Greece HSPA (prepaid and postpaid offers)

Nicholas · 29-05-2011, 03:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evan

Hi Nicholas,

most of your questions are already answered by me and some the members here but I understand that there's too much info to read at once.

I'm afraid there's no way I could tell you which operator has the best coverage in Kerkyra or Symi, since the 3G by it's nature varies significantly in signal coverage and quality, not only in different parts of the same town but even in different spots of the same house. The best way to know which one has good data coverage/quality is to test them on the locations you are visiting (I have detailed how to on my first post).

In general though, Cosmote has the most extended coverage in Greece while Vodafone has the best (=speed and latency) network.

If you decide to purchase a Cosmote SIM and since you will need voice too, you can get a Cosmocarta OR a What's Up SIM Card (not both, there's no need for that). Yes, you just walk in and purchase one of these in any Germanos or Cosmote store but you will need your passport for the registration and the activation. You can read the experiences of wisniak and the DeBilbao on this and the previous page regarding the purchase/registration/activation of a sim card.

After the activation, if you want to have data on your phone, you can purchase the 60MB (for the moment it's 120MB) data addon for 3€. You can add as many data addons as you like, and each time 60 (now 120MB) will be added to your remaining data volume. However, if you already have the Huawei WiFi modem, you won't need to purchase this "small data" add-on. You can just buy the "Cosmote internet on the go me karta" and connect your Phone wirelessly with the WiFi Modem.

For data on your notebook/tablet, you need to purchase and register/activate a second SIM card which does only data (not voice or texts), with the plan "Cosmote internet on the go me karta". You can read my post for more info, as well as the recent post of DeBilbao regarding this plan (on the previous page). This plan comes with 1. a SIM or 2. a SIM and a USB Modem. Since you already have the Huawei Wifi you won't need another modem so just go for the Started Pack with a SIM only that is much cheaper.

Re your Huawei WiFi Modem, I don't think that you will have any problem given that it supports the Cosmote/European 3G bands. I have the previous model of the same modem, and it worked without any issues with all three Greek operators. I guess yours is the one on the right, mine is on the left:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/...cd6ec14f_o.jpg

Some tips that applied on my Huawei WiFi and probably apply on yours too:

1. Make sure that the modem is not SIM-locked, i.e., it's unlocked for all the networks. Also make sure that you can add new APNs setting. To do both, my modem needed first unlocking and then a firmware update.
2. The modem can be configured while wired (through USB in a laptop) or wirelessly (through a web configuration menu via a phone/tablet/laptop browser). The second method is much more versatile since you will be able to change or check any settings of the modem without any cables.
3. Check if you can make new settings for a Cosmote/Vodafone/Wind connection (APNs etc) while you are connected to the modem's web configuration wirelessly. It's better to save those connection settings before you come to Greece. Then, the only thing you'll need is to insert the Cosmote SIM, connect to the modem through your phone/tablet and choose the Cosmote pre-configured connection.

Hope this helps. If you need any additional information don't hesitate to ask.

Hi Evan,

Thanks for your reply.

The choosing of which telco/ plan to go with isn't too hard, it's more of a matter of getting as much info as possible. You certainly have helped in informing me as much as someone could hope for.

My Huawei is unlocked and ready to go. Luckily, it connects well with my tablet and the web management page in case I need to udjust settings while travelling. Yes, my one is on the right of that photo. I can also make new profiles, the only setting that cannot be changed is the dial up number which is set at *99#. This cannot be changed.

I will also have a look at the previous posts toget a better idea of the process and experience of others.

Kind regards,

Nicholas

11-06-2011, 14:41

I've just done this COSMOTE SIM-only deal, in Kavala, Greece.

It is quite a process, with your passport having to be photocopied and some forms filled in including your father's name, etc. Looking at the pile of these in the shop, somewhere is a little Greek man (or a woman) with the wonderful job of filing these away in some giant EU-funded warehouse

You pay 20 euros, of which 5 "disappears" (see below) and the other 15 appears as a credit which you can spend on bandwidth.

I put the SIM card into an E585 3G/wifi modem. Despite assurances from the shop that the card was ready for use, it asked for an unlock code. The E585 has no keypad... so I put it in my phone, and entered 12345 which amazingly worked. Using the phone's Security menu I disabled the asking for the unlock code. Then I put it back in the E585. Somewhat to my suprise, the auto-APN function worked fine and it found a network (Cosmote).

But it didn't work. Email (POP3) didn't do anything. I tried WWW and got redirected to a Greek Cosmote web page. This has an English version but it was non-obvious what one should do.

So I took it back, in the E585, and with a laptop, to the shop where they helped me to set it up.

The Cosmote website shows a 15 euro credit (as I mention above) and this gives you two options: a 1 day pack and a 10 day pack. There is also a 30 day pack but as this costs more than 15 euros it is grayed out.

So I clicked on the 10 day pack, which was what I wanted in the first place...

Then it worked OK. Excellent speed, and a good signal in the E585.

As far as anybody knew, the SIM remains "alive" for 6 months, during which you can top it up with a 15 euro scratch card, which I also bought at the same time as I will be back in Greece in 3 months' time.

The scratch card reveals a number which is entered into the Cosmote website. Unfortunately, the website URL no longer works, from the UK. I don't know if Cosmote block access to it from a non-Greek IP range, or if they block access to it from a non-Cosmote 3G IP range, or if the website has just died

I don't know why the companies make this so complicated. Why not just have a website where a credit card can be used for the topups? Perhaps they are trying to support the phone shops by forcing the sale of scratch cards.

Incidentally, FWIW, I tried using the SIM here in the UK but clearly it has roaming disabled because it won't connect to any network here. This is reasonable, although similar data packs bought in Croatia and S. Africa did work over here, for a while. The S. African one actually worked for about 6 months, at £0.02 per MB

Clearly their billing software didn't anticipate that

And you could top it up via a website.

	(#2)
peterh337 Guest Posts: n/a	11-06-2011, 14:41 I've just done this COSMOTE SIM-only deal, in Kavala, Greece. It is quite a process, with your passport having to be photocopied and some forms filled in including your father's name, etc. Looking at the pile of these in the shop, somewhere is a little Greek man (or a woman) with the wonderful job of filing these away in some giant EU-funded warehouse You pay 20 euros, of which 5 "disappears" (see below) and the other 15 appears as a credit which you can spend on bandwidth. I put the SIM card into an E585 3G/wifi modem. Despite assurances from the shop that the card was ready for use, it asked for an unlock code. The E585 has no keypad... so I put it in my phone, and entered 12345 which amazingly worked. Using the phone's Security menu I disabled the asking for the unlock code. Then I put it back in the E585. Somewhat to my suprise, the auto-APN function worked fine and it found a network (Cosmote). But it didn't work. Email (POP3) didn't do anything. I tried WWW and got redirected to a Greek Cosmote web page. This has an English version but it was non-obvious what one should do. So I took it back, in the E585, and with a laptop, to the shop where they helped me to set it up. The Cosmote website shows a 15 euro credit (as I mention above) and this gives you two options: a 1 day pack and a 10 day pack. There is also a 30 day pack but as this costs more than 15 euros it is grayed out. So I clicked on the 10 day pack, which was what I wanted in the first place... Then it worked OK. Excellent speed, and a good signal in the E585. As far as anybody knew, the SIM remains "alive" for 6 months, during which you can top it up with a 15 euro scratch card, which I also bought at the same time as I will be back in Greece in 3 months' time. The scratch card reveals a number which is entered into the Cosmote website. Unfortunately, the website URL no longer works, from the UK. I don't know if Cosmote block access to it from a non-Greek IP range, or if they block access to it from a non-Cosmote 3G IP range, or if the website has just died I don't know why the companies make this so complicated. Why not just have a website where a credit card can be used for the topups? Perhaps they are trying to support the phone shops by forcing the sale of scratch cards. Incidentally, FWIW, I tried using the SIM here in the UK but clearly it has roaming disabled because it won't connect to any network here. This is reasonable, although similar data packs bought in Croatia and S. Africa did work over here, for a while. The S. African one actually worked for about 6 months, at £0.02 per MB Clearly their billing software didn't anticipate that And you could top it up via a website.