Using Orange GPRS phone as a modem

It would occasionally be useful to be able to connect my laptop to the
internet when away from home. I would like to be able to do this - as
economically as possible - using one of my mobile phones as a modem, rather
than using WiFi and having to be in the proximity of a hotspot.

I have 3 mobile phones, all on Orange - 2 PAYG and one on Eq Virgin tariff.
All have infra-red. I have a USB-based infra-red adaptor for the laptop.

Can some kind soul please explain what the options are, in words of one
syllable - 'cos I'm somewhat confused by what it says on the Orange site. My
3 phones are a Nokia 6070 on the OVP tariff - a free upgrade for the
S-E-K300i (now with a PAYG SIM in it), itself a free upgrade for the
original Nokia 6150e (also now having a PAYG SIM) - but I can mix and match
phones and SIMs if there is any advantage in doing so.

The Orange website has a blow by blow account of how to use quite a lot of
different phones as a modem - but none of my 3 phones shows up in their
drop-down menus! But, looking at the menus on the 6070 (for example) I
appear to be able to select GPRS Packet Data or somesuch, and the word
'modem' appears on the screen - so I assume I can use this phone as a modem
even though it isn't listed as such on the Orange site?

Then there's the question of pricing. The £1 per day deal would suit me very
nicely, but it's not at all clear (to me at any rate!) whether this only
applies when I'm using the phone *itself* for emailing and browsing (which
I've no desire to do) as opposed to using it as a modem to connect my
laptop.

Can someone please clarify just what *is* possible?

When using the phone as a modem I presume there's some way of connecting it
to an appropriate Orange server (special number to dial?) rather than
dialling an 0845 number to connect to one of my existing dial-up accounts -
which would cost an arm and a leg and probably be dreadfully slow? What sort
of speed does GPRS achieve?

All help appreciated!
--
Cheers,
Roger
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"Steve Terry" <gFOURwwk@tesco.net> wrote in message
news:g3402s$div$1@news.albasani.net...
> >
> I hope you have a lot of patience, cos none of those phones are 3g
> which you need for effective speeds.
>
> I used to use a Nokia 6310i on Orange world £1 daily to connect my laptop,
> it's a good way to fall asleep
>
> Steve Terry

I use the service with a phone as a modem occasionally and it works OK.
Slow 'obviously', but not useless and certainly better than nothing if you
want to get online from a place where there is no fixed line.....

"Ivor Hardone" <9808gfh7675636@private-email.net> wrote in message
news:6bnrvhF3cvvkvU1@mid.individual.net...
> "Steve Terry" <gFOURwwk@tesco.net> wrote in message
> news:g3402s$div$1@news.albasani.net...
>> >
>> I hope you have a lot of patience, cos none of those phones are 3g
>> which you need for effective speeds.
>> I used to use a Nokia 6310i on Orange world £1 daily to connect my
>> laptop,
>> it's a good way to fall asleep
>> Steve Terry
>
> I use the service with a phone as a modem occasionally and it works OK.
> Slow 'obviously', but not useless and certainly better than nothing if you
> want to get online from a place where there is no fixed line.....
>
I would rather buy a used Nokia 6630 with a 3 PAYG sim,
then for from 5quid a month, I'd have something useable.

Wait a min that's what I'm doing.

Only now I would look for a Nokia 6120 for it's turbo modem
which could be up to 4 times faster than i've got, on a 3.5G cell

Steve Terry

"Steve Terry" <gFOURwwk@tesco.net> wrote in message
news:g36guc$e0q$1@news.albasani.net...
> I would rather buy a used Nokia 6630 with a 3 PAYG sim,
> then for from 5quid a month, I'd have something useable.
>
> Wait a min that's what I'm doing.
>
> Only now I would look for a Nokia 6120 for it's turbo modem
> which could be up to 4 times faster than i've got, on a 3.5G cell
>
> Steve Terry

But how much data can you get for 5 quid a month? I am looking for a
mobile solution to use in the van at weekends....
Was gonna buy a 3 modem, but is this option a better one?

"John Morris" <privateaddress@mail2me.net> wrote in message
news:6bpj62F3d367qU1@mid.individual.net...
>
> "Steve Terry" <gFOURwwk@tesco.net> wrote in message
> news:g36guc$e0q$1@news.albasani.net...
>> I would rather buy a used Nokia 6630 with a 3 PAYG sim,
>> then for from 5quid a month, I'd have something useable.
>>
>> Wait a min that's what I'm doing.
>>
>> Only now I would look for a Nokia 6120 for it's turbo modem
>> which could be up to 4 times faster than i've got, on a 3.5G cell
>>
>> Steve Terry
>
> But how much data can you get for 5 quid a month? I am looking for a
> mobile solution to use in the van at weekends....
> Was gonna buy a 3 modem, but is this option a better one?
>

3PAYG has a 2GB limit while the 3 Contract one has a 1GB limit?

--
Gerry (The MOTH)
Website: http://nokiAAddict.com

"Gerry (The MOTH)" <spam@spam.com> wrote in message
news:4858c40a$1_1@glkas0286.greenlnk.net...
>
> 3PAYG has a 2GB limit while the 3 Contract one has a 1GB limit?
>
> --
> Gerry (The MOTH)
> Website: http://nokiAAddict.com


I find that 3 PAYG costs are difficult to understand. Are you suggesting I
could have a mobile '2GB' 3G connection for a month for 5 quid and no more?
Or is this some kind of addon to another PAYG package which costs more each
month? As I said 3 PAYG seems complicated to understand the actual costs.

"John Morris" <privateaddress@mail2me.net> wrote in message
news:6bpj62F3d367qU1@mid.individual.net...
>
> "Steve Terry" <gFOURwwk@tesco.net> wrote in message
> news:g36guc$e0q$1@news.albasani.net...
>> I would rather buy a used Nokia 6630 with a 3 PAYG sim,
>> then for from 5quid a month, I'd have something useable.
>>
>> Wait a min that's what I'm doing.
>>
>> Only now I would look for a Nokia 6120 for it's turbo modem
>> which could be up to 4 times faster than i've got, on a 3.5G cell
>> Steve Terry
>
> But how much data can you get for 5 quid a month? I am looking for a
> mobile solution to use in the van at weekends....
> Was gonna buy a 3 modem, but is this option a better one?
>
5quid a month for internet, 2gb limit, @ up to 400kb/s

10quid a month for broadband 1gb limit @ about 800kb/s,
more with a turbo modem.

15quid a month broadband, 3gb limit

3 Contract, now offering broadband at half PAYG price if you ask for it
i.e. 5quid for 1gb, 7.50 for 3gb

I like the mobile phone solution over a USB dongle, as you can also
use it as a phone, and the phones Planet 3 Wap to keep tabs on your
account, and billing date.
Also the phone will have a data counter.

Steve Terry

"Steve Terry" <gFOURwwk@tesco.net> wrote in message
news:g3aurg$8na$1@news.albasani.net...
>
> I like the mobile phone solution over a USB dongle, as you can also
> use it as a phone, and the phones Planet 3 Wap to keep tabs on your
> account, and billing date.
> Also the phone will have a data counter.
>
> Steve Terry

Where did your quote of 5 quid come from earlier in this thread then? Was
it an error?

"John Morris" <privateaddress5765876@mail2me.net> wrote in message
news:6bsehhF39dvsdU1@mid.individual.net...
>
> "Steve Terry" <gFOURwwk@tesco.net> wrote in message
> news:g3aurg$8na$1@news.albasani.net...
>>
>> I like the mobile phone solution over a USB dongle, as you can also
>> use it as a phone, and the phones Planet 3 Wap to keep tabs on your
>> account, and billing date.

I find the My3 "data usage" page is very slow to update, unlike T Mobile's.

>> Also the phone will have a data counter.
and easier to access.

>> Steve Terry
>
> Where did your quote of 5 quid come from earlier in this thread then? Was
> it an error?
>
£5 is for internet access on the handset.
£10 is for internet access using a handset as a modem.

FWIW
The Orange OVP Virgin Mobile tariff is limited to GPRS.
I did hear of one person who paid dearly to obtain a 3G phone upgrade from
Orange.

BTW
There appears to be different APN's used on Three for "Handset" use and
"Mobile broadband" use.
The "Mobile broadband" option has a few less hops in the chain.

Alan

"John Morris" <privateaddress5765876@mail2me.net> wrote in message
news:6bsehhF39dvsdU1@mid.individual.net...
>
> "Steve Terry" <gFOURwwk@tesco.net> wrote in message
> news:g3aurg$8na$1@news.albasani.net...
>>
>> I like the mobile phone solution over a USB dongle, as you can also
>> use it as a phone, and the phones Planet 3 Wap to keep tabs on your
>> account, and billing date.
>> Also the phone will have a data counter.
>> Steve Terry
>
> Where did your quote of 5 quid come from earlier in this thread then?
> Was it an error?
>
5 quid a month for what 3 call "internet" as opposed to their faster
and more expensive broadband

"Internet" = around 400kb/s d/l, 50kb/s u/l, 2gb per month limit

Steve Terry

"Alan" <alandotsemple@nospam.ukonline.co.uk> wrote in message
news:hAc6k.74034$1B6.16762@newsfe21.ams2...
> "John Morris" <privateaddress5765876@mail2me.net> wrote in message
> news:6bsehhF39dvsdU1@mid.individual.net...
>> "Steve Terry" <gFOURwwk@tesco.net> wrote in message
>> news:g3aurg$8na$1@news.albasani.net...
<snip>
>> Where did your quote of 5 quid come from earlier in this thread then?
>> Was
>> it an error?
>>
> £5 is for internet access on the handset.
and using it as a modem, i'm using it now connected to my laptop.
>
> £10 is for internet access using a handset as a modem.
>
You are paying the extra for a faster connection

Steve Terry