Anthony's FRESH PLASTIC

I've been using 3's Mobile Broadband extensively since Saturday.  As a trialist I can use it as much as I want, it's truly unlimited!  In the real world, 3 offer packages of 1GB, 3GB and 7GB (Lite, Plus and Max respectively) - unlike their handset-only offerings such as X-Series, there isn't the option of unlimited ("fair use" or otherwise).

I've taken advantage of the unlimited-ness to download a whole bunch of videos using Miro.  So much so, that I'd have easily used up all of the 'Plus' allowance in one day!  Not something I'd recommend paying customers do.

The fact that I can so easily download that much over the mobile network in a matter of hours is kind of amazing considering what speeds were like just a couple of years ago.  Even though I can't get the the 2.8 Mbps speed that the service goes up to in Turbo coverage areas, I'm still getting speeds comparable to what a BT landline offers in this area.  And as this neighbourhood doesn't have cable, it's a welcome choice over ADSL.

As I had Miro downloading videos constantly and consistantly for a couple of hours, I was able to see where best to site the laptop and sit, myself.  The garden turned out to be the best place - but it didn't improve speeds as much as you'd imagine.  Taking the USB modem out of the port, Blu-Tacking ('Blu-Hack') it to the top of the laptops screen and connecting it back up via the supplied USB extension cable - is by far the easiest and most effective way to boost your broadband.  This worked better than the 'garden' method on it's own.  Even the 'upstairs room facing 3's nearest mast' method (which incidently is very, very near*) isn't good enough on it's own.

Blu-Hack up close

Googling without me dongle in

Faster web - an elegant solution

Dongle? Put 'em high

*Thanks to OFCOM's Sitefinder (it's useful but rubbishly implemented!)

Currently trying to upload a quicktime video that's a tad under 50 meg to Vox.  It's taking a while, and I'm in a HSDPA area (in the garden, with me dongle high up in the air and sitting within spitting distance of the network's nearest mast)!

The interesting thing is how much the upload speed affects the download speeds.  I'm currently browsing whilst typing this (I like to multitask and have a wandering mind!) and it's at a complete and utter snail's pace!  It's barely usable.

To be fair, most people, most of the time, don't want to send 50 megs out to the interweb via a mobile connection.  I'm not most people though and I'm giving this mobile broadband a thorough going over!

<Here I'd put a picture if my connection was faster>

Just back from a day in London.  Came back with a new bundle of joy and it was unplanned... the Eee PC 900!  £315 on Tottenham Court Road (it's the "electronics district").  There's loads available, by the way.

When asked whether I wanted the Linux or Windows XP version, I didn't hesitate - Linux!  Had to be Linux!

Why?  Well after a week with my parents new Vista laptop and nearly 5 years experience of my XP desktop, I wanted a laptop that didn't have constant security alerts, updates, patches and all that nonsense.   I didn't want hundreds of different ways to do the same thing.   I didn't want a whole bunch of crap preloaded.  I just wanted my old Eee PC experience back...

...Once it's charged up they'll be lots of work to be done as, although it may seem to go against what I've just said, I need to put it in "Advance Mode" and do a bunch of tweaking.  I'll also have to get my trial 3 Mobile Broadband dongle working which will probably mean a bit of Googling as Linux (in all it's flavours) isn't officially supported.

Another reason to go for the Linux version... way more storage built in for the same price.  Ironic really, as XP probably needs it more!

Backstory first:

I had an unused, but still open, account with 3 (my phone company).  The tariff was called 3toGo and was essentially contract, rather than a pay-as-you-go.  Unlike most normal phone contracts there wasn't a monthly line rental charge, but there was a Direct Debit set-up.  Only if I used the phone would I get charged.

Now the rest:

In February, I dusted down this 3toGo SIM chucked it in a newer phone and added Internet Max and gave the phone to my niece and nephews (they were staying at my parents and didn't have internet access!)  That should've cost me £5, last a month and that would be that.  At the end of February I got my bill in for this account and it even said, "Thanks for paying by Direct Debit".  Not a problem, everything seems fine, but...

I got a bill the following month for this account - It was for £13.  I'm thinking that can't be right it should be for the usual £0!   So I delved deeper.  I soon realised that the internet wasn't on a month by month basis (that was my fault, my mistake) but that extra £3 ...what was that for?  "Payment method administration charge" apparently - but I pay by Direct Debit!

Well I rang 3 up and argued my case and got nowhere, they blamed the bank.  Anyway, I cancelled the add-on, set-up a new Direct Debit (I had to do this so as not to face another £3 admin fee!) and gave my notice to cancel the account.  Cancelling was really, really difficult.  They really didn't want me to do it.  They kept telling me that as the account cost me nothing a month it would be pointless to cancel.  Never knowing if I'd be charged this fee again in future - even with a Direct Debit setup - I eventually convinced them I really didn't want the account open anymore.

Fast forward to today and I eventually got around to calling my bank (Halifax).  After a really difficult call (could barely hear the guy!) I was told that the problem wasn't with the bank, it was with 3.  I'm told that as I had money in my account and a Direct Debit setup with 3, 3 should've just taken the money out.

I'm back to square one and can't believe how much time and effort I've been putting in for a measly £3.  Despite the pitiful sum I'm really annoyed at this as as far as I can see I've done nothing wrong and been wrongly charged what amounts to be a penalty and can't get anywhere with either party.

With the help of Carphone Warehouse (you know, that shop that doesn't sell carphones from warehouses!) we'll be seeing Best Buys popping up in the UK (as well as continental Europe).

Hopefully this will shake things up - anything that can take sales away from Currys and PC World is good in my book.  For those not in the UK, let me tell you those two retailers (operated by DSG) have a deservedly bad reputation for customer service but unfortunately a rather undeservedly large market share.

...and I'll be a happy bunny!

"My" usage sounds worse in dollars!

The above may have something to do with my 3 Mobile Broadband connectivity problems!  £120 is a lot to spend outside your allowance (for folks in the US, that's $240)  I know I can go overboard when it comes to mobile data usage but this time I have nothing to do with that!

Once upon a time there was a third generation mobile phone operator who decided it was a good idea to keep it's customers inside their walled garden.  The garden was small, the customers wanted more.  Little by little the garden grew bigger and the customers got happier.  Eventually the wall toppled over and both customer and operator were very happy.

Enough of the real life fairy tale, back to the issue at hand.

Since Friday I've been (attempting) to use 3's Mobile Broadband (using the trial dongle provided by 3mobilebuzz) and I've only managed to get full internet access on three different occasions - each only for about an hour (give or take).  Other than that I can only access one site... www.three.co.uk !

Any readers got any ideas about these connectivity problems?  I'm using Vista for what it's worth.

I bit the bullet and text 'STOP ALL'.  (Hopefully) stopping the premium rate service that I never asked for.  It cost me 10p which is a measly amount but that's not the point - I had to give money to fraudsters in order to not be defrauded out of even more!  These were the instructions of the industry regulator!

Now I've come to the real challenge.  I want my £1.50 (plus that 10p) refunded.  To do this I need to contact the scam artists on a premium rate number.  I'm now willing to do this.  However, it's just dawned on me that I have to give them my address in order to receive a cheque from them.  It's bad enough these thieves have my mobile phone number, I don't want them to have my address too.

Isn't it common sense to not give out your address to criminals?  I've learnt over the past week that some of these reverse-charge shortcode scams are connected to organised crime, money launderers and generally unsavoury figures.  Yet the phone companies and regulators advise us to contact these people in order to get a refund and to do so we have to give them our addresses!

I still want my money back, even if it is just £1.60 - but it's way too risky giving these guys my address for that amount.  I'm going to have to pester 3 (my mobile company) for the money instead.  Meanwhile, I'm gonna dig even deeper into Spread Media's dodgy dealings (another reason why I don't want them to have my address!)