wireless internet access in UK
 

When we travel in australia my hubby and I buy a wireless internet access usb modem that we use in the car and publc places and its just a matter of recrediting the usb when it gets low in $$'s. any ideas on using the internet whilst travelling in public areas? Is there an equivalent usb set up in the UK that I can just plug in and be connected?

Oh also, whilst Im here, need advice options on having access to mobile phone -- shuld I get international roaming put on in Australia or buy a sim card over in the UK? Im not "au fait" when it comes to technology so need all the advice i can get!

thanks all.

Yes, you want what we would call a wireless 'dongle' - all the mobile phone companies do them. I'm no expert but I have one from '3' which I just top up when I need to. There are many many mobile phone shops around and any of them will help you with both your wireless dongle and with setting you up with a Pay As You Go UK sim card.

If your laptop is wifi enabled you get free wifi on the trains from London to Edinburg and on Stena Line ferries between Britain and Ireland. There are probably more. Get Skype and you have free phone/wideo with your friends worldwide. For subscription services Boingo seems to be everywhere. It's about $10 a month.

Most places like Starbucks have free wi-fi, as well as motorway service areas etc. look for the w-fi hotspot signs.

It's true that most motorway service stations, a very few train and long-distance bus companies, and a few eating chains offer free wifi. But these aren't places many of us spend much time in and most trains, buses and eating places absolutely don't offer free wifi.

Places marked "BT Hotspot" are mostly free only to people who've bought a home or office broadband contract from BT (the formerly state-owned, and still dominant, landline company), and most hotels charge (often almost obscenely) for wifi.

For most visitors, finding free wifi can be a perpetual pain. Finding reasonable value dongles is for most a great deal easier, and anyone intending significant web use really ought to get one - though only after checking how easy free wifi will be to find on their itinerary with their usage pattern.

Skype, of course, is free only if you're not paying for web access and if your contact's on Skype (though dial-up through Skype is absurdly cheap, you still need to ensure you're not paying for web access). Some dongle contracts are based on the amount of bandwidth used: Skype voice can use more bandwidth than you expect and Skype video can kill.