fees. I'll have an iPod touch , and would like to have an access point for maps and when I'm out and about - I don't want to have to find a cafe etc. I've also considered buying an unlocked iPhone, and getting a local SIM, but that is pretty expensive compared to the "3" mobile broadband device, if I am reading the site correctly Many thanks!
Posted by
Redding, CA, USA
1568 posts
I use the Canary Hot Spot finder so I do not have to drag out my laptop until I fine a hot spot. It is excellent. Used it on a road trip around the US. It would find a hot spot then I would for example go into the place and order lunch or coffee....depending on the site. If their site was locked I would ask for the code. The Canary will also give you the signal strength and type of service....and whether it is locked or unlocked. http://canarywireless.com/canary/ It cost $50 to buy.
Posted by
Tuscaloosa, AL
1152 posts
Laurel, I haven't used the mobile hot spot from 3, but I have used a USB modem from T-Mobile UK and it worked fine for my laptop. I would expect that the mobile wifi, which is somewhat of a similar idea, would work fine with no hidden costs. Now I just use a prepaid SIM card from T-Mobile UK because my Android phone will work as a mobile hotspot if I need to connect anything else to the Internet. Using a phone-based connection was so easy and convenient that I rarely even looked for a wifi connection on my last few visits when I was away from my hotel. Why bother when I already had a connection through the mobile phone connection? Do you rent the device or buy it? I've seen ones advertised by T-Mobile UK that you buy for about the same amount. If you do go this route, please post afterwards and let us know your experience with it.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
Yes, buying an unlocked iPhone is VERY expensive. If you don't need or want one for anything else, your current plan to use your iPod Touch is much better. The UK is a very competitive cell phone market (except they say "mobile" and not "cell"), so prices and deals are better than many other countries. However, if you will be using a UK hotspot outside of England, be SURE to check the data roaming fees. I believe these are capped for within the EU (still not cheap), but for places like Switzerland, Croatia, Norway or Turkey, they can skyrocket. That's the only "hidden" cost I can think of. In your position, I'd spend some time on the Prepaid GSM website. The two sections that will help you are: 1. http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/uk.php has a list of all the UK mobile providers, with summaries of their prices and direct links to their websites. You can then check each of their websites for the latest deals for mobile hotspots. Since these are British websites, if there is any "catch in the fine print," it will be in English. 2. http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/uk-ireland/ is the Prepaid GSM Forum for the UK and Ireland. Browse them to learn more, and if you still have questions, ask them there. Don't be afraid to ask for clarification, as the people who hang out there are real techies, and they use lots of abbreviations and assume lots of knowledge. If you can handle that, and if you post specifics like how long you'll be going, what other countries you will be using it in, and whether you will also need voice service, they will be very helpful in finding the best deal for you.