Back in April, Vodafone stole a march on the competition by becoming the first UK mobile operator to launch a business-orientated 3G data device -- the Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS datacard. Vodafone's 3G card has certainly widened the choice for mobile workers seeking a high-speed Internet connection on the move, but it’s not all roses: the pricing is high -- around £85 a month to download 500MB -- and the company's 3G coverage remains fairly patchy. Vodafone obviously needs a healthy dose of competition, and that has now arrived following the launch in July of Orange's 3G Mobile Office Card.
Orange immediately attacked on the pricing front, undercutting Vodafone with an unlimited access package for £75 a month. Under this tariff, the card itself costs £85 (ex. VAT). As far as 3G coverage is concerned, Orange claims that 66 percent of the population can access its network, compared to Vodafone’s 30 percent. Orange also estimates that around 62 percent of small businesses and 72 percent of medium-to-large business are covered. The company’s target for 2005 is to raise its 3G coverage to around 90 per cent of businesses. You can check Orange's 3G coverage near you here.Installation & setup
The 3G Mobile Office Card only works with Windows 2000 and XP systems -- there's no Macintosh support yet -- and you'll need at least 64MB of RAM, 16MB of free hard disk space and a CD-ROM drive from which to install the software (no problem for most modern notebooks).
Installation was straightforward -- it took us less than ten minutes to open the box, register the USIM card, load the software, plug in the PC Card and access the Internet.
Once up and running, you control your connection sessions from the dashboard application, which is accessed via a shortcut that's automatically placed on the desktop. The dashboard displays the network you're using, your connection status, 3G/GPRS signal strength (when you launched the current application, not continuously), five application buttons (Internet, Text messaging, Internet email, Instant messaging, Office), plus Help, Settings and Disconnect buttons. There's a connection duration indicator, but the dashboard doesn't indicate whether your connection is via 3G or GPRS -- for that, you'll have to look at the LED on PC Card itself, which glows blue for 3G and green for GPRS.
Performance
Orange’s 3G data service supports a maximum download speed of 384Kbps, or 48KB of data per second. During our tests, which included downloading a film trailer video clip and using ZDNet UK's Bandwidth Speed Test, we recorded throughput as low as 100Kbps and as high as the full 384Kbps. Remember that, just like DSL, 3G is a contended service with bandwidth shared among all the users in a particular cell. Throughput will also depend on your distance from a base station and type of service you are accessing.
Most of our testing took place in the central London area, but during a brief trip to the wilds of East Yorkshire we had to rely on the fall-back option of GPRS. With GPRS, the Mobile Office Card can deliver speeds up to 53.6Kps downstream and 26.8Kbps upstream. The card can be set to work in one of three modes: 3G only, GPRS only or automatic switching between 3G and GPRS. The latter makes most sense in areas of good 3G coverage, but at the edge of Orange’s network it might be worth locking into GPRS to prevent data transmission interruptions as the system switches between 3G and GPRS operation.
We had a few usability issues with the dashboard application, the main one being that if you want to switch between an Internet session and text messaging, for example, you have to disconnect and reconnect via the relevant application button. The same goes for the Internet email, Instant messaging and Office application buttons. This procedure is irritating, and seems unnecessary given that, once connected to the Internet, you should be able to access SMS, email, IM and VPN clients in the normal way. That said, the dashboard does allow you to create custom settings for each of the application buttons, and the data collected in the individual 'connection details' dialogue boxes could prove useful to IT managers.
Pricing
Orange offers a range of tariffs for its 3G data service. Power users will want the option that includes the card for £85 (ex. VAT) plus a monthly charge of £75 for 'unlimited' use (this actually means 'fair use' of up to 1,000MB a month). At the other end of the usage spectrum, there's a 'pay as you consume' option with the card priced at £255 (ex. VAT) and data at £2 per megabyte. In between these extremes, there are low (7MB), medium (65MB) and high (400MB) options, with card and 'out of bundle' data rates priced correspondingly. Analysts claim that prices should continue to fall over the next six months, reaching around £40 to £50 a month for unlimited access early in 2005.
Going forward, Orange says it will launch a version of the Mobile Office Card with Wi-Fi connectivity as well as 3G and GPRS, by the end of 2004. The company is also investigating a Macintosh-compatible version of the card and says it is 'working with the manufacturers of the datacard and software to improve the functionality and the user interface'. The card is the Merlin U530 from Lucent Technologies and Novatel Wireless.
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Member reviews
...easy setup and better coverage than the Vodafone one
- 10.00 out of 10
10.00 out of 10The orange software is really poor. I thought I could turn this card on and use the Internet as usual -- mobile broadband. Great, but you can only use one Internet Explorer window at a time and you can't use any Internet connected software that isn't launched through their launch system. Also, it drops the connection frequently, switching between GPRS and 3G. Overall good, but could be excellent if it could be treated as a normal Internet connection.
- 7.50 out of 10
7.50 out of 10There are known issues with Windows XP. The drivers may not work correctly. Make sure your card is registered before you contact Orange for solution.
- 9.50 out of 10
9.50 out of 10I found using the card very easy. Unlike other comments made I found that once connected via one of the options such as Explorer or Web mail, you could freely use all other applications -- instant messaging, more Explorer pages, just by ignoring the Orange task menu and using the icons on the desktop as you would any connection. However, support from Orange customer services is poor at the moment, but the product is new and this should improve quickly -- as will, I hope, the value.
- 7.00 out of 10
7.00 out of 10- 10.00 out of 10
10.00 out of 10I received my card by courier on a Saturday morning and phoned Orange to switch me on. Unfortunately, "the 3G team doesn't work weekends" and I had to wait until Monday lunchtime to speak to anyone. It was then a further 24hrs before the card was activated.
I have yet to achieve 384Kbps through the card, the maximum being 152Kbps -- although even then, if you're on the move, you quickly lose the strength of the signal.
I've just travelled from Paddington to Oxford and failed to download 4MB-worth of emails despite constantly trying. Most of the journey was spent with a 7K connection!
Orange promise a lot but fail to deliver. Sure I'll still use the card, it's just disappointing.
- 5.00 out of 10
5.00 out of 10Getting through to Orange to set this up was a nightmare. I have no trouble using any Internet applications other than IE -- it works like any other connection. The software can be buggy and crashes and sometimes doesn't work at all. It is supposed to tell me how long I've been on over multiple sessions, but it doesn't and Orange can't tell me either so I have to make manual notes and hope it's right. However, the concept is brilliant and just what I needed.
- 7.00 out of 10
7.00 out of 10- 8.00 out of 10
8.00 out of 10Although it's better than other options for mobile access to my business network (landline, mobile phone, O2 data card), the frequency of dropped connection is very frustrating. As I work outside major cities, the best performance has only been 111Kbps and still I can't rely on continuity. Oh, the blue screen? every 10 minutes!
- 6.00 out of 10
6.00 out of 10I bought an Orange Mobile Office card 3 weeks ago and it has never worked. I get an error message every time I try to use it saying that 'Mobile Office cannot find your datacard.' In Device Manager, Windows cannot find the right driver, although I have installed the software numerous times.
The same error occurs on 2 of colleagues' laptops (2 x XP, 1 x 2K) so I'm sure it isn't my machine.
I have spent 3 hours in my local Orange shop, and many more on the line to Orange technical support trying to get it working but with no success. They haven't been given a test laptop to try it on so can't prove to me that the card itself isn't faulty.
I am so fed up -- I think I'm off to Vodafone ...
- 4.00 out of 10
4.00 out of 10- 9.50 out of 10
9.50 out of 10I found the Orange software to be terrible and stumbled upon O2's version which works very well with the Orange card and even installs later drivers which achieve the full 384 kbps not 115kbps serial port speed of the Orange drivers.
Using this Connection Manager, GPRS to 3G and 3G to GPRS handovers are far more effective with significantly less drop-outs than when using the Orange software.
- 6.50 out of 10
6.50 out of 10The quality of performance is very poor. The connection often jams, resulting in an inablity to access Web pages/email etc without numerous restarts. Also, if you can find a way to download software/fixes from Orange's Web site you're a better man than me.
- 4.50 out of 10
4.50 out of 10Constant calls to Orange support; constant network drop-outs. Having to take two PCs everywhere as the card will not even install on one of them, even although it is an identical software spec.
- 4.00 out of 10
4.00 out of 10Orange has clearly rushed this card and software combination to market. Although the card is used by other 3G providers, Orange has neglected to include the latest drivers with its already poor connection software.
Reliability of connection and data throughput vary extremely but generally make browsing the Internet pointless.
Added to this is the rubbish support from Orange. The technical staff are okay, just try to get through to them!
Unless Orange make major improvements quickly this product is guaranteed to let you down when you most need it.
- 4.00 out of 10
4.00 out of 10Does not even work in London as it is unreliable and keeps cutting off. Support is terrible. This product should not be sold in the shops -- a 12-month contract for a card that does not work properly.
- 2.00 out of 10
2.00 out of 10I was an early adopter of 3G and it has performed as poorly as oranges support. Frequently drops and sometime never connects on a variety of laptops. Orange shop say download non existant upgrade. All in all, this has put me off ever using Orange. Once the contract is up I am using Vodafone.
- 3.50 out of 10
3.50 out of 10Hidden in the Orange site ( I only found it because I was told it was there) is an upgrade to the awful client. http://www.orange.co.uk/business/corporate/office/mocsoftware.html#
It fixes the roaming issue that caused signals to bounce between GPRS and 3G (causing disconnections) and a few minor fixes but still a long way away from perfect.
- 4.00 out of 10
4.00 out of 10I installed the 3G card in November last year and despite watching my usage with the data counter that Orange supply with the software, I was faced with horrendous bills. Orange admit the software on the Pc does not record usage correctly.
I would like to hear other users experiences. You can email me at sapphireveritas@hotmail.com
I currently have a dispute over £600 that represents the differance between the PC and Orange's billing data counter
- 4.00 out of 10
4.00 out of 10After trying to use my card for six months I finally gave up and have returned my 3G datacard to Orange and got a refund.
The coverage maps on the Orange Web site are too optimistic. The 3G signal is too weak to usable in many of the areas shown with 3G coverage.
The wirefree helpdesk is pretty useless, the extent of their help was to suggest a reboot.
The customer service managers don't return calls and do all they can to slow things down. I finally had to threaten to take Orange to arbitration before I got my money back.
I would avoid this product until it is more mature and Orange have got the bugs out of the system.
- 4.00 out of 10
4.00 out of 10Coverage is non-existent, I have never been able to find Orange 3G to offer more than this. I have since switched to Vodafone which I find immeasurably better -- sure, it has its black spots, but across the cities the coverage is great.
- 3.00 out of 10
3.00 out of 10Installed fine, logs on 50% of time other 50% requires a computer restart. Even when either a 3G or GPRS sygnal/connection is achieved, sending mail is tricky at best, impossible at worst. Sending mail using Outlook Express or Outlook seems only to work for some ISPs and not others. Thus webmail is the only alternative. And that is frustrating and with constant 'hangs' it no apparent data flow, I often give up return home and send by Broadband. It can often be quicker to do that in fact. I recently used my old 9.6 kbps connection on my mobile instead. Job done in 15 mins instead of the usual 40 minutes of swearing at 3G card. Even the HSCSD Nokia Cardphone at 28 kbps was better than this, but that doesn't seem to work on Win XP.
- 4.50 out of 10
4.50 out of 10Cannot get it to work at all with our Dell laptop. Constantly says it cannot see the card!
- 2.00 out of 10
2.00 out of 10I commute by train every day to Kings Cross which takes me approx 40 mins.
If I start using the Orange Merlin 3G card as soon as I get on the train. By the time I get to Kings Cross, I'd be lucky to get access even to just one internet home page! Forget using this 3G card on a train. It can’t handle moving between transmitters or going in and out of reception.
Orange hide their up-grade for this device because it just makes things worst! http://www.orange.co.uk/business/corporate/office/mocsoftware.html# The product is so hit and miss, I've had it working well on some rare occasions, but it's not worth the bother. Just wait and use dial up when you get there. I’m meant to be a Mobile Field Working IT Consultant but I can’t get this thing to work reliably when static and not at all when on the train!!
Just don’t bother…
- 2.50 out of 10
2.50 out of 10Cannot find mention of the drivers on Orange site. Constantly drops connection, never seen a 3G connection in London, 56Kbps speed at best. After reading other reviews on this card, it all drops into place - it's crap!
- 2.50 out of 10
2.50 out of 10Inaccuracies between the data counting software and Oranges billing can mean huge penalties on your bill (tariff dependent). In my case a £45 monthly bill on a 400MB tariff cost me over £600 based on my Orange bill one month when data card was reading 380MB used. BEWARE!!!
Also, 4MB email attachment limit, not advertised and no bulk email possible through Orange -- you have to set up your own mail server.
Also suspect that handshaking before user connection is charged for on Orange, not so on other networks, again, not advertised.
- 3.00 out of 10
3.00 out of 10- 8.00 out of 10
8.00 out of 10