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Review: Vodafone WebSessions on Windows Mobile - alternative to Wi-Fi hotspots works fine with Windows Mobile July 30, 2007 [Wireless (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ...)] | By Edward J. R. So you are travelling to Europe (or around Europe) or Japan ? ... and once again you are scared, that when you come back you will get huge bills from your carrier resulting from your usage of mobile data abroad ? Worry no more! Vodafone has introduced totally new approach to mobile Internet: instead of using overpriced Wi-Fi hotspots with limited coverage, why not using instead 3.5 G (HSDPA) cellular networks, but instead of paying per traffic volume, to pay by time - exactly as if you would be using a Wi-Fi hotspot - through a landing page with possibility to pay by credit card ... or even through pre-paid card credit! All you need is a pre-paid SIM card from Vodafone (here placed on HTC Touch): 
... and if you are in one of the following countries (and logged-in to proper operator): Egypt (Vodafone), Australia (Vodafone), Belgium (Proximus), Bulgaria (MobilTel), Denmark (TDK), Estonia (Elisa), Finland (Elisa), France(SFR), Greece (Vodafone), UK(Vodafone), Ireland (Vodafone), Italy (Vodafone), Japan (Softbank), Latvia (Latvian), Lituania(UAB Bite) Luxemburg(P & T), Malta (Vodafone), New Zealand (Vodafone), Netherlands (Vodafone), Austria (Mobilkom), Poland (Polkomtel), Portugal (Vodafone), Romania (Mobifon), Sweden(Vodafone), Switzerland (Swisscom), Slovakia (Orange), Slovenia (SI.Mobil), Spain (Vodafone), Czech Republic (Vodafone), Turkey (Vodafone), Hungary (Vodafone), Cyprus (Cytamobile). ... then you can start using this offer and, interestingly, it even works superbly with Windows Mobile phones! At this moment to use it you need to have a pre-paid SIM card from Vodafone Germany but it works for the same time and price also in all above mentioned countries and there are several services/shops (also eBay) where users can charge such SIM card over Internet - also if located abroad of Germany - and even buy it. The only difference: if used within Germany there are no transfer limits. If outside of Germany there is limit of 50 MB - but the time and price stay the same. The crux of this offer is, that worries about spending too much are gone because users use the same principle as it is in Wi-Fi hotspots: paying for specific time. Also: unlike some other pre-paid cards that offer mobile Internet access (overpriced!) but only through slow GPRS, this one offers transfers also over UMTS (384 kbps) and HSDPA (1.8 Mbit/s). After enternig pre-paid SIM card from Vodafone (known also as "CallYa") and usinig "event.vodafone.de" as access point name (APN) user is redirected to the home page, where it is possible to select proper time frame: 
... and it is possible to confirm before purchasing: 
After purchase user has full access to Internet includinig Internet browsing: 
... and even Skype works (although using Voice over IP is not allowed in terms and conditions): 
Users can also charge their SIM card directly from the web interface too (note: no need to enter phone number - it is discovered automatically): 
Conclusions: whether you are travelling to Germany or to Europe, thanks to very good network of Vodafone operators (and those partly owned by Vodafone) users can obtain access to Internet with use of latest cellular networks, including HSDPA. With this review we have presented that this offer works very well also inside of Windows Mobile phones and since these phones are pocketable - unlike notebooks - users can get access to Internet on principles similar to Wi-Fi hotspot also on a much wider areas - not just in a hotel or at Starbucks. While there is necessity - at this moment - to purchase a pre-paid SIM card from Vodafone Germany (it costs between 5 and 10 Euro only) this SIM card works in whole Europe and even in some other countries - and users pay the same price in all those countries - 14.95 Euro for 24 hours maximum. Maybe soon this offer will be extended and offered natively also in Vodafone UK, and maybe some other operators will start offering similar Wi-Fi-hotspot-like services, but for now if you are an international traveller with Windows Mobile phone in your pocket - you can enjoy this offer and you can forget about your hotel Wi-Fi!  Post your comment (free registration is required to post, but if you register you can edit your posts later) [ 2 Comments ]
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