Suggestions for a UK Sim w/Excellent Data Coverage

Motel75 · 04-10-2010, 13:37

Germany does not have a lot of free wi-fi, and almost all home networks are (needlessly) encrypted. But if you're ever stuck, McDonald's has it.

And actually, mobile coverage along German rail lines can be patchy. Take the Berlin-Warszawa Express, and everywhere in Poland you'll have a strong GSM (and sometimes UMTS) signal. Cross the German border, and it fades out immediately after Frankfurt (Oder), comes back for maybe a minute each when passing Fürstenwalde and Erkner, and then coverage only resumes within striking distance of Berlin Ostbahnhof. And that applies to all the networks, on a busy line with 40,000 commuters a day.

dg7feq · 04-10-2010, 13:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motel75

Germany does not have a lot of free wi-fi, and almost all home networks are (needlessly) encrypted. But if you're ever stuck, McDonald's has it.

Yes, this is also caused by the strict german laws- you are 100% responsible for anything that happens over your internet line. If a neighbour downloads kinky stuff over your free wifi you are doomed most of the time...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motel75

And actually, mobile coverage along German rail lines can be patchy.

thanks to the metal coated windows the wagons are very well blocked for all kind of radio signals. Even the wagons with repeaters on the roof can be a problem if you use the wrong operator

but lets go back to the topic of good SIM cards for data in the UK...

Chris

Motel75 · 04-10-2010, 17:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by dg7feq

but lets go back to the topic of good SIM cards for data in the UK...

Indeed! My experience has been that all UK networks have very similar coverage (ie, they work pretty much everywhere - there are no non-coverage areas as in the US and Canada) except for T-Mobile, which is a little bit weaker and has more congestion from the many MVNOs using it. But even that may soon change, as TMO and Orange are now the same company (in the UK, not anywhere else) and they will soon be sharing networks.

Me, I've been wit Virgin for a long time but will probably take my number to Vodafone the next time I'm in the UK.

One thing is, unless you do all your data on a smartphone that you also use for voice, you should consider the voice and data offers separately, and buy a separate data SIM for your USB stick, instead of trying to find an "all-rounder". As has been said many times here, SIMs are often free in the UK.

lizzie1955 · 05-10-2010, 01:06

I will be using the same phone for voice and data- mostly checking e-mail.

	(#1)
Motel75 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Pioneer Posts: 573 Join Date: 15 Jun 2006 Location: Berlin Country:	04-10-2010, 13:37 Germany does not have a lot of free wi-fi, and almost all home networks are (needlessly) encrypted. But if you're ever stuck, McDonald's has it. And actually, mobile coverage along German rail lines can be patchy. Take the Berlin-Warszawa Express, and everywhere in Poland you'll have a strong GSM (and sometimes UMTS) signal. Cross the German border, and it fades out immediately after Frankfurt (Oder), comes back for maybe a minute each when passing Fürstenwalde and Erkner, and then coverage only resumes within striking distance of Berlin Ostbahnhof. And that applies to all the networks, on a busy line with 40,000 commuters a day. Current DE: Vodafone, Netzklub; PL: Klucz, Virgin; UK: Giffgaff, Vodafone; US: T-Mobile; CA: 7-Eleven; IT: Vodafone; UA: Kyivstar; FR: Bouygues; GR: Vodafone Former DE: Vodafone, T-Mobile, O2, Blauworld, 01051mobile, Solomo, Lycamobile, Simyo, Congstar, Fonic, Edeka Mobile, Lidl Mobile; PL: Heyah, Era, Virgin, Sami Swoi, Orange, POP, iPlus, Carrefour Mova, Telepin Mobi, Play, Lycamobile, T-Mobile; UK: Vodafone, T-Mobile, Virgin; US: T-Mobile, AT&T, Lycamobile; CZ: Vodafone, Oskar; ES: Lebara; GR: Vodafone, Wind; UA: Vodafone; IL: Orange; TR: Turkcell

	(#4)
lizzie1955 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Fan Posts: 100 Join Date: 20 Aug 2007 Country:	05-10-2010, 01:06 I will be using the same phone for voice and data- mostly checking e-mail.