Can I rent an EVDO Data Card or USB Modem from anybody for a week ?

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Can I rent an EVDO Data Card or USB Modem from anybody for a week ?

grant_k

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#13771 28-May-2007 15:51

This question is for Jama or anybody else who may be able to help...

Situation

* Staying in a Camper Van parked in a paddock with no mains power for 5 days.
* I have a wee inverter to recharge my laptop and cellphone batteries, but that's about all.
* During the day, spending most of the time wandering around Mystery Creek Fieldays at Hamilton.
* Mobile Phone coverage is not a problem -- the place fairly bristles with antennae from Telecom and Vodafone.
* Mobile Data coverage is pretty grim however, especially for Vodafone customers like me. Quote Jama: "Heinous GPRS" sums it up pretty well. 40kbps doesn't cut it any more.
* Telecom provides a wireless Hotspot, which I have used previously. Speed is good but as soon as my Vodafone mobile comes out of my pocket (such as when I get a phone call), I'm Persona Non Grata and ushered off their stand.
* A portable battery-powered solution is what I need for the week, and it doesn't seem justified to buy something only to use it one week per year.

Hardware Needed

Hence my request to rent an EVDO Data Card (PCMCIA / PC Card / CardBus 32-bit) anything except Express Card should work. Or an EVDO USB Modem.

* I will pay all data charges and a reasonable rental as well as Courier Charges each way to/from our Auckland office.
* I'm prepared to pay good money!
* The alternative is to pay $40 to Vodafone for one month's GPRS data usage of up to 200MB @ 40kbps. Not a great idea...

Intended Data Usage

Last year I used about 80MB for the same period. Mostly VNC sessions back to my PCs at Home and the Office, outgoing e-mail and web access. This year I might try some Skype if the QoS on EVDO is good enough. It beats paying 49c per minute to Vodafone!

Say 200MB should be ample in any case.

Is anybody able to help?

Jama

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#72543 28-May-2007 16:24

How about an AxessTel EVDO ethernet router that could then be coupled with a WiFi access point? I don't have a router with built in WiFi yet....

Jama

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#72544 28-May-2007 16:27

Whoops missed the requirement for battery. You would also need an inverter - could be messy. We also have a battery powered fixed wireless terminal but it is only 1x and serial interface plus it isn't really portable. I gave all my data cards back when I left The Firm.

grant_k

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#72553 28-May-2007 18:02

Cheers Jama,

The "AxessTel EVDO ethernet router" will be my backup plan.

My laptop has an Ethernet port and I could still use it in the campervan at night, powered by the inverter. And then sneak into Telecom's stand during the day to use their hotspot. Not ideal, but way better than GPRS, I'm sure you'll agree

Thanks for your kind offer and if nothing better comes along, I'll PM you to arrange the details.

grant_k

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#72583 28-May-2007 21:36

Update: Found this web site which offers rental of EVDO cards for NZ:

http://wiredsky.com.au/index.php?p=newzealand_evdo_rental

Everything looked perfect until I noticed that they are in Oz. To rent a card for one week with a 200MB data allowance would cost A$200 plus a courier fee to get it here (probably A$50 or more). And then I have to send it back again, probably costing a further A$50 or so. Total A$300, it's starting to get expensive...

It's a real pity that Mystery Creek appears to be just outside the Vodafone 3G coverage area according to this map:

https://www.vodafone.co.nz/personal/coverage/nz-coverage-maps/3g/index.jsp?area=ni&zoom=2&image_id=7_7

Maybe the best thing to do is to buy a T3G Data Card cheaply via Trade Me or somewhere.

I see that Telecom have "Open Term" arrangements for all the Mobile Data plans. If I provide my own hardware, does this mean I can sign up on Open Term and then cancel the plan at the end of the month? And then do the same again next year?

Any helpful suggestions are welcome...

cokemaster

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#72584 28-May-2007 21:41

Grant17:

Maybe the best thing to do is to buy a T3G Data Card cheaply via Trade Me or somewhere.

I see that Telecom have "Open Term" arrangements for all the Mobile Data plans. If I provide my own hardware, does this mean I can sign up on Open Term and then cancel the plan at the end of the month? And then do the same again next year?

Any helpful suggestions are welcome...

Yes, you should be able to do that without any issues. Though the plan that you are on may not be offered next year (it may have been replaced with a better or worse one).

Just a case of ringing *123/126 to arrange that.

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grant_k

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#72586 28-May-2007 21:44

Cheers Cokemaster, I think that will be my best option

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freitasm

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#72587 28-May-2007 21:46

Have you got the thing yet? I may be able to arrange a PC Card.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

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grant_k

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#72589 28-May-2007 21:51

freitasm: Have you got the thing yet? I may be able to arrange a PC Card.

No, I don't have any hardware yet Mauricio. I was just having a look around Trade Me and should be able to pick up a Sierra Wireless Aircard 580 for $100 to $150.

If you can offer me a similar deal, I would rather buy from someone I can trust

Let me know what you can do.

Cheers,
Grant.

freitasm

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#72590 28-May-2007 21:54

I am not selling, but you can borrow my CDMA Rev A card for a couple of weeks.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

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grant_k

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#72591 28-May-2007 22:01

That would be perfect Mauricio, but how can I pay for the data usage?

Just pay you for what I use, or should I sign up for my own plan?

I will need it in Auckland from Friday June 8 and will courier back to you in Wellington by Tuesday June 19th.

And I expect to pay you something for your trouble, it's very kind of you

freitasm

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#72592 28-May-2007 22:06

I am sending you a PM.

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