[Monty Burns]

Hey guys

As you can guess im getting really cheesed off with the corporate webproxy - how dare they stop me wasting there time browsing various game sites! Outrageous So I wana put in a PCMCIA UMTS card. (Im competent enough to handle the TCP/IP routing myself)

I know E-Plus do a Flatrate umts card which looks pretty spanky for about 40euro's a month but, I also know Vodaphone and T-Mobile (much better than t-online for support - another story, but I will use T-Com/Mobile) offer good systems.

Sadly, these seem to be very expensive when compared to E-Plus AND they are limited in either hours or volume. Now, I also remember reading a short while ago that Vodaphone and T-Com were going to offer Flatrate UMTS very soon. Has this been launched yet? I notice on the T-Com/Vodaphone sites that the Datacards are unavailable with either launch in Feb or March this year. Well, its almost the end of March now...

Would you know if they are going to launch these new price plans with these new cards?

HSDPA would be a major bonus, I know its restricted at the moment but, with a two year contract it won't be forever! Another bonus would be the ability to roam and carry my tarrif like Vodaphone UK offer - i *think* they offer the same here in Germany, in particular I would like to roam the UK and USA.


Many thanks in advance guys

[meansizzler]

Not out yet, should be something at the end of the year when WimAx is released as that is when they will get competition, 3G/UMTS/CDMA/EVDO..
why so many names?

[Monty Burns]

Whats not out yet? 3G is umts - its just what they call it over here in Germany. HSDPA is the "next" generation, if you like 3.5G for data services.

T-Mobile and Vodaphone both are running HSDPA systems now - just not in Nuremberg, mostly Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin. By the end of this year T-Mobile and Vodafone both expect to have 7mbit connections to each and every HSDPA card.

However, I have spoken to Vodafone and the "Web Connect Fair Flat" rate starts on April 1st (the package announced at CeBIT a week ago). I'm seriously tempted by this as its 49 euro's a month (30gbp) and allows me to use the Vodafone WiFi hotspots as well for even faster access.

Sadly, when roaming the telephone calls can be "roamed" to other Vodafone countries i.e. Vodafone UK but, the data cannot and I will need to buy the rather expensive "Data Volume International" bolt on. Something like 20meg for 45 euro's.

[meansizzler]

Originally Posted by Monty Burns

I'm seriously tempted by this as its 49 euro's a month (30gbp) and allows me to use the Vodafone WiFi hotspots as well for even faster access.

Wifi spots, don;t you mean where there is a UMTS signal, it has nothing to do wiht wifi, also what is the UMTS coverage like?..

[Monty Burns]

Nah mate - wifi is .... er ... wifi, just the same as your laptop/home network would use. Totaly seperate to UMTS (3G as its known in England). Wifi hotspots again are widely available. Almost all branded (T-Mobile, Vodafone) mobile phone shops have a wifi router in them so, for example in Nuremberg town center I would not need to use my 3g as I could just plug in to the wifi coverage instead.

3G/UMTS coverage is plentiful over here in German, it seems they were not slow in rolling it out hence, the implementation of 3.5G (HSDPA) already - something it appears.

edit: What got me started on this was that a friend of mine who works from home bought an E-Plus UMTS card, he no longer works from home, instead the pub across the road from his house!!!

[ranamr9]

Dear Sir,
I’m an Access Control system analyst and working here in Kuwait.
I’m writing this mail to help me out with a big problem which my friend is facing while using her internet connection via Wi-Fi.
Let me explain,
My friend was using an Acer 5610 laptop with XP (German Version). She had some major problems like error messages and system getting hanged. So while she was on a tour to Dubai I formatted the laptop with Windows XP (English) and I’ve installed all the components properly.
She went back to Germany. In her home she is using T-Com Speed Pro W500 V Router with her wi-fi. But she said she can’t use it anyhow. I don’t know if there is any local configuration problem or whatever but she don’t know nothing about installing or recovering.
I want to know how can I do it or if there is any special configuration issue regarding this.
Any kind of help will be highly appreciated.
Regards
Md.Mahbub Rashid.

[Monty Burns]

Hello!

Happily, I no longer live in Germany so never again will i have to deal with the truley awefull t-com.

Anyway, not sure about the modem itself but have you asked your friend to plug into it direct with either a USB or Ethernet cable? This should be your fist step and it would help try to prove if the modem is actually connected to the outside world or not.

Is your friend a German/German speaker?

[hornydragon]

If you re-installed a different OS then you will have wiped the WiFI system key also if the SSID of the network is hidden it wil be hard to access you need to either get some one local in to have a look or try a hard wired connection first (the suppliers tech support line should be able to talk her through this)

[Monty Burns]

HI Ranmr

can you check this link to confim its the modem? The google link links to a german site, of which I think the modem you are talking about is second on the list.

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?im...%3Den%26sa%3DN


If this is then it should be fairly easy to check some basic things:

1: ensure the adsl cable coming from the splitter/wall socket is connected to the T-Net input port on the back.
2: watch for the T-Net/internet active lights to go active/green on the front of the modem
3: plug the pc into any of the lan sockets on the back of the modem
4: make sure the lan port light goes active on the front of the modem
5: try and browse a web page

If she cannot do this basic test (because something is not working rather than her skill ) then you will need to get her to call the t-online/com support number. If she only speaks english, don't worry, keep asking for an english speaker and she will eventually get one

Good luck!