Broadband from 3

[blast05]

Anyone have a subscription to 3 for broadband access ? Any opinions as am thinking of changing ...

Basically their solution is a new 3DataModem (www.three.ie) - its just a USB connector that connects to your PC or laptop (need USB port obviously) that basically has a sim card in it and so uses three's 3G network (well 3.5G actually - HSDPA network rather than WCDMA/3G) to connect to the internet. Its 129euro for the device and then €20 a month after that which is cheaper than most of the other options on the market at the moment, and faster in that it has a connection speed of >3.6 MB/sec. Also this is truly wireless in that it will work anywhere you can get the 3 network in Ireland (currently 85% coverage - click on 3G icon box at http://maps.three.ie/coverageViewer/jsp/content/mapScreen.do for coverage), same as a mobile phone.

[the Deel Rover]

was thinking of getting it myself blast but there were a lot of people on the matt cooper show on wednesday giving out about the service they were getting from 3g

[amallon]

Yeah they have over loaded the network and lots of people are not happy.  I heard the last word as well and one guy in Navan was saying that he was getting connection speeds which were slower than dial up and almost unusable.  In Dublin he was getting a quarter of a mbit which is terrible. 

[saffron]

I would seriously advise you to stay away from these bunch of complete clowns unless you have absolutely no other choice.

Their customer service is non existent - I could spend the rest of the day going on about what happened to me. Seriously they're just complete crap.

[the Deel Rover]

I would seriously advise you to stay away from these bunch of complete clowns unless you have absolutely no other choice.

Their customer service is non existent - I could spend the rest of the day going on about what happened to me. Seriously they're just complete crap.

thanks for that saffron will do

[blast05]

OK, well there goes that - will be staying with BT. Thanks for the info folks.
I was actually a little curious as to how they managed to role out an almost nationwide 3.5G network nationwide without either hearing anything much about it considering to do it properly would probably cost hundred of millions. Maybe 1 customer per cell is what they were expecting 

[Gnevin]

I'd stay away from all these mobile broadband things , have for the work laptop from Vodafone and the quality of the service is terrible . It does the job for work but i wouldn't like to be downloading a movie.

[Mentalman]

OK, well there goes that - will be staying with BT. Thanks for the info folks.
I was actually a little curious as to how they managed to role out an almost nationwide 3.5G network nationwide without either hearing anything much about it considering to do it properly would probably cost hundred of millions. Maybe 1 customer per cell is what they were expecting 

The are a virtual provider are they not, similar to what Tesco will be doing? They are piggybacked on the Vodafone network, hence the quick national role out.

[blast05]

The are a virtual provider are they not

I wouildn't think so. Geographically they are covering a much bigger area than O2 or Vodafone. O2 recently finished rolling out their 3.5G network (three were offering their service before this and on a much wider scale) this while Vodafones network is just 3G (i.e.: not as fast)

[Gnevin]

The are a virtual provider are they not

I wouildn't think so. Geographically they are covering a much bigger area than O2 or Vodafone. O2 recently finished rolling out their 3.5G network (three were offering their service before this and on a much wider scale) this while Vodafones network is just 3G (i.e.: not as fast)

Vodafone's is 3.5 in Dublin as i get 3.5mb or higher  at home

[Main Street]

Anyone have a subscription to 3 for broadband access ? Any opinions as am thinking of changing ...

Basically their solution is a new 3DataModem (www.three.ie) - its just a USB connector that connects to your PC or laptop (need USB port obviously) that basically has a sim card in it and so uses three's 3G network (well 3.5G actually - HSDPA network rather than WCDMA/3G) to connect to the internet. Its 129euro for the device and then €20 a month after that which is cheaper than most of the other options on the market at the moment, and faster in that it has a connection speed of >3.6 MB/sec.

That is a common misinterpretation

The advert clearly states 3.6Mb per sec.
about 8 times slower than 3.6MB/sec

Mb =megabits
MB =  megabytes

I was visiting a friend who had a wireless (I can't be too sure of the name)
Connection speed was very slow by adsl standards. Maybe there are other advantages.

[The Subbie]

I would seriously advise you to stay away from these bunch of complete clowns unless you have absolutely no other choice.

Their customer service is non existent - I could spend the rest of the day going on about what happened to me. Seriously they're just complete crap.

Could'nt agree more , used to have one for work up till 3 weeks ago , sporadic at best would be the only way to describe it and as Gabriel said customer service is brutal.

[Roseyland]

Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole if I were you. Got it myself 3 weeks ago and am living in an area very close to their mast (allegedly), however the speeds achieved haven't been any better than 1.5meg and that's at 3 in the morning when there is no other traffic. During the day its no better than dial up.

[blast05]

That is a common misinterpretation

The advert clearly states 3.6Mb per sec.
about 8 times slower than 3.6MB/sec

Mb =megabits
MB =  megabytes

I was visiting a friend who had a wireless (I can't be too sure of the name)
Connection speed was very slow by adsl standards. Maybe there are other advantages.

OK, yeah, typo on my part. However, i think the point is that the network speed being advertised by three is slightly faster than the fastest rate offered by say BT or Eircom via copper line, i.e.: 3.6 versus 3 Mb/sec
To quote the line from the three website:

3DataModem offers incredible value on price with speeds 60 times faster than a standard 56K modem

[magickingdom]

anyone recommend the best broadband provider then?