Mobility…
Monday, December 5, 2011 at 5:47PM Warning: this post may leave you yawning.
Graham has posted an article about his mobile phone and Internet solution.
After Tweeting back and forth with him about it a little I decided that I would just post something a little longer form.
I'm currently using a Nokia C5—a 3G handset—for my phone and SMS needs. It's on a Vodafone PAYG account. It's fine. The call quality is good. Sending SMSes is painful. This phone hosts my primary contact number, I barely ever make calls so PAYG is a good cost option.
I'm using a Vodafone account because the mobile coverage at iNDUSTRY workspace is pants. Vodafone is the only UK mobile outfit that I know of that offers a femtocell—a miniature cell tower—that sits on one's desk and provides a 3G connection using your own Internet connection for backhaul. There are two of us at iNDUSTRY using my Sure Signal. Calls are crystal clear. It requires a 3G handset else I'd be using the C1-02 (a 2G only Nokia) that I bought for this purpose originally.
For mobile Internet I've bought myself an iPhone 4GS. It's lovely. It's on a GiffGaff PAYG SIM so £10/mo gets me unlimited data w/ one of their Goody Bag deals. It's awesome. I hide my phone number on that phone lest it bleed out a second point of contact.
When computing on the move I use 3 Mifi, the new high speed kind, with a 3 PAYG plan. I've had it unlocked so I can use it with other networks when abroad. It's great for train journeys and hotel rooms.
I've cobbled together a solution that works for me and is (somewhat) cost effective.
But ideally…
Ideally Vodafone would have reasonable data prices that allow me to use them for my iPhone and for tethering on that device. That would allow me to overcome the connectivity problems posed by my location and get rid of two devices and two additional suppliers.
Tim Harding | Comments Off | 

