[amiteo]

Just wanted to feedback my experience with the mobile internet on my PB.

I had been bridging my Curve 8520 (non-3g) with my PB and generally getting quite frustrated with it on my commute in! Was a bit slow (as non 3g) when it was working and kept losing signal (which is Vodafone's fault rather than any of the devices). I'm due an upgrade on my phone soon and so was going to get a 3g blackberry to improve this.

Of course this would still leave me with annoyances such as my IMAP emails didn't update and no app world when on the move but at least my browser would be quicker which was the main thing I am after.

I then happened to do a mobile speed test with a colleague who has the phone I was looking at and it wasn't that much faster and he was also complaining about his mobile browsing not seeing so much of an improvement over the 8520; and the battery drain on his phone was quite a bit higher when 3g was enabled.

So I thought I'd take another look at the MIFI solution (by 3 over here in the UK). Their network coverage for mobile internet was actually much better on the commute route I do and so I took the plunge.

It just came today and I will be testing it on the commute tomorrow, but initial impressions are fantastic. Mobile browsing is very snappy, download speeds are really good (comparable to some broadband connections I've had in the past) and best of all, all my IMAP emails work and app world works when connected. I hadn't really thought of those last two facts when I purchased the MIFI but they have made me very happy indeed!!

As a combination, this really now is what I've been wanting all along ever since I got the PB. Granted it is going to be an extra c�6 a month for the connection as I have basically found I can't rely on my phone for a decent connection for the time being, but it gives me full functionality on the move!

Would recommend if others have been looking for something similar, to look into it!

[cjenniti]

Hi, just to let you know I have been using. Pay Monthly MIFI on 3 mobile for the past 18 months and I have driven from Nottingham to London several times and maintained connections, I have also used with my PlayBook for past 7 months and had no problems. Speed varies depending on signal strength and load on network but generally I find it fine for email, browsing, occasional streaming with I Player and the fact that you can connect up to 5 device's at the same time, ok it slows down but I routinely have my PlayBook, laptop and phone connected at the same time, works great.

[kill_9]

A 3G BlackBerry smartphone can receive email via IMAP in near real-time. In addition to a corporate email account I have a personal account integrate on my BlackBerry smartphone and receive the personal email in near real-time but not yet as immediately as my corporate account on a BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

[myllym]

I've had a Mifi unit for a while too. I bought a new unlocked one from ebay and I have successfully used it with Three network and Vodafone.

If you also buy a Three SIM from Ebay, 3gb of data for �10 roughly lasting up to three months it works out quite nicely. Vodafone not as good, plus best deal is on contract.

The best thing I have found is using it abroad. I went to Italy, got a data sim from the local network, and hey presto up and running. You may need to change the APN setting but not always.

Gets my vote :-)

[amiteo]

Well to report, I get signal on my whole commute and it is generally the quicker HSPA connection not just 3g. Very happy and well done Three network!
BB9700CA, I am referring to IMAP on the PlayBook email application via bridge internet rather than on the phone itself, my BB phone is corporate and I can't add personal email accounts.

[FF22]

I've had a Mifi unit for a while too. I bought a new unlocked one from ebay and I have successfully used it with Three network and Vodafone.

If you also buy a Three SIM from Ebay, 3gb of data for �10 roughly lasting up to three months it works out quite nicely. Vodafone not as good, plus best deal is on contract.

The best thing I have found is using it abroad. I went to Italy, got a data sim from the local network, and hey presto up and running. You may need to change the APN setting but not always.

Gets my vote :-)

Now this concept interests me as Verizon's global services which had been quite reasonable in 2009 are now astronomical. What had cost me about $40 dollars for UNlimited data would now run in the range of a THOUSAND Dollars or more.

What would I look for in the way of mifi cards if you can help? So, my pb and my bb phone could use the mifi (wifi) in Italy next Winter?

[myllym]

Now this concept interests me as Verizon's global services which had been quite reasonable in 2009 are now astronomical. What had cost me about $40 dollars for UNlimited data would now run in the range of a THOUSAND Dollars or more.

What would I look for in the way of mifi cards if you can help? So, my pb and my bb phone could use the mifi (wifi) in Italy next Winter?

I bought a data sim in a Wind shop in Naples and also in Rome. One for 2gb, and one for 3gb. Quite reasonable in price too. Lasted me quite a while - I did make sure I wasn't watching/streaming too much video though.

Pretty good connection wherever I went too.

[FF22]

Anything special to look for in UNLOCKED mifi units? So any mifi or can only certain ones be UNlocked?

Would buying one require a contract (verizon in my case) or is it just a purchase? And would verizon unlock it as readily as they unlocked my phone (no problems at all in that aspect)

edited to add: aha, looks like you need a gsm UNlocked mifi. I gather from some quick searching, that Verizon's are probably limited to their network protocol and for Europe that would be next to, if not, equal to useless!!! So I think I now know what to look for - MAYBE!

[myllym]

I bought a huawei 565 which allows for five connections. Officially it is for the 3 network, but if unlocked all you do is put a data sim in it. Switch on and wait for the little globe to appear.

Wind sell a usb dongle which is the same thing really but only one connection. I remove the sim and put it in the mifi unit.

[myllym]

I should also add that if you have bought a mifi from 3, it is fairly easy to get unlocked. There are a couple of software kits online. Still works for 3 afterwards too.

[FF22]

Thanks for the additional details. Was looking around Amazon and Craig's List. Being with Verizon in the States, we generally don't have sim cards although the bb's I've had all do have them, they are Verizon, and now very pricy if used in Europe. So I'd need to find from a gsm carrier, I'd guess. I would not trust a Verizon mifi to be unlockable! (as I wrote, they do unlock the sim slot in the phone for a paid-up, 6 month customer without issue but I'm not sure about mifi and they probably only sell them with contracts)

[kbz1960]

Plus the cdma Verizon one may not work over there? Do they have many cdma networks?

[hreiner1]

some of the Verizon BB Phones run dual CDMA and GSM for global use therefore have a sim card as well

This is a deal that 49% owner Vodaphone with Verizon several year back
Vodaphone about 5 or more years ago had pressed Verizon to change to GSM and Verizon promised once it goes to 4G to use the same technology, to merge the systems which never happened as they the 4 US carriers use different frequencies which does not make much sense
Thats why out mobile phone costs here in the US are much higher than in Europe and ME
everywhere I stay longer as 3/4 days I get myself a local SIM card and put it into a unlocked GSM phone, now with the EU call and data rates so low, what a relieve

Verizon is a cash cow for Vodaphone, thats why they do not sell their share in Verizon and buy T-Mobile USA instead.

[FF22]

Plus the cdma Verizon one may not work over there? Do they have many cdma networks?

Well, I was wondering if the Verizon mifi card might also be dual and have a sim slot but I doubt it.

I could not find that info on their site. Also it is pricy if you don't get a contract which I don't want.

[FF22]

some of the Verizon BB Phones run dual CDMA and GSM for global use therefore have a sim card as well

This is a deal that 49% owner Vodaphone with Verizon several year back
Vodaphone about 5 or more years ago had pressed Verizon to change to GSM and Verizon promised once it goes to 4G to use the same technology, to merge the systems which never happened as they the 4 US carriers use different frequencies which does not make much sense
Thats why out mobile phone costs here in the US are much higher than in Europe and ME
everywhere I stay longer as 3/4 days I get myself a local SIM card and put it into a unlocked GSM phone, now with the EU call and data rates so low, what a relieve

Verizon is a cash cow for Vodaphone, thats why they do not sell their share in Verizon and buy T-Mobile USA instead.

When I went to mostly Italy for 3 weeks in 2009, Verizon's Global division (they handle the unlocking of the phone slot), had a great deal. For $30 extra a month (pro rated for only 3 weeks) you got UNlimited data in europe (so BB data was only a total of $60/month for unlimited). For an additional $5/month phone calls were 99 cents per minute rather than $1.99 (I think). I got that, too although we used the phone very little. But the data was wonderful on my 8830. I believe the calculations now show that using that much data would be more than $1,000 - a bit untenable!

So, that's why I'm interested in this mifi thingie. I tentatively am going to Italy next winter for a few weeks. But I might be content to just watch loaded videos and stay UNinformed

[myllym]

I go to Italy again over the summer so I shall post some more detailed info then if you are interested?

[FF22]

I go to Italy again over the summer so I shall post some more detailed info then if you are interested?

Certainly. I don't think we hit any big cities other than landing in Munich. We will be cross-country skiing in the Dolomites. Castlerotto, in the South Tirol and High Pustertal/Val Pusteria, near the Austrian border. So I'm not sure about the opportunity to pick up a sim card unless Munich offers something that works in Italy? Looking at mifi on Amazon, I wonder if I should make the investment now. I don't believe I really need it here in the US.

[BlazorBoy]

The standard Verizon mifi dangle has no SIM card. I believe there is one with dual radios. The monthly fees are high and may require a contract. I get mine from work so do not know about the costs. It works very well.

[myllym]

This post appeared today Tepwireless - which sounds very interesting.

Courtesy of BerryReview

[FF22]

I received my mifi device on Sat but probably have no way to test it in the US. Is an UNlocked AT&T Novatel unit.

But I also don't know what or how to change its values and, of course, don't know what European (Italy mainly, with in/out of Munich) carrier I would be using. Also found that the pb did not seem to be able to access the "internal url" to get to settings - the pb wanted to SAVE the page rather than displaying it. So if I don't have a computer over there, I might not be able to get into its settings.