Fast mobile internet solution?

[Silent_Thunder]

I plan to take a long trip through Europe and i'll need fast mobile internet solution. So, what's possible?

[farkedup]

here in the states I use my sprint PDA phone for tethering on my laptop... Not really sure how things work in europe

[PMdave]

it ain't going to be cheap. With the operators forced to lower their rates n roaming calls they are raising roaming data tarrifs on mass. Not surewhat you need it for but I suggest opening up your internet at home and looking for fon hotspots accross europe.

[PMdave]

http://www.fon.com/en/

[Silent_Thunder]

it ain't going to be cheap.

Yeah, i checked our mobile operator which resells Vodafone mobile internet plans and the tariffs for using internet abroad are huge. 1MB of data transfer - about $5.

I want to use internet access for work on the trip. It means, i'll burn around 50+MB of bandwitch everyday. And i also want to work it almost anywhere in Europe.

[Silent_Thunder]

http://www.fon.com/en/

So i share my internet access to other FON users for a chance to use theirs?
Sounds like a nice idea!

[candyflip]

As mentioned, Sprint rocks here in the states...but not sure if it'll work across the pond. Would love to know though.

[TheSwed]

in Sweden we pay $30/month with 7,2mb/s mobile connection and free surf

[Silent_Thunder]

in Sweden we pay $30/month with 7,2mb/s mobile connection and free surf

But check the rates for using this plan when you go abroad.

[TheSwed]

But check the rates for using this plan when you go abroad.

yeah I know..but nice as long you are in Sweden

[Star 69]

i think you should try this

Nokia N810 Internet tablet

[Silent_Thunder]

Any more ideas?

[DateDoc]

If you get an AT&T USB mobile card it has a SIM card in it. You should be able to switch it out and use a SIM card from a European carrier. Right now they are about 700 kbps up and down (can do upto 3.2 Mbps but AT&T throttles it) but if the new express card comes out before you go that is capable of 7.2M bps down and 2 Mbps up although AT&T says they will cap it at 1 Mbps.

Current model: http://www.sierrawireless.com/product/ac875U.aspx
New (not yet available): http://www.sierrawireless.com/product/AC880U_881U.aspx

edit - I just saw you were in Europe but the same model should be available over there.

[Masterchief]

be careful though, the frequencies used for 3g internet in the US are different from what's used in Europe, so you might be stuck using GPRS/EDGE rather than the much faster 3.5g HSDPA.

[Jenny S.]

Most data packages are connected to your phone. You need a GSM phone in Europe, no way around that. Forget Verizon. T-Mobile USA works everywhere in Europe with a 3-band phone, it kicks in as soon as you deboard the airplane. The down side is the price (0.99/minute) for a US based phone, wether you call or uses Internet. Coverage is much better than in the USA, though. If you stay there for an extended time period you might consider getting a t-mobile prepaid phone (X-tra) there and recharge it over the phone or online when you run low on minutes. Incoming calls are free for Europe based cell phones. Most airports have stores with prepaid phones. German Telekom, who owns t-mobile, offers data packages for cells as well ( http://www.t-mobile.de/tarife/0,10821,18519-_,00.html ), but I use the LAN wireless connections in hotels most of the time. In some hotels you have free Internet, in others you get access for a fee, that's probably still the best and cheapest way of doing it.