Best mobile internet for full timers

Onstwee
Onstwee Forum Participant Posts: 6
edited April 2018 in New to Caravanning & Touring #1

Hi everybody 

My husband and I just arrived from New Zealand, bought a motorhome and are going to go full timing in the UK and Europe for a year or two. We have not figured out how we are going to get “connected”. That is keeping up with email, searching for camp sites as we go, and finding some entertainment eg news and Netflix. The unlimited mobile data packs from 3 seems good but I am wondering about how often we will have good connection. And as it is only on 12 months contract, we presumably won’t be able to use it in Europe and therefore a waste when in Europe.  How do other people do it.? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks

Comments

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #2

    Some people use the 3 Network's Internet With Legs in an unlocked mifi unit. The 12gb sim is often available on Amazon UK for around £25 and, once used up, I hear it’s cheaper to buy another than to top it up.

    As for coverage, so much depends on location that it’s difficult to predict. The UK has pretty good 4G coverage on the whole but the signal can vary greatly in remote areas. I can’t speak for continental Europe.

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Mobile-Pay-Broadband-Data/dp/B01CMD4VKC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1522958333&sr=8-2&keywords=internet%2Bon%2Blegs&th=1

     

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636 ✭
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    edited April 2018 #3

    We use a 3 Mobile mifi (internet with legs) on 2 yr contract of about £15 pm which gives us 20 gBytes per month ( but no carry-over). This allows us to e-mail, shop on-line, searches and some entertainment. We tour round Britain all year round and 4G coverage is good on a whole, as TW has said.

  • brightstar2
    brightstar2 Forum Participant Posts: 128
    100 Comments
    edited April 2018 #4

    I currently use Three Huwei mini mifi unit to cover my home use and caravan outing requirements

    I pay £17 per month - 12month contract for 40gb data. I have yet to use all my allowance and have had the unit for approx 5 months.

    I am more than happy with it's speed of downloading and indeed the whole 4g coverage in the UK..

    I personally have not used it in Europe but my pal has the same unit and travelled all through France - Netherlands  -  Belgium etc and did not encounter any issues.- I do believe at one point he bought a loxal data simcard over there as they were as cheap as chips .

    That' s my six pennorth for what it's worth

     

     

  • dougA
    dougA Forum Participant Posts: 142
    edited April 2018 #5

    Hi Onstwee

    I have a iPhone 7 and use a three sim. I pay £18 monthly for 30gb data unlimited text and calls. I can also use my phone in Europe using my current allowance. I’ve only been to lanzarote and no problems there. Signal in the Uk so far has been very good. I had EE before and find the three coverage better.

    I use my iPhone to tether to my iPad and my fire stick and have not used my 30gb data allowance in any month to date. I watch Netflix on my Avtex tv via my fire stick.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,859 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #6

    Since, I think, last year you have been able to use your UK data allowance in the EU. There are some T&C's that apply to European use, usually where you can't use your entire allowance or they start to throttle back the speed depending on how far you are into your allowance. This will vary from network to network so perhaps a good idea to research that carefully before you decide. In fairness to the Three Network they have been ahead of the curve in allowing data use in Europe.

    Also worth considering how you are going to distribute the data. Are you using a SIM in tablet/phone or will you use your phone as a wifi point or as others have suggested here use mifi? As a word of caution I have used my Android phone as a wifi point using the 4G network and found that using a Windows laptop that it rather eats a lot of data. Previously using it on 3G it used much less. Just saying there are lots of things to consider.

    David

  • Onstwee
    Onstwee Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited April 2018 #7

    Hi everybody, thanks for replying. It was a great help. 

    DoughA, is that a standard tv or a special motorhome one? And does the firestick require a yearly subscription or is a Netflix subscription enough if we are happy to only watch Netflix? Thanks a lot for the help.

  • dougA
    dougA Forum Participant Posts: 142
    edited April 2018 #8

    Hi Onstwee, the avtex tv is recommended for caravan/motorhome as it is low wattage and can work from your 12v leisure battery or from 24v when you are on a electric hook up. The firestick can be used on any tv with an hdmi slot.

    There is no subscription to use the firestick just the subscription for Netflix.

     

     

  • mnlatham
    mnlatham Forum Participant Posts: 108
    edited April 2018 #9

    Hi Onstwee, have a look at Vodafone, they have been advertising 50GB data for £30 month. We got a router with sim from PC World initial cost was £10 then £30 month, rolling contract. We have used it all round France, Spain and the UK with no problems.

  • Onstwee
    Onstwee Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited April 2018 #10

    Hi all, thank you very much for the help. Got the Avtex tv and 3 mobile 30 G data on a monthly sim to see how it goes. On our way to get the firestick. It’s been a great help thank you.

  • dougA
    dougA Forum Participant Posts: 142
    edited April 2018 #11

    Let us all know how you get on 👍. When connecting the firestick to the tv hdmi slot you then need to power the firestick either from the tv usb slot or fron the 3 pin electric socket. I find it works faster from the electric socket.

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