T-Mobile PAYG Mobile BB as emergency BB alternative

I'm considering 2 possible uses for PAYG mobile broadband and would welcome comments.

T-Mobile show coverage as good in the areas I am interested in, and have some cheapish PAYG rates and USB dongles.

Applications would be:
1. As emergency alternative to my fixed line Infinity service when the line goes down or the hub fails etc - e-mails and light browsing.

2. As a gift for someone else to also allow them e-mails and some light internet browsing on a netbook when away on business or hols.

T-Mobile say you have to access your account to start the PAYG period going - a certain element of chicken and egg here if you don't have fixed BB available at the time, so presume it is accessible by phone (although I don't know how this works if the user is not on the T-Mobile network for their phone mobile service).

Please let me know if this makes sense - or not!

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Bryn

I would imagine you could visit 02's site for free- that's certainly the case on 3.

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

I would imagine you could visit 02's site for free- that's certainly the case on 3.

Yes, but paying to get a dormant 3 dongle active is a problem, as access to the bank fails.

Catch 22 here - you need an internet connection to get the dongle active.

In reply to a post by bryn:

T-Mobile say you have to access your account to start the PAYG period going - a certain element of chicken and egg here if you don't have fixed BB available at the time, so presume it is accessible by phone (although I don't know how this works if the user is not on the T-Mobile network for their phone mobile service).

FWIW if you can get T-mobile's 3G, you can almost certainly get 3's service. The 3 MiFi might be of interest if your PCs are wireless.

Both T-mobile and 3 allow you to connect to their control panel pages (e.g. My3) with no credit, so as to top up the account.

However do be warned if you leave the account for ages (6months +) all providers reserve the right to disconnect the SIM and reallocate the number. You can get any credit back but you would need to register and spend time on the phone to customer services.