Cell Phones in Great Britain - 3G data phone suggestions?

Author

3G data phone suggestions?

Theo Markettos

2007-08-19, 10:35 pm

I'm tempted to get a 3G phone for data. I'm looking for something that's:
(in rough order of importance)

3G data
Inexpensive
With Bluetooth
Unlocked/easily unlockable

Anyone suggest any particular models or manufacturers I should be looking
at? Would probably be buying secondhand from Ebay, so I'm probably looking
at those phones previously offered by Three or other networks and I can
unlock it myself if that's cheaper/feasible (I don't have any unlocking
hardware I'm not afraid of prodding testpoints if necessary). I'm not at
all bothered by cameras, videophones etc etc.

I have a good 2G phone so can't see this one being used other than as a
modem (a phone with Bluetooth is better than a datacard as you can put it
outside if the signal is better).

Thoughts?

Cheers,
Theo

steve

2007-08-19, 10:35 pm

In article <yAs*l1ISr@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>,
theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk says...
> I'm tempted to get a 3G phone for data. I'm looking for something that's:
> (in rough order of importance)
>
> 3G data
> Inexpensive
> With Bluetooth
> Unlocked/easily unlockable
>
> Anyone suggest any particular models or manufacturers I should be looking
> at? Would probably be buying secondhand from Ebay, so I'm probably looking
> at those phones previously offered by Three or other networks and I can
> unlock it myself if that's cheaper/feasible (I don't have any unlocking
> hardware I'm not afraid of prodding testpoints if necessary). I'm not at
> all bothered by cameras, videophones etc etc.
>

I've been using a Nokia 7600 from eBay for some time for 3G data with
T-mobile. Works fine. Was unlocked when I purchased it but can be done
for free anyway.

I don't use the bluetooth part much but make use of the USB cable
connection which works fine on Windows XP, Windows Vista and Linux.

If it is T-mobile be careful of some older phones, I did try an old
Motorloa A835 and it wont power up with a T-mobile SIM in it.

Steve.

simonclark123@hotmail.com

2007-08-19, 10:35 pm

On 19 Aug, 22:55, steve <st...@nospam.invalid> wrote:
> In article <yAs*l1...@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>,
> theom+n...@chiark.greenend.org.uk says...
>
's:[color=darkred]
>
>
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>
> I've been using a Nokia 7600 from eBay for some time for 3G data with
> T-mobile. Works fine. Was unlocked when I purchased it but can be done
> for free anyway.
>
> I don't use the bluetooth part much but make use of the USB cable
> connection which works fine on Windows XP, Windows Vista and Linux.
>
> If it is T-mobile be careful of some older phones, I did try an old
> Motorloa A835 and it wont power up with a T-mobile SIM in it.
>
> Steve.

The Samsung z560 or z720 both work ok as modems and are both HSDPA so
much faster than just regular 3g

The z560 was on T-Mobile so I didn't need to unlock it.

The z720 (McLaren Mercedes edition) only cost me =A350 off ebay (plus
=A310 to unlock) as the screen was broken but I don't think that will
matter if I'm just using it as an HSDPA modem.

Regards

Simon Clark
Business Telecoms

webmaster

2007-08-20, 4:37 am

try looking here at least you will be able to compare price, features etc
from all that's on the market

http://www.mobilephonecontract.co.u...gift=&date=&g=1

"Theo Markettos" <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote in message
news:yAs*l1ISr@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk...
> I'm tempted to get a 3G phone for data. I'm looking for something that's:
> (in rough order of importance)
>
> 3G data
> Inexpensive
> With Bluetooth
> Unlocked/easily unlockable
>
> Anyone suggest any particular models or manufacturers I should be looking
> at? Would probably be buying secondhand from Ebay, so I'm probably
> looking
> at those phones previously offered by Three or other networks and I can
> unlock it myself if that's cheaper/feasible (I don't have any unlocking
> hardware I'm not afraid of prodding testpoints if necessary). I'm not at
> all bothered by cameras, videophones etc etc.
>
> I have a good 2G phone so can't see this one being used other than as a
> modem (a phone with Bluetooth is better than a datacard as you can put it
> outside if the signal is better).
>
> Thoughts?
>
> Cheers,
> Theo

Theo Markettos

2007-08-20, 3:44 pm

simonclark123@hotmai
l.com wrote:
> On 19 Aug, 22:55, steve <st...@nospam.invalid> wrote:
> The Samsung z560 or z720 both work ok as modems and are both HSDPA so
> much faster than just regular 3g

Thanks, all the above are good suggestions. It's terribly easy to get
distracted by feature bloat when looking for this sort of thing ("oooh,
wouldn't it be nice if...") which has a tendency to increase the price...

I'll keep an eye on such things as I'm not in a hurry. Any more suggestions
welcome.

Cheers,
Theo

SteveH

2007-08-20, 3:44 pm

Theo Markettos <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

> simonclark123@hotmai
l.com wrote:
>
> Thanks, all the above are good suggestions. It's terribly easy to get
> distracted by feature bloat when looking for this sort of thing ("oooh,
> wouldn't it be nice if...") which has a tendency to increase the price...
>
> I'll keep an eye on such things as I'm not in a hurry. Any more suggestions
> welcome.

I'll second the 7600 suggestion - OK, it's not up to the speeds of more
modern phones, but they're cheap, freely unlockable and robust. I've
been using mine as a 'modem' for a few years now.

--
SteveH 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - Hongdou GY200 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 TSpark - B6 Passat 2.0TDI SE - COSOC KOTL
BOTAFOT #87 - BOTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

Dennis Ferguson

2007-08-23, 3:33 pm

On 2007-08-19, Theo Markettos <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
> I'm tempted to get a 3G phone for data. I'm looking for something that's:
> (in rough order of importance)

I have a Motorola V3xx which I like pretty well as a modem. I've seen
the V3x (same phone, but with 1.8 Mbps HSDPA rather than 3.6 Mbps) selling
very cheap.

> I have a good 2G phone so can't see this one being used other than as a
> modem (a phone with Bluetooth is better than a datacard as you can put it
> outside if the signal is better).

I usually use a USB cable tether; this also lets you get the phone
away from the laptop. I've yet to find a phone where the Bluetooth
runs as fast as the cable, though this may be the fault of my Mac
rather than the phones.

Dennis Ferguson

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