Portable Modem Device For Laptop Computer

[Asiantravel]

I am going to be spending the next 12 months in Thailand and travelling around neighbouring countries which are mainly Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Would anybody be able to recommend to me from experience what would be the best solution regarding being able to have a portable modem device that I can use whichever country I am in? I assume that I will be able to get a device that will allow me to slot in a prepaid Sim card for whichever country I am in at the time?

I am sure there are many devices for sale in Panthip Plaza but I thought it could be better to have some information before I go there.

Edited February 3, 2012 by metisdead
Bold font removed, use default forum font when posting.

[thaimite]

There are many 3G USB dongles on the oarket, and if you buy in Thailand you will be able to insert the SIM of your choice depending on location and service availability.

If you have an android phone you can use that as a portable wireless hotspot

[NanLaew]

Using the android phone hotspot tethering is what I do. Just need to ask next what carriers give the best value in each of your destinations. I use Maxis in Malaysia and Vinaphone in Vietnam but those are both based on last years best value and it's a pretty competitive market.

You can browse the pinned "Mobile internet and devices" forum at the near top of this page as well.

lomatopo will be along with some dongle recommendations shortly.

[Asiantravel]

Using the android phone hotspot tethering is what I do. Just need to ask next what carriers give the best value in each of your destinations. I use Maxis in Malaysia and Vinaphone in Vietnam but those are both based on last years best value and it's a pretty competitive market.

You can browse the pinned "Mobile internet and devices" forum at the near top of this page as well.

lomatopo will be along with some dongle recommendations shortly.

Thanks to you and thaimite for your responses.

The only thing about android phones is I dislike intensely looking at the Internet on these small screen devices.

A laptop is probably the smallest screen I would be happy to settle for

[thaimite]

Using the android phone hotspot tethering is what I do. Just need to ask next what carriers give the best value in each of your destinations. I use Maxis in Malaysia and Vinaphone in Vietnam but those are both based on last years best value and it's a pretty competitive market.

You can browse the pinned "Mobile internet and devices" forum at the near top of this page as well.

lomatopo will be along with some dongle recommendations shortly.

Thanks to you and thaimite for your responses.

The only thing about android phones is I dislike intensely looking at the Internet on these small screen devices.

A laptop is probably the smallest screen I would be happy to settle for

I think you misunderstood.

Using the Android phone eitter tethered (with a USB cable) or as a portable hotspot means your phone acts as the modem for your laptop. Thus you can browse the Internet on your laptop just as you would at home using the phones Internet connection and you will not need any additional devices or SIM cards. Just ensure you have purchased a data plan to cover your Internet usage, but this would of course also applyto a dongle

Edited February 3, 2012 by thaimite

[aarn]

Tesco have a 7.2Mbps-capable modem on sale this week for 1000B.

I was recently on the northwest tip of Penang, where Celcom had good coverage. I paid 690B for 30-day use of a SIM with 4Gb allowable download. Fast connection - could livestream sports etc. Apparently, if usage exceeded 4Gb, connection slowed right down...

The three big providers in Malaysia - Celcom, Maxis, Digi - try to get users to 'register' (1000B), but there are ways of getting around this. Also, these companies should have online maps of their coverage.

Haven't been to Cambo for a couple of years, but a friend was using a modem/dongle at that time

[Asiantravel]

Using the android phone hotspot tethering is what I do. Just need to ask next what carriers give the best value in each of your destinations. I use Maxis in Malaysia and Vinaphone in Vietnam but those are both based on last years best value and it's a pretty competitive market.

You can browse the pinned "Mobile internet and devices" forum at the near top of this page as well.

lomatopo will be along with some dongle recommendations shortly.

Thanks to you and thaimite for your responses.

The only thing about android phones is I dislike intensely looking at the Internet on these small screen devices.

A laptop is probably the smallest screen I would be happy to settle for

I think you misunderstood.

Using the Android phone eitter tethered (with a USB cable) or as a portable hotspot means your phone acts as the modem for your laptop. Thus you can browse the Internet on your laptop just as you would at home using the phones Internet connection and you will not need any additional devices or SIM cards. Just ensure you have purchased a data plan to cover your Internet usage, but this would of course also applyto a dongle

Yes I must admit I have not kept in touch with all these gadgets and gizmos and how they all

Cross relate. But least I can use the Internet after reading an article yesterday saying

45% of people living in Greece have never even use the Internet at all!

[Asiantravel]

Tesco have a 7.2Mbps-capable modem on sale this week for 1000B.

I was recently on the northwest tip of Penang, where Celcom had good coverage. I paid 690B for 30-day use of a SIM with 4Gb allowable download. Fast connection - could livestream sports etc. Apparently, if usage exceeded 4Gb, connection slowed right down...

The three big providers in Malaysia - Celcom, Maxis, Digi - try to get users to 'register' (1000B), but there are ways of getting around this. Also, these companies should have online maps of their coverage.

Haven't been to Cambo for a couple of years, but a friend was using a modem/dongle at that time

Thanks a lot that sounds interesting

[Gary A]

Before my last trip to the US, I bought a touchscreen smart phone thinking I could get by with it for emails and keeping up to date with whatever else. I must admit that my sister's iPad is a great gadget and made me even more dissatisfied with a 4 inch phone screen. I ended up buying an HP Mini net-book rather than an iPad because it can do a lot more things without having to deal with Apple. The 10 inch screen is still too small but I can get by with it.

Back on the topic. I just returned from a three week road trip to Phnom Phen, Sihanoukville, Bangkok, Pattaya and Jomtien. Every hotel I stayed in had decent WiFi. I did buy a Cambodian SIM for calls there and in case there was no WiFi available. It was a SMART network card. The SIM was free from the airport and came with 50 cents worth of credit. I put an extra $5 worth of credit on it and even after a number of phones calls, still had over $5 remaining credit when we left. Had I known how cheap the phone calls in Cambodia were, I could have saved the $5. My friend borrowed my phone at the airport and called the US. I think that call was about 7 cents a minute.

I use my E52 Nokia phone for a modem if there is no WiFi available. A friend of mine up here in the boonies uses an AIS dongle and it does NOT work as well as my phone. It is too slow starting up and each use needs several steps to connect. If you have decent a phone that has EDGE, there is no reason to buy a dongle.

Before anyone asks, yes, a phone call interrupts the Internet connection and I can answer the call. I normally use a cable because that keeps the battery charged while in use but Blue Tooth works fine also.

[bangkokburning]

best solution is to just use Internet cafe's. its cheaper and you dont risk getting your crap ripped off - becasue it will.