Mobile networks to boost data capacity

One of my concerns about Mobile Broadband has been due to it's huge increase in popularity in the last year. I was worried that with such a large number of people using the mobile network for their internet that it would become clogged and render the service unusable due to slow speeds where so many people were downloading or uploading data at the same time. Fortunately, it looks like most of the networks are planning for this eventuality and have signed an agreement with BT which will increase the amount of data that can be transmitted across their networks at any one time. It would appear the only network among the UK Big 5 at the moment to have not done this is Orange.

More information on this can be found on the Financial Times website:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/12523d06-92f5-11dd-98b5-0000779fd18c.html

Increase the potential of your Mobile Broadband by adding a Wireless Router

If you have a wireless router then you can connect multiple devices to your Mobile Broadband connection. This applies to any Wi-Fi enabled device, which in my home includes Laptop, Mobile Phone, Nintendo DS, and a Nintendo Wii. There are a two main ways of doing this, either you can get a Wireless Router which has Mobile Broadband built-in, or that you can connect your Mobile Broadband device to. Or, you can set-up a home network and allow other devices on the network to connect through your computer which has the device attached.

I know Vodafone has had a wireless router with included Mobile Broadband for a few years now but it has always been very expensive and only available to business users. For the Consumer market I have heard that T-Mobile and Three both have plans to release these but will most likely be locked to their own networks.

For those wanting to try a standard wireless router, here are some links to guides to get these working.

For Windows users I recommend this guide from Microsoft:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306126

For Linux users I recommend this detailed HOWTO:

http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/IP-Masquerade-HOWTO/index.html

or this shorter HOWTO:

http://www.howtoforge.com/internet-connection-sharing-masquerading-on-linux

And for Mac users, this guide from Apple:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.5/en/8156.html

For those of you who do not have a Wireless Router at the moment, they can be purchased online at the following places among others:

The Carphone Warehouse
Euroffice
ASDA

Mobile Broadband Alliance

The big news for Mobile Broadband at the moment seems to be the decision by a group of 16 companies to form the Mobile Broadband Alliance (or Mobile Broadband Initiative, reports differ) and put one billion dollars in to promoting this. Which is going to include a brand new Mobile Broadband sticker to be stuck on new computers. The first of these are to be rolled out in time for christmas apparently. But for those of you who don't want to wait until christmas, you can get a Laptop with Mobile Broadband built-in with Orange now, unfortunately it will not include that new sticker.

Sky+ Remote Record

I have just discovered this cool service from Sky. With their Sky+ Service you can set up a Remote Record feature, which allows you to set your Sky+ Box to record from anywhere you have access to the internet or via text message on your mobile phone. You do need Sky+ for this service and to register for it before hand. It is completely free of charge when done over the internet and £0.25 for the confirmation message when done by mobile phone. For more information click here.

Free iPod Nano available on Orange

There is currently a Free iPod Nano available for customers who purchase the Nokia 6301 with a contract over £30 through Orange. Click here for more details.

This weeks top selling handsets at Orange

This weeks top selling handsets at Orange.

On contract:

LG Secret KF750
Nokia 6500 Slide Black
Samsung Tocco F480
Samsung G600 Purple
Samsung Tocco Pink
Sony Ericsson W890i
Sony Ericsson C902
Nokia 6500 Classic
Samsung G600
Samsung U800

On pay as you go:

LG KS360
Nokia 1208
Nokia 6500 Slide Black
LG KS360 Pink
Samsung G600 Purple
Samsung E250 Blue
Nokia 2610
Sony Ericsson W910i Red
Sony Ericsson W200i
Sony Ericsson W910i Black

Nintendo Wii with Wii Fit Gift Now in stock with OneStopPhoneShop

Nintendo Wii with Wii Fit Gift Now in stock with OneStopPhoneShop. Click here for full list of offers.