[3GScottishUser]

I have recently got myself a new contract with Orange UK and a free new Nokia N80 (Which I love because it has Wi-Fi).

They have not only provided 325 X/Net mins and 100 on-net off-peak mins but have also provided 650 SMS a month and for the 1st 2 months on their 3G service I get 1GB downloads (open Internet) and 50 mins a month video calling + the photo service thing for just £30 a month.

All of the above is great and I am now contributing here thanks to Orange Broadband which is totally free saving me £25 a month I used to pay BT.

Still have my Vodafone 3G account active (contract runs until December) and still using it with STC etc... I am letting the Orange minutes rollover to build up some time before switching and informing contacts.

Really happy with the N80 on Orange and happy with their Broadband product but it would be good to have something like 'Passport' and it would also be good to have some idea of the settings to use thier braodband talk service without having to totally reorganise my Wireless set-up - ie use my existing router and plug in a USB handset to use their talk option - any ideas?

[3g-g]

I have recently got myself a new contract with Orange UK and a free new Nokia N80 (Which I love because it has Wi-Fi).

They have not only provided 325 X/Net mins and 100 on-net off-peak mins but have also provided 650 SMS a month and for the 1st 2 months on their 3G service I get 1GB downloads (open Internet) and 50 mins a month video calling + the photo service thing for just £30 a month.

All of the above is great and I am now contributing here thanks to Orange Broadband which is totally free saving me £25 a month I used to pay BT.

Still have my Vodafone 3G account active (contract runs until December) and still using it with STC etc... I am letting the Orange minutes rollover to build up some time before switching and informing contacts.

Really happy with the N80 on Orange and happy with their Broadband product but it would be good to have something like 'Passport' and it would also be good to have some idea of the settings to use thier braodband talk service without having to totally reorganise my Wireless set-up - ie use my existing router and plug in a USB handset to use their talk option - any ideas?

Can you not just email / contact Orange and ask for the settings? Explain what you're wanting to do with your own router etc? I know I was able to get all my settings from Wanadoo in days gone by for my own router. As far passport is concerned, are you calling x-net or is it landline calls? Do you not get free calls to Orange mobs and 01 / 02 numbers through your LiveBox? Orange are also going to be pushing Magic Numbers again, where, on a monthly contract (and PAYG) you can nominate phonenumbers, pay 15p (iirc) or so then you get the rest of the hour free, more or less the same as passport.

[maxspank]

Not sure about the internet thing., but you can always get a vodafone PAYT sim which will give you passport.

[3GScottishUser]

Good idea - I will attend to that for travelling I think.

BTW - Orange use Energis for Broadband and its not always the same as BT's speed (worth checking).

[3g-g]

I take it your exchange has yet to be unbundled? You'll soon be outa the BT IP fluffy cloud, I'm only just begining to get into the Orange LLU thang myself...

[Ben]

BT exchanges are going to need to be the size of castles before long if companies keep unbundling the lines! :D It's definitely the way to go, it's just a shame that less populated areas will get left behind.

[3GScottishUser]

The strange thing is that my BT Exchange is enabled for 8MB and on BT Wholesale's site they reckon I can get 4MB at my home address.

Orange are saying they are not using BT's equipment (although they must be from the local exchange to my house) so all I can think of is that the broadband pipe coming to my local exchange from Energis is more limited in terms of bandwidth than BT's own feed.

The telecoms market appears to be changing very rapidly and what one could once take for granted appears far more fragmented now.