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Mobile broadband supportContentsCan the Data Bundle be carried over? I've got my SIM and dongle. What next?
What is Mobile Broadband?Mobile broadband uses the 3G mobile network to connect to the internet using HSDPA (High Speed Data Packet Access) at speeds of up to 3.6Mbps. Once connected, you can then use the web in the same way you would on any broadband connection. Who is it for?Mobile broadband is perfect for:
How does it work?As with any mobile service, you need a SIM card to make a connection. Existing Phone Co-op mobile customers will already have a usable SIM. If you have an internet enabled smartphone, you can connect directly to the web from your handset. Or you can connect your phone to a laptop via USB or Bluetooth and use the phone's connection on your laptop. Certain netbooks and laptops now come with SIM card slots built in, so could you can put the SIM directly into your computer. Our preferred solution is to use a "dongle." This is a small USB modem that plugs directly into your computer. Can I really use it anywhere?Internet access will be in available in any area where there is Phone Co-op coverage, but you'll only get the top speeds in areas with good 3G coverage. You can also access mobile broadband abroad, wherever your phone can pick up a network, although doing so can be expensive. What does it cost?SIM card rental is £1.67 a month ex VAT, and is on a 12 month contract. You can pay for your connection on an ad-hoc basis, at 6p per MB, or you can purchase a 1000MB data-bundle for £7.5. After using 1000MB, you'll be charged 50p per MB. The bundle can be left on your account for as long as you like, or added and removed whenever you need it. These data prices are for UK connections only. Data-roaming (connecting while abroad) can be a good deal more expensive. Please check prices before you travel to avoid suprises! Dongles cost £49 each. How much is 1000MB of data?1000MB is ideal for regular usage. Various activities count towards your data usage, including browsing the web, downloading music and videos, emailing and instant messaging. The amount of data used during these activities varies. When browsing, it depends on the type of website being viewed. A site like You Tube uses large amounts of data compared to a plainer website like Google. As a general guide, 1000MB allows you to:
Top tip: Did you know that if you have your computer set up to automatically update software, your data allowance will be used up quicker? Sometimes these updates can be over 100MB. Can the Data Bundle be carried over into the next month, if I don't use 1000MB?Unfortunately not. If you find you regularly use less than 1000MB of data, we do have smaller bundles of 500MB, 250MB and 500MB, or you could switch to the Pay As You Use option and just pay 6p per MB. If the service uses a SIM card, can I make calls too?Your SIM card will have a mobile number, and will work in any unlocked mobile. If you make calls, they will be charged at our Option One calling rates. I've got my SIM card and dongle. What next?Congratulations! Get set for a totally unencumbered broadband experience. We’ve set up your connection at our end, so insert the card into your dongle, and you’ll be ready to go. Getting started
If you have a Phone Co-op email address you can send and receive emails as you normally do on your laptop or desktop. However, you will need to change the default outgoing email server settings. Customers with a Phone Co-op email address should use these settings:
If you use another provider for your email please check with your email provider for their settings. Troubleshooting your connectionI can't connect to the internet.The dongles only contains software for Windows and Mac OS XThe supported OSes are Windows: 2000, XP, Vista and Windows 7. On Macs, OS X 10.4.9 and higher are compatible. The dongle will not work on computers running Linux. Make sure your computer has finished starting up.Before plugging your USB dongle into your computer, make sure it has finished starting up Windows or Mac OS X. Then when you plug your dongle in it should be detected. Make sure the USB dongle is plugged in correctly.Some computers have extensive casing around USB ports, which can stop the USB dongle from fitting in correctly. You could try using the USB extension cable, which came in the box with your dongle, to make sure it is properly plugged in. You could also try plugging the USB dongle into a different port, as sometimes USB ports temporarily don't recognise a USB dongle. Make sure that the Zoom software is running, and plug the dongle into a different USB port. Check that your SIM card has been inserted correctly into the USB dongle.Your USB dongle requires a SIM card to connect to the internet, a bit like a mobile phone. Please make sure that the SIM card is inserted correctly. Try re-inserting your SIM card, making sure that you push the card deep into the dongle until it locks itself inside. Refer to your user manual for more details. Your SIM will come with your dongle when you buy Mobile Broadband. Make sure a firewall is not interfering.It's possible that your firewall or anti-virus software is blocking access to the internet or interfering with your browser or Zoom software. You may need to switch it off when installing your USB dongle software or you have to 'Allow' the software to connect to the internet when prompted. Make sure you're not using any software known to conflict with dongles.Certain software that you may have installed on your computer might be incompatible with your dongle. Make sure you have sufficient coverage.If you find that only one or two bars are displayed on the signal bar, you may have problems connecting to the mobile broadband network. There are different types of coverage areas and depending on how far you are from a mobile network masts, we call these ‘excellent coverage’, ‘good coverage’ and ‘variable coverage’. Marginal coverage is where you are on the boundary of the 3G coverage area. This means you may experience more varied and slower speeds. We only provide mobile broadband in our 3G and HSPDA coverage areas to ensure we can provide the customer experience and service you would expect. Check the settings in ZoomGo to Settings – Connection Profile - TPC Internet and set the APN to tslpaymoanet. How do I improve my speed and signal strength?Mobile Broadband uses a radio signal. The strength of signal will vary depending on where you are, weather conditions and the construction of the building. If you need a stronger signal strength and improved download speeds, here are some things you can try:
My outgoing email doesn't workTo transmit and send email your email program has to connect to an SMTP server to actually do the donkey work. To stop anybody from connecting to any SMTP server they want (and potentially sending reams of spam) most ISPs restrict connectivity to their SMTP servers for users connecting via their own network. There are 2 solutions here:
I lost my dongle!If you lose your dongle or someone steals it, call us and we’ll put a bar on it. The numbers for customer services are 0845 458 9000 (09:00-19:00 Mon-Fri), or 0844 544 6548 (after 19:00 and at weekends). |
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Call us on 0845 458 9000
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The Phone Co-op, 5 The Millhouse, Elmsfield Business Centre, Worcester Road, Chipping Norton, Oxon, OX7 5XL
