Internet But No Phone Line

[countrykid]

We may be buying a Park Home but initially will not live in it full time so will not have a phone line. Even with a phone line though, because it is so rural we've been told internet is poor - very slow.

Somebody mentioned that via mobile phone companies like EE you can buy a gadget that plugs into the mains and for a monthly subscription gives you good quality internet.

I have looked on EE website but couldn't see anything like it.

I do not own a smart phone (yet) but if I did and had a monthly contract that gave me xx amount of internet use, is there a way of getting the internet on a laptop via the same contract eg I only need one contract and not two. Like I say we would not be there every month (to begin with at least) so I accept if I was paying a monthly contract on the EE gadget, I would lose out.
All help on this appreciated. I'll check my emails later for any responses.
Thanks
John

[Dogsbody2]

What your colleague is referring to is satellite broadband.

[TheChair]

If it's for very occasional use, and you have an Android phone, you could do what do when I'm away and need Internet for my laptop. I simply go into Settings on the phone and turn on HotSpot. which effectively turns my phone into a WiFi router connected to the Internet via 3G or 4G. Then I go into the wireless settings on the laptop, and connect to the mobile HotSpot.

[gangesboy]

You could take this approach
http://www.uswitch.com/broadband/guides/what_is_a_mobile_dongle/

[TheChair]

Alternatively, Vodaphone (and probably most other operators) off a package consisting of a Phone or SIM plus a Data Dongle on the same account. In which case you can connect your computer using the Data Donge plugged into a USB port on your computer.
They also offer a Data Dongle alone, if you don't need a smart phone.

[TheChair]

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/shop/tablets-and-dongles/dongles-and-mobile-wi-fi/index.htm

[hc4361]

A mobile dongle needs a 3G or 4G signal and even now not everywhere in the UK can connect to it.
Before you do anything else, check the signal status of the park home by putting the postcode in here:
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/explore/network/uk-coverage-map/index.htm

[countrykid]

Many thanks to all for your suggestions, which I'll be looking into over the next few days.
I'll pop into a couple of phone shops in town, we have EE and Vodaphone. The reason I mentioned EE is that coverage where we'll be is I am told very good on EE.
Thanks again

[mikey4444]

Can you check with existing residents what kind of download speed they are getting at present ?

Also, although there may not be BT Infinity at the site just yet, BT are slowly but surely getting around to putting the new street cabinets and will get around to the one that serves this site sooner of later.

its easy to check if its available now, by putting an adjacent telephone number on the site into BT website.

[hc4361]

mikey, they don't want a BT line

[mikey4444]

But its the only way that they are ever going to get a decent, reliable and fast internet connection.

I use a Three Network dongle when I am in my caravan near Lands End.
Its ok-ish but hardly ideal. The signal comes and goes and its never very fast. I certainly couldn't afford to use the 'net as much as I do with that as my only access....the cost would be prohibitive.

[hc4361]

Yes, I agree, but they're not going to be living there full time. You can get decent 4G speeds in some areas, I get 8 Mbps at my home on my smartphone. That's certainly fast enough for browsing the internet and emails.

countrykid, I connect my laptop to my smartphone via wifi (it's called tethering) which works very well. I have my SIM card from Giff Gaff which allows me to buy a cheap monthly package if I'm not going to be using much internet data (when I'm at home using my broadband) that costs £7.50 per month or I can pay £20 for unlimited data for a month when I'm away from home. I don't think that's too bad.

https://www.giffgaff.com/goodybags

[hc4361]

Try giffgaff, Mikey

[countrykid]

Thanks Mikey and HC. Great suggestions re Giff Gaff - never heard of but sounds good. I will look into

[mikey4444]

hc4361...I have never heard of Giffgaff either ! I use a dongle in the 'van...do giffgaff sell dongles and packages ?

[hc4361]

Not as far as I know, mikey.

[hc4361]

I see no reason why you couldn't put a giffgaff SIM card in an unlocked dongle, mikey.

[mikey4444]

Thanks hc...I might try this next summer.

[tamborine]

buy a hudl with wifi or smart phone. there are lots of places offering free wifi you can piggy back (connect) on. Some cheaper on ebay

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/technology/tesco-hudl-tablet-best-deals-5893741

[hc4361]

That won't solve the problem of getting the internet in the caravan, though

[countrykid]

My thanks to everyone who answered and gave suggestions. We have now decided against buying a Park Home, instead when the time is right we'll be looking at bricks and mortar