5punk

Does anyone have any experience with these mobile Internet dongles? I'm looking to get one for a relative, for light usage. I appreciate it depends heavily on coverage, but that aside does anyone have any opinions?

I used an O2 one when I moved, it mostly worked, software crashed occasionally (taking the internets with it, IIRC) but generally it was okay for browsing. The BT wifi that came with it was an act of god though.

I've got a pay as you go one that I can just chuck a tenner at when I'm away from home. It's not bad. As Berk says, it's okay for browsing and you can get half decent speeds, but they tend to be a bit up and down.

Best to check for 3G availability where it'll be used (your phone probably shows an icon of what it can detect) or you'll be on GPRS or worse, GSM. Even so the speeds aren't great.

Most providers do okay packages from a tenner a month (about 2G) to twenty ("unlimited"), but as berk notes, the BT package also gives you BT Openzone (wi-fi), which works in loads of shops, cafés and airports, etc. Depending where you live, it can work out cheaper to get a very basic BT broadband package which includes this, assuming you can pick up an Openzone signal.

The dongles contain a SIM card, so another option is to buy one from the same carrier your mobile is with, and use the one out of your phone in it - upgrading your phone contract to one with a data allowance, thus combining the bills. Or, perhaps more simply buy a data cable for your phone and use it as a modem.

I've been looking at mobile telco coverage maps. This site is also useful: http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk/
It's no Google maps but it the information is there.

I bought a Vodafone one but the signal is apparently too poor in my house. I have the option to return it within 7 days I'm told. The software seems quite nice though. I may keep it as a backup and get an O2 one as well. I know the O2 3G coverage in my house is poor as it is on my phone, but there seems to be masts close to the areas it will be used.