Help required re 3g datacards for UK/europe

[aussieguy]

Hey guys, im traveling to europe in June from Australia and staying for about 3-4 months. I'll be in the UK for only about a week and then off to europe. I need to bring my laptop for work but have been having trouble locating a way of having a 3g/wireless broadband internet connection.

Was wondering if you guys could recommend a provider that would be best for me?

I found a couple in the UK but couldn't get rates on what the internet connection would cost around europe and since im only going to be in the UK briefly, i was hoping for a provider that maybe didn't treat every european country as roaming, if they provide the service at all.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as so far i've had no luck and have done a fair amount of searching. Not sure if i'm just looking in the wrong spots.

Many thanks in advance,

Scott

[3G-Londoner]

i'm not aware of any network that see's europe as a whole. you are better off buying a datacard outright then using local providers on pay as you go for access.

Vodafone have a plan which includes 100MB of roaming data, but that costs a massive £95 per month and only works on 'preferred' networks.

I know T-mobile UK have a pay as you go plan whereby you can use 40MB per day for £1 a day.

[aussieguy]

Thanks 3g Londoner.

Is that t mobile plan for just the UK or are they rates and data quotas for europe as i can't seem to find it on their website.

Also, if i use local providers what is the best way to organise the cards etc?

Is their a website with list of european 3g data providers as again im having litlle luck finding them and/or their rates etc

Again, many thanks in advance for any help possible as this doesn't seem like a straigh forward process the way i had hoped.

[3G-Londoner]

the plan is just for T-mobile UK. Typically roaming data rates on plans are stupidly expensive eg £7.50 or £10 a megabyte which is why you'll want to get local pay as you go sim cards for each country.

GSMworld provides useful info on operators in various counties

http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/index.shtml

[culabula]

You need to get a datacard from 3 -then use it on 3 Australia as part of the '3 Like Home' offer -that is clearly the best solution. No charges other than your monthly subscription.

If you have a friend in Ireland, Austria or Italy, their national 3 offerings are even better than that of the UK and once again can be used on 3 Australia without further charge to you.

In addition, the SIM can be taken out and used in a handset and calls received from anywhere on 3 Australia will be completely free of charge to you.

Check the 3 Aus site and see if maybe they offer a PAYG data SIM.

But whatever of these solutions you choose -there is NO contest. Use a 3 solution and '3 Like Home'.

[culabula]

My apologies, I completely misread your post.

You can get a 3 Australia datacard/USB modem and use it as part of '3 Like Home' in IRL, UK, Italy and Sweden, Denmark and Austria. There will be no further charges other than those that you are already paying monthly to 3 Australia (unless you go over your limit).

Other countries, use wifi!

[aussieguy]

My apologies, I completely misread your post.

You can get a 3 Australia datacard/USB modem and use it as part of '3 Like Home' in IRL, UK, Italy and Sweden, Denmark and Austria. There will be no further charges other than those that you are already paying monthly to 3 Australia (unless you go over your limit).

Other countries, use wifi!

cheers....by wifi, do you mean the hotspots?

and cheers to 3g londoner for your info.

if anyone has any other options, please feel free to let me know as i am going to be visiting a number of countries and getting a sim for each country could get pricey and messy :confused:

[culabula]

Yes, log on to a hotspot -many free in cafes and bars all over Europe now. Use 3 Aus for the others.

[aussieguy]

you are better off buying a datacard outright then using local providers on pay as you go for access.


should i get a 3g data card or another type? do they generally work on gprs if 3g is not in range?

Many thanks again