Q. Re. Mobile internet.

I have looked into changing to using mobile internet as it probably will be faster than my normal
landline, which is >6Kms from the exchange.

According to this I can have unlimited data from £12:00 per month on a 24 month contract.

http://www.talkmobile.co.uk/paymonthly24smart.html

Am I missing something here?

I presume that using the 'phone as a modem is usually excluded, but how can the supplier know.

Don't know about the talkmobile package but...

Have you checked you have good coverage where you are?

As far as using a phone as a modem goes it is highly likely that they can tell by understanding the profile of what type of data goes across the connection. Mobiles tend to be fairly simple data requirements and wouldn't use things like P2P in general - understanding what is normal for a mobile and comparing to an individuals data usage could show where data is being used via a PC rather than a mobile.

I suspect they would also look at the amount of usage as well. If you use any more than about 500MB they would probably take much more interest in your connection to see if it is likely to be being used for PC connection.

I am sure there is likely something in the Ts&Cs but don't have the time to read them.

Generally speaking using a mobile as a modem will never be as good as using a dedicated USB dongle.

All major networks offer PAYG and contract data plans that will give much better connection than using a mobile.

I presume that there is a technical answer why a dongle is better than using a 'phone.

Also of course I am assuming that contract data plans using a dongle are more expensive.

Dongle has a full PC CPU driving it, the mobile is limited by the quality of its tethering abilities, i.e. ok for occassional use, but beyond that can be a pain. used to do it years ago via Bluetooth and gave up.

Thanks for all the advice.

Yes, it is to do with number of channels available for data. Mobiles have some channels for data and some for voice. USB dongles only need data channels.

Contracts for USB dongles range from abouy £10 to £25 per month.

Vodafone

3

T-Mobile

You need to look carefully about how much data each one allows.

You really need a 3g+ signal. A 3g signal may not be as good as your land line.

I have a good 3g signal, it can't be worse than my abysmal land line.

at 6km you 3g signal will not be very good at all, also when it get busy 3g gives access to the people nearest by kicking off the people furtherest away

Distance matters, There are several base stations within 1Km of my home.

Check this article on 3 about their all you can eat package.
http://blog.three.co.uk/2011/03/04/guest-post-all-yo...

An article featuring 46 Gigs of mobile data usage.
I've recently got a 3 premium dongle and 15GB account and I'm planning to get a Samsung Galaxy S2 with 3's all you can eat data plan when they come out in May. This phone is hspa+ too which should get speeds similar to my dongle and they will both get higher speeds when 3 update their network this year.

That may be true, but as you'll have read from the other responses, mobile broadband is not without it's own issues - least of all the fact that "unlimited" data is often written with an * next to it leading to lengthy terms and conditions about how it is not "unlimited". Then you've got all the claims made by providers to outdo each other and get your custom yet probably only 5%-10% of buyers will ever get the speeds quoted. 3 Mobile got one of their ads pulled for misleading claims.

If I were you, I'd buy a single data shot dongle on T-Mobile and try it out before jumping in to a 24 month contract!