[chagle]

:) Hi all,

I've not even got a 3G phone yet but would like to break into the worldof 3G.

Already for a contract with O2 with a Sammy D600.. but look at getting a 3G play phone and explore the world of 3G.

really don't want another contract unless it's less than a tenner a month :-)

But looking to get a 3 Pay as you go sim and probably a LG U880.

Want a phone really for less than £100 (on eBay) and the LG U880 fits the bill. Any other suggestions?

Is the LG U880 a good phone?

Looking forward to your feedback,

Glen

[3GScottishUser]

Maybe not quite as slim as the LG but how about the Motorola V1050 from Vodafone's online store.

On PAYG its just £80 and you can subscribe to 26 TV channels for £10 a month or the extras TV pack for £3 a month. (TV is not available on the LG from 3 only on Nokias). Vodafone PAYG can include Stop The Clock so your talk time can go a long way after 7.30PM and all weekend. (You can talk for 60 minutes and only pay for 3 minutes to any landline or mobile in the UK).

Vodafone's Description

"The Motorola V1050 is packed with every feature you need to get the most out of Vodafone Live! with 3G. With a MP3 player, 1.2 mega pixel camera, expandable memory, video and audio streaming plus more, keeping in contact with friends or up to date with the latest news will never be boring."

Looks like a real bargain at £80 brand new!!

[chagle]

Thanks for that! ... Amazing price! Just ordered it...! :-)

[3GScottishUser]

Thought you would like it. Good spec and good tariff. Remember to add STC when you get it to get best value.

No risk either buying new directly from the network.

Hope you enjoy it.

Keep us informed.

[chagle]

Glad I found this forum now..!

:-)

Glen

[Hands0n]

Dont forget - Live! TV is free for the first 30 days, so take out the full £13-buys-you-all pack to have a play before you decide how much if any of it you want.

[chagle]

Yup - Will be doing that as soon as I get the phone.

With video calling, what ctually is the quality like?

[Ben]

Hah, now there's a question that'll get some subjective responses ;)

I think the quality is pretty pathetic. If you've used online video chats through the likes of MSN then you can rest assured that the quality is worse. It is, however, good enough to be useful, and is affected by signal strength and the handsets taking part.

I'm pretty sure you'll have great fun trying it out, but whether it finds a regular place in your calling habits is more questionable.

[Hands0n]

Re videocalling - do not expect or anticipate TV broadcast quality. What you will get is something like you may have seen with budget webcams via MSN or the likes.

There is a very definite time lag, so initially you will have to get used to pausing to ensure the other person has finished speaking. It is a technique/style one can get used to fairly quickly.

I personally have had a long experience with corporate Videoconferencing on sub-384Kbps links (typically a pair of 64Kbps bonded into a 128Kbps) and so Videocall was no surprise to me. But I know some folk hate it, others love it - I've yet to find any inbetweenies.

I use Videocalling fairly often in a month to keep in contact with more distant friends and family - it has something over Voicecalling that I find appealing.

Unfortuantely Vidoecalling charges are punative at the moment, although Vodafone is 35p on-net and 55p X-net which is not as bad as some. O2 currently [promotionally] charge the same for Videocall as they do for Voicecall - and I think that T-Mobile is the same at the moment.

[3GScottishUser]

Dont forget - Live! TV is free for the first 30 days, so take out the full £13-buys-you-all pack to have a play before you decide how much if any of it you want.

Its not £13 for the lot. If you subscribe to the factual and entertainment channels at £10 a month the extras pack is included free.

26 channels now for a tenner and the TV works acrosss the whole range of Vodafone 3G handsets.

Live has loads of free movie trailers and free financial news video downloads and streaming too. There is quite a lot to explore once you browse throught to the sub-menus.

Most of Vodafone's content services on 3G are free for the first month, so you can try before you buy which is great if that's what you intend to buy a handset for.

[chagle]

To be honest I don't really know anyone else with a 3G phone so video calling isn't going to be a problem. AND to be honest I don't even like doing Webcam with MSN with friends - They think I'm too ugly. Personally I don't but there you are.

I guess I'm more interested in what content information you can get.

What speed is 3G?

MM, I guess this thread should be moved to another forum? I don't want to get told off by a Mod! :-)

Glen.

[Ben]

They think I'm too ugly. Personally I don't but there you are.
LoL!

Currently 3G runs at 384kbps download and 64kbps upload for packet switched data. This is your 'GPRS' style data.

Video calling still, I believe, uses circuit switched data which is slower at 64kbps download.

Don't worry, this thread will be fine here for now, but feel free to start one (or add to one) somewhere else should you want to discuss any other topics.

[3GScottishUser]

Video calls are indeed circuit switched and are reasonably good quality.

Camera setting for video calls is VGA (800 X 600) and 15 frames per second.

Its not HDTV by any means and subject to lighting conditions for both camera apperture and screen viewing but in general within doors the concept is OK dependent on price. Sadly broadband and messenger services like MSN, Yahoo etc can offer similar quality with no charge per minute even to International destinations.

Mobile videocalling is technically OK but is socially difficult and outdoors almost impossible because the phone LCD jsut cant display much with a lot of light on it.

It something that wont be a killer applaiction but a good novelty on mobiles that differentiate 3G models from others.

[aley1983]

Try this link (http://www.mobilerainbow.co.uk) for information and special offers on 3g handsets.

Hope this helps!

[3g-g]

aley1983,

I've edited that link to the shop front without the referer ID URL, they aren't allowed on Talk3G.

Folks, please remember, links to online stores are fine, we all want to know where the best bargains are! However, links found with referer IDs to the poster will be edited, failure to follow the Talk3G guidelines may result in you being in you being banned from posting.

Any of the Moderator or Admin team will be happy to explain if you're needing any help.

G :)

[getti]

and thats the bottom line....... because 3g-g said so ;) :D (WWE Fans will know what im on about)

[hecatae]

http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewHandsetDetails&action=getHandsetDetails&contract_type=PAYT&productID=225&itemSKU=PTSE16

would be another choice you could have