internet for sporadic stays

[elscouser]

Hi everyone, advice needed if poss

I have just bought a place in Spain, mobile signal is atrocious (Comares) but I need internet whilst I am there which will probably be for a weekend once a month and throughout the Summer. What is:

The most cost effective pay as you go dongle option available with best reliability?

Where do I need to go to get one?

Thanks in advance

[annfoto]

You will have to find out which if any mobile company can give to a 3g signal. If you have a smart phone, when you come over enable data roaming on it and see which company it connects to and which one you can get the best signal with. If you cannot get a 3g signal at all you may be stuck with very slow gprs.
When you find out who has the best signal, buy your dongle from that mobile shop or somewhere like the Phone Warehouse, Bauhaus etc.
Remember to buy a PAYG sim card in Spain you will need to take your passport and NIE along with you.

[Enrique]

Hi,
For the amount you're going to use it, find a local Internet Café.

[oliveview01]

Or the local library

[annfoto]

There is nothing wrong with the dongle rout is he can get a signal.
I use a T mobile one in Scotland when I visit my mum. Costs about £7 a week. I like to read the papers online with my morning coffee

[swerve]

See if you can find a bar/cafe with free wifi and buy a coffee on a morning and a tubo at night and you'll be able to get your emails and stuff. There's got to be someone one here lives in comares that can point you in the right direction.

[Enrique]

peteroldracer is your man..................for Comares........

[Mowser]

Campo Steve as well.

[Campo Steve]

I am in a valley below Comares and, neing in a valley restricts my options. Until a few months ago the only mobile signal I got was from Movistar, although I notice I am now getting a signal from Orange. Get your mobile phone to do a search for what companies you can receive then, if you want to get a dongle, there are various shops in Velez Malaga, Torre del Mar or the shopping centre where the big Eroski is located.

There is also the Wimax option. RioSat has a transmitter in Comares but I don't think they offer a part-time connection. You would need an always on connection that would cost about €45 per month. There are other companies that offer wireless connections on a pay as you use basis but I can't get them, being in a valley so can't advise on that.

If you have a laptop or iPad or other mobile device then I expect at least one or two of the bars in Comares will have free WiFi. The bar behind the public swimming pool may have WiFi as the barman is keen on his internet (can take a while to get served if he is playing games online) but I don't know. Just ask for the password. If they don't then there is always Bar Gibraltar Chico or Pub Paco in Benamargosa. They will happily give you the password.

Libraries also have internet but weekends may be a problem as they may be closed.

[peteroldracer]

Campo Steve speak sense! Im my experience any mobile other than Movistar will struggle around Comares - and Movistar is not that good. I am further down the valley than Steve, not in line-of-sight to Comares so have to stand in certain places in the house to get a mobile signal. The RioSat connection and wi-fi gives me acceptable internet, except when their wireless sus-station has been knocked out by a power out (any stormy weather, and always when I need the web to check on a flight or top-up my phone!).

[LordXtra]

I have a mate in Comares also and he uses Riosat.

I think he has a smaller package at €29/month (dont quote me) and is also not here all year.

I think he called it the Riosat Part Timers Deal.

Worth a call

[costakid]

We use Vodafone for our mobile phone but our Vodafone dongle is cra= in the Rincon area. Just because your phone works your internet may not be that good. I am thinking of signing up for a fixed line with internet because i am so frustrated with the dongle.

[olive]

Dongles? Over priced rubbish in my experience though I would accept they may work near a transmitter and when other users have gone to bed. When you have problems their first port of call is you the user. Are you using the latest software, cleared cookies. Go and try it in another location.

Satellite from Bentley Walker Tooway Home. No good for sporadic stays but a lot better value for money if no hard wired service available..

[Campo Steve]

Satellite from Bentley Walker Tooway Home. No good for sporadic stays but a lot better value for money if no hard wired service available..

Are they available in Spain or just UK? If available in Spain, wht are they like in bad weather?

[annfoto]

Many years ago (2004 I think) an English neighbour had satelite internet. It worked OK'ish as an internet connection but was not very good for skype because of the 3 second delay (the bit where TV presenters nod their heads like donkeys until they hear the question).
We both have a WiMax Iberbanda connection since late 2004 (No land line within 8km)

[olive]

Yes they cover Spain. Have a look at their website.The long ping time can be overcome by finishing speaking with over and is covered on their website as is bad weather. £25 a month compared with 45 euros for dongle....

I am seriously considering them. having had two months of rubbish service from Movistar and still (amazingly) being in dispute(through the Ministerio channel) with Orange after they lost my SIM last November. After speaking to Movistar yesterday they "restarted" my service and it has worked properly ever since. Won't be long before it reverts to dial up speed...........

[Campo Steve]

Thanks Olive.

I would be interested to hear if anyone has current experience with them in Spain. In particular how is it with Skype, apart from the delay issue. We have a variable experience with Skype, sometimes good sometimes bad, and I have read in various places that it could be due to my connection being Wimax. I don't think it is as the main contact we have a problem with in the UK has her connection via a dongle. I think it is that.

So, anyone with current experience with a satellite internet connection?

[Stoker]

Check out www.simyo.es

3c/Mbyte for data - pay as you go

[gerryh]

Check out www.simyo.es

3c/Mbyte for data - pay as you go

Don't forget that Simyo uses the Orange network, so if you can't get a good Orange signal then Simyo is going to be much use.
Cheers
Gerry