[ubuntu-uk] laptops and broadband dongles

[Rob Beard]

Alan Bell wrote:
> Rob Beard wrote:
>   
>> Matt Jones wrote:
>>   
>>     
>>> If he is only going to use it a small amount, then Vodafone offer the
>>> best deal, top up £15 for 1GB. Then use it until it runs out. With
>>> everyone else, your 1GB of data only lasts 30days, even if you haven't
>>> used it all.
>>>
>>> Most of the dongles are plug and play, I'm not sure about the
>>> Vodaphone one though, as the field has developed so quickly, then the
>>> drivers aren't in Ubuntu yet for the most modern ones.
>>>
>>> Do you have a link to the laptop?
>>>
>>> Matt.
>>>   
>>>     
>>>       
>> I can confirm the Vodafone modem is supported.  Once it's configured 
>> (which is just a case of following a wizard and selecting the provider 
>> in the case of the Vodafone Pay As You Go modem you'd select "Vodafone 
>> Topup and Go") then all you do is simply plug the modem in wait about 10 
>> seconds, click the network manager icon in the task bar and select the 
>> Vodafone connection.
>>
>> I can't remember if the Vodafone modems have a money back guarantee or 
>> not, if not it's worth at least checking the coverage maps on Vodafone's 
>> web site to make sure you are in an area which is covered at least by 3G 
>> (ideally HSDPA).
>>
>> Rob
>>
>>
>>   
>>     
> The networks don't make dongles, they just rebrand them, and change the
> hardware and supplier from time to time so there is no "vodaphone
> dongle" as such.
What I meant was I wasn't sure if Vodafone would offer refunds within 28 
days on the modems that they sell.  May have badly worded it, I realise 
that Vodafone don't make the modems and just brand them.

The point is, it would be a tad annoying going out and buying a modem 
for a specific provider (Three, Vodafone, T-Mobile etc), finding that 
you can't get reception where you want to use it and then not being able 
to return it for a refund.  Luckily where I want to use my dongle I can 
generally get reception (plus I also have the backup of 1GB data on my 
Three contract mobile, not that I've figured out how to use the phone as 
a modem via Bluetooth yet - I did find a guide but didn't have very good 
reception and the guide was for T-Mobile).

Does anyone know if these dongles are still locked to specific 
providers?  I vaguely remember reading something a while back about 
unlocking the E220 modem so it can be used on any network, can't say 
I've tried it, but maybe it could be handy to have a couple of SIM cards 
for different networks (to cover to gaps in reception assuming, for 
instance maybe one on Vodafone and one on T-Mobile).

Rob