'Smoke' commented about something he noticed when using the Vodafone 3G datacard -
"If you're in an area (as I am) which has marginal 3G coverage (sometimes showing 3G sometimes GPRS) then it seems to help if you use the '3G only connection' profile. Somehow it locks you into the 3G and doesn't throw you out into GPRS. With the '3G preferred' profile it seems a bit too eager to connect as GPRS. Would be interested in seeing if anyone else is seeing the same behaviour."I have! In fact I was rather disappointed with the reaction of Vodafone support when I informed them I was using the 3G Only profile - they said I should be using 3G Preferred instead because I'm in a marginal area. But, as I pointed out, that profile hardly ever locks onto 3G for me and regularly loses my connection as it switches between the two. So I'll stick with 3G Only thank you!
Another thing I've noticed - sometimes after launching the Vodafone Mobile Connect software the Mobile (connect) button remains greyed, presumably in sympathy with the indication of zero bars 3G service in the status bar. But I've found that I can nearly always get around this by 'dialing-up' from the '3G Only Connection' in my Network Connection control panel.
Technorati Tags: vodafone, datacard, mobile, 3G
You could try 2 other things
- use a lighter browser. IE is bloatware, firefox is better, but Opera will use that precious mobile bandwidth the lighest
- try a connection accelerator/compressor - something like www.onspeed.com
Posted by: Damien | July 22, 2006 at 02:20 PM
Thanks for the tips Damien. I have to say I'd want to be really struggling with bandwidth to switch to Opera though - I've invested so much time in customizing Firefox with toolbar bookmarks and bookmarklets, extensions and configuration changes that I'd most likely be less efficient in Opera regardless of bandwidth. Having said that I used to use Opera exclusively for a while a few years ago and liked it very much back then. And I'm a big fan of Operal mobile and mini.
Onspeed.com sounds like something I could try out though.
Posted by: James Corbett | July 22, 2006 at 02:28 PM
does the modem card support HSDPA (aka 3.5G) or will you have to fork out again for new h/ware when Voda launch HSDPA in October?
Posted by: Damien | July 23, 2006 at 08:44 AM
No, it only supports 3G/GPRS Damien so yes, I'll have to fork out again for HSDPA when it finally reaches me here. But that's unlikely to be before next year from what I've heard, eventhough we got 3G here fairly early in the game.
I'm not too worried about it to be honest - I got this datacard on 'special offer' of €49 and I'm enjoying the service so much that I feel like I'm getting excellent value for money. Which is probably all perception and just goes to show how limited a choice in broadband I've had in my little corner of the countryside....
Posted by: James Corbett | July 23, 2006 at 10:46 AM
What about Fair Usage Policy? How big is the limit of data i could download?
i just got this card yesterday and i already got 800mb downloaded :/ Of course lady in vodafone said it's unlimited so i can download how much i would like to. then i found out about fair usage policy on website.
sorry for my poor english
Posted by: Einer | July 23, 2006 at 10:50 AM
5GB is the stated fair usage limit but you'll get different opinions on what that actually means in practice. There are some good posts about it on www.Boards.ie
Posted by: James Corbett | July 23, 2006 at 10:54 AM
Usually the speed would be in range from 1.5mbps to 3.6mbps in case of 3G Data Card, don’t get mislead by the offers of the companies on higher speed promises. Get benefited get smiled.
Posted by: samar | December 06, 2010 at 05:08 AM