I applaud this move by T-Mobile *but* do we Web n' Walkers get to use the T-Mobile hotspots in Europe for free too? It's not like it would cost T-Mobile anything extra, and would free people from ridiculous GPRS data roaming charges.

Tony Davenport

I raised this possibility with a T-Mobile rep at the Wireless Event a couple of years ago, when they touted a combined package for Businesses IIRC - however, it turned out they were just selling the two services in a package, rather than providing a bundled all-in-one service.

Still - hats off to them for finally getting there, and actually providing some kind of converged data package, only 2 years after everyone stopped talking about it. Vodafone still don't grasp the concept of decent flat-rate data allowances for PDAs.

OTOH, as one of the early WnW adopters, I still get 'unlimited' / 2Gb a month for #7.50, and while VOIP, VPN, etc. are excluded and now even blocked, I still seem to be able to get through loud and clear. I actually hardly use it any more, but I still maintain the subscription as a homage to the company that actually Got It Right once.

As far as I'm aware, W'n'W Max does allow VoIP - it's one of the few truly unrestricted mobile data plans available. I'd assume this would extend to the WiFi service too, if they can differentiate between users.

This has existed for ages, i've had a Web 'n' Walk Plus service for about 8 months and have always had free access to the T-Mobile HotSpots and 5 hours a month when roaming on other hotspots.

Are we not just getting to the point where the mobile operators are going to become mobile data providers, and all communication (voice, mail, IM, whatever) is done over data channels they provide us with?

on Web n Walk Max (the £22.50 one) at least. Whether the extra £10 is worth it obviously depends on usage and how quickly your phone battery will die being used for wifi calls.

https://www.t-mobile.co.uk/services/mobile-internet/on-your-phone-and-laptop/

...on their Web'n'Walk Max product.

Web'n'Walk (£7.50pm) : "a 1GB (of data both sent and received in the UK) per month fair use policy applies...We do not permit use of this service to provide modem access for a computer or for peer to peer file sharing, internet phone calls or instant messaging"

Web'n'Walk Plus (£12.50pm): "a fair use policy of 3GB (of data sent and received in the UK) per month applies...We do not permit use of this service for internet phone calls."

Web'n'Walk Max (£22.50pm): "a fair use policy of 10GB (of UK data both sent and received) per month applies."

As a subscriber to T-Mobile's cheapo Web'nWalk package I am, on the whole, pleased -- I can browse the web, use MSN and email and generally keep in touch for a relatively reasonable monthly charge, without worrying about any monthly quotas. My only complain, however, is the roaming charges -- having racked up £100 bills on two occasions so far due to this, I'd love to see the prices come down -- even just halving the data charges fro those who pay for "unlimited" plans would be a nice gesture. £7.5 per MB(says Mb in T-Mobile's literature IIRC) is ridiculous nowadays -- hell it only costs that much to use a satellite phone for data.

I will be calling Tmobile to upgrade my web n walk package!

Comes as no suprise that TMobile is the only mobile operator that gives a shit about consumers! Seems a fair price for a decent service!

I've just been on the blower to T-Mobile, and it transpires that the 'Free UK Hotspot access' is only available to new customers. Long-term loyal types like me can have 'unlimited' for a mere £10/month.

Or I can pay £6/hr for intermittent use.

On top of the £42.50 I already pay for the WnW Max option.

Not best pleased.

Weird then, since I had this with them at least 2 years ago, and still have.

VoIP and IM seem to work fine on my WnW account (not Plus or Max). I can connect to Sipgate without a problem, and fring also works effortlessly...

...but you're in breach of their T&C's. Whether they'll enforce/notice it is another matter, but you're leaving yourself open to possible problems - including termination of service if they were really going to be difficult.

I have the T-Mobile web and walk plus add-on. I have used it a lot for 18 months.

There is a 2GB Fair Usage Policy. VOIP works with skype however MSN does not.

However this week I received a letter from T-Mobile saying I had gone over the Fair Use Policy, using 3.4GB.

They said I need to reduce my usage in January or they will downgrade my speed to 64k.

Never had the letter before, anybody?

After being on the Virgin with their "300mins for £10" on a Nokia 1100 as part of their 4 for £40 for the past couple of years and recently needed to replace an MP3 player and a camera. So with no prospect of a phone upgrade and/or a sensible data tariff from Virgin, it was bye-bye.

T-Mobile's W'n'W nearly snared me but I was after a K770i and they weren't offering it with W'nW. For the same price pm I went for 3 and it's like a revelation compared to ye olde Vigin "deal". (I was sceptical at first due to mates' reception troubles 3 or 4 years back, but 3 now dropback to 02's 2G when there's no 3G signal, so I went for it and haven't had any troubles across the country.)

I'm not linked to 3 in any professional capacity. Just a very chuffed customer. Which is a rarity these days. So I'm throwing in a shout for 'em whilst data tariffs generally are being discussed.

I'm on the following package.

£18pm =Free SE K770i (keeping a Nokia devotee happy with a decent interface, 3.2MP cybershot w/ flash, decent media player, slim & stylish)

+ 300 any time/network mins/texts mix (nice and flexible and plenty for me)

+ 300 3to3 mins (trying to get my gf to switch from an archaic Sainsbury's Mobile contract(!)

+ 30 video call mins (unused)

+ Free Skype (works fine)

+ Free MS Live Messenger (unused)

+ £5 for unlimited open internet (nice to have the Gmaps and Gmail apps too) = £23pm

Nokia N95(/8GB) would have been an extra £6(/£12) pm more.

Downside: 18mth contract (as most seem to be these days) and a little "overbranded" with three stuff on the phone (shortcuts and stuff).

And while we're on it. The whole Broadband through a dongle thing that T-Mobile and 3 do is pretty nifty too. £25 gets ya 7GB pm (fine for "standard browsing use" i'd have thought?).

So for £48pm I could have a pretty comprehensive broadband+mobile service for little (if any) more than It costs for a standard BT line rental + Basic Sky/BTVision/Tiscali (or Virgin 3play). Only thing missing is the TV, but tbh, the basic subscription TV packages only give you a gnatts chuff more than Freeview anyway, so meh. And, on the upside, none of that connection/installation/set-up/joining fee nonsense or waiting around on your day off for the engineer to arrive.

As for 02/Orange (with their broadband misadventures) and Vodafone (with their cosy-in-bed-with-BT plan) - makes you wonder what they're messing around at.

Props to 3 and T-Mobile, I say for their sensible pricing and simple service.

Where is this £12.50 per month??? We pay £17.02 + VAT per month for the Web'n'Walk Plus...

...is that it's hats off to T-Mobile for doing what O2 have been doing since last November.