Hi all!

Does anybody know about mobile internet options like USB modems or pocket wi-fi, please?

I actually have an iPod which doesn’t take a USB, so I guess I’d be more interested in the latter to also connect with my laptop.

I can’t see me having a permanent home for quite some time, and the wi-fi speed at this hotel is too slow to meet my requirements. Even downloading Youtube videos is a problem. I did read up on comments from people who’d stayed at more expensive hotels and had similar experiences.

I would like to trade currencies, etc using UK-based platforms, not too unlike online gaming I suppose. Sometimes the data arrives 12 seconds or more late and even placing a trade immediately could mean a similar delay, or longer, as the upload speeds seem to be much slower than the download speeds when I run Speedtest.

Thanks in advance for any comments.

Unfortunately this is a country wide problem, which does not affect the locals as over 95% of all internet traffic in the Philippines is either facebook or twitter. If you want fast internet best to get a satellite based system, but that is very pricey.

CD r King do a a rechargable battery operated unit, also mains 220v, they vary obviously from region to region, but are typically slow. Used in conjunction with Globe, Smart or Sun USB style modems, (stick). In an area with light internet activity a download speed of 2mbps tops, if very lucky, upload being very slow, .2---.6 mbps. I have one for travelling, but a Globe package at the house, that is remarkably good.

In our area there in no 3G, have they heard of 4G yet. The only time a dongle is anything like usable is about 3am in the morning. Past 7am and it just doesn't go anywhere as everyone is up texting.

The best system I have come across is the Globe home broadband which I have at the moment. They screw a box to the side of the house pointing to the mobile mast and despite living about 30km from the nearest town on Panay I still get 1Mbps, sometimes a bit more, cost Ph995 per month for unlimited use. If you have a problem service is very good and in the aftermath of Yolanda they immediately sent a credit note and kept me informed on the progress of the repairs and the likely day I could expect the system to be up and running.

This works with a dongle, it certainly raises the reception bars and aids in increasing speed, course impractical for travelers. buy a 5 metre usb extender cable, it must be internet specks, a regulat mouse ot keyboard extender won`t work, around 550 peso. and find a fan guard from a stand fan, mount the domgle in the centre and connect the cable from it to the pc, an outside wall is ok, cable through a window, immediately the reception bars will increase, it`s satellite dish primnciple.
I used one previously for 4 years, it was very adequate, average speeds 2mbps, view the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuQez3ltGbw

It depend on the local infrastructure. I was getting 150-200kbps at best then dropping to 10-15kdps during the day. No problem with signal strength, just no bandwidth on the local mast.

Always found the aircon buses to be the best for wifi

For the price of a Globe or Smart dongle and sim, 990 peso it`s worth having one of each. Considering construction methods here, concrete , lots of re bar and stell roofs, getting the dongle outside, pointing at the general direction of a tower helps a lot. Globe do a superstick at 1990 i believe, that generates wifi signal in addition to it`s USB connection.

It really is trial and error from region, even town to town, customer satisfaction is akin to Russian roulette!