Thread: UK Wireless Internet?

Originally Posted by Max018

Hey Guys,

I've been looking through the options for wireless internet in the car but the UK providers (T-Mobile, Orange etc) seem to think they can charge us £1 a meg while I've seen packages in the USA for £15 for unlimited usage (T-Mobile I belive?)

Does anyone actually have wireless internet here in the UK or are we all just gonna have to wait until it becomes more mainstream?

Thanks,
Paolo

As i understand it they have started to roll out wireless broadband in the london/north kent are which may or may not be the start of it. Im sure that they are looking at it as an alternative for standard broadband for isolated areas but as with all things here it will take ages and probobly cost a bomb!
Rob

Originally Posted by Max018

Hey Guys,

I've been looking through the options for wireless internet in the car but the UK providers (T-Mobile, Orange etc) seem to think they can charge us £1 a meg while I've seen packages in the USA for £15 for unlimited usage (T-Mobile I belive?)

Does anyone actually have wireless internet here in the UK or are we all just gonna have to wait until it becomes more mainstream?

Thanks,
Paolo

There are a number of alternative methods to getting internet access wirelessly depending on exactly what it is you want to achieve.
If getting on the internet while on the move then the only viable solution is GPRS via a mobile phone. Charging rates do vary, I'm with t-mobile and pay £7.50 per mb. (one tip, turn off images in Explorer!). I've not done it myself but I'm reliably informed that it does have it's own IP address so in theory you should be able to push data to it over the internet. I'm also told that pushing data is free. Lots of interesting ideas start springing to mind.
Using a 802.11a, b or g wireless network card will work while you are in range of an open access point. Unfortunately the range is probably only going to be a couple of hundred metres. Not a lot of use when driving but I've used them in motorway services.
You can also get satellite internet. Again, not an option while driving as there isn't a stabilised system available at sensible prices. We sell a couple of solutions but, again, big money. R-BGAN is the size of a laptop and gives 144kbps. Data cost $12 per mb anywhere from Iceland to India and later this year, virtually globally. Datastorm weighs 120lbs, is fitted to a vehicle but gives up to 2mbps. We use it to run mobile internet cafes with up to 20 pcs connected. Costs £6500, works from Scotland right the way out to the Middle East. Broadband costs from £99 per month.
Best of luck!

how do you define "pushing" data ? a webcam for example is pushing data to you - is this bandwidth not counted?
James

Originally Posted by Jamez_Warner

how do you define "pushing" data ? a webcam for example is pushing data to you - is this bandwidth not counted?
James

When you upload/download information to a server, the server doesn't pay.
I've no personal experience of this. I was talking with a company that use GPRS for their vehicle trackers. According to them sending an instruction to the tracker costs them nothing. When the tracker sends them the requested information back it counts towards the data charge.
I guess it's a bit like a text message, You pay to send one not receive it.
Hope I've not made it even more confusing!

Originally Posted by Falken

As I understand it only data pulled is charged. When you read email or browse the internet you are pulling data. When you FTP data onto a server you are pushing data onto it. With webcams each end pulls. If another device sends data to you, they've paid to send it. I guess it's a bit like a text message, You pay to send one not receive it.
I've no personal experience of this. I was talking with a company that use GPRS for their vehicle trackers. According to them sending an instruction to the tracker costs them nothing. When the tracker sends them the requested information back it counts towards the data charge.
Hope I've not made it even more confusing!

Hmmm interesting, so you think that from a server located at home we could push data to our carpc. i.e. we could collect weather and traffic data at home from the internet and then push it to our carpc for free.

Originally Posted by Laidback

Hmmm interesting, so you think that from a server located at home we could push data to our carpc. i.e. we could collect weather and traffic data at home from the internet and then push it to our carpc for free.

Hmm, but wouldnt you still need to pay to receive the data from your server?

Confused :P
Paolo

Originally Posted by Max018

Hmm, but wouldnt you still need to pay to receive the data from your server?

Confused :P
Paolo

Apparently not. The server is sending it to you. You're not pulling it off the server.

Originally Posted by Laidback

Hmmm interesting, so you think that from a server located at home we could push data to our carpc. i.e. we could collect weather and traffic data at home from the internet and then push it to our carpc for free.

That was my thought as well when I was talking to this company. A computer could format a message and ftp it to the car PC ip address. A poll routine on the car pc checks for incoming messages and processes it. All sorts of possibilities!

yeah it could work well, a cable connection could push everything to you, and you'd only use a few kb's making the request - worth finding out more - is anyone in the know?
James