[irock]

Hi, I'm considering Vodafone HSDPA. Has anyone looking into this mobile internet solution?

From what I gather, if they find out you are downloading HUGE amount of files, they can shut down your connection. Smartone defines HUGE as downloading a single file larger than 100MB. I'll heading to Central's Smartone retail store for more clairfications. One of my questions will be whether or not 100MB of webpage browsing will trigger their alarm.

[KnowItAll]

Well, even 100MB is can be messy. What happens if your computer starts downloading the next service pack from Microsoft?

From where I stand, it is the first "all you can surf" mobile package in HK and it looks like it might have long term potential.

While you're at it, can you find out if the HSDPA solution is restricted to their card or if any standard HSDPA device can be used?

[irock]

Well... I use Mac primiarly and I don't allow Tiger to download whatever it pleases.

However, if I'm on the go and I need to download podcast whenever I open iTunes, a bunch of 20MB downloads could trigger their alarm.. but I don't know.

While you're at it, can you find out if the HSDPA solution is restricted to their card or if any standard HSDPA device can be used?

heh... could you find another HSDPA card? The Smartone starter kit comes with a $500 voucher that gives you about 250MB usage. The card costs $2388 FYI.

[KnowItAll]

Well, there are a couple of smart phones on the horizon which will support HSDPA, including a samsung and a HTEC / DoPod for sure.

[Rawbanana]

I haven't visited Smartone but I was just wondering if Smartone also has a unlimited internet package? Is it like the People's unlimited GPRS?

Thanks.

[KnowItAll]

Their GPRS is not unlimted .. I signed up a while back without reading their fine print and after signing up their response was "unlimited for browsing our pages" ...

People's is the best unlimited GPRS deal. Saw it in action a few days back and the performance was decent on a Treo.

[irock]

Well, Sunday has a $128 unlimited GPRS plan too. I once consumed over 400MB data, but obviously the speed is simply too slow to be of any use except doing iChat and getting emails.

[irock]

If you guys can read Cantonese, head to discuss.com.hk for a more in-depth discussion of the HSDPA plan. There's a heavy user there who has just signed up for the $488 plan. He seems to have all the answers.

[SMC-Voda]

Our Mobile Broadband offers customers 2 service plans – Contract and Flexi.

Contract, the unlimited local data usage plan at $488 per month, is designed for customers who use our mobile broadband service for i) Internet browsing; ii) email and iii) Intranet access. This is a very competitive offering compared to other relevant service plans in the market.

Flexi offers customers more simplicity, flexibility and great value. With a minimum value as low as $100 per month, customers can enjoy one rate local data usage at 50MB per $100 and one rate roaming worldwide at $0.12 per KB. It requires no registration, no contract and there is no restriction in usage applications.

Contract is subject to an Acceptable Usage Policy that specifies what you can do and cannot do in terms of applications, not volume. These prohibited applications may adversely impact our network, which in turns affect the service quality of our Mobile Broadband service and even other services we offer to the entire customer base.

There is no such 100MB limit for our Mobile Broadband service for file downloading or web browsing as some customers commented. You can download service pack from Microsoft.

We have an automated system in place to ensure this is followed, so that every SmarTone-Vodafone customer can enjoy superior service at all time.

For customers who require bulk usage or specialised applications including VoIP, we can design fit-for-purpose data plans to meet their specific needs. They can contact our Hotline at 2880-2662 so that we can better understand their needs.

[KnowItAll]

SMC-Voda, Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Question for you, do you need to buy the datacard from SMC-Vodaphone if you want to use a device like the soon to be released HSDPA phones from Samsung and HTC. Also, there are a number of laptops being planned by the likes of Lennovo and Dell, which will mean we don't need a seperate PC Card.