Orange Pay As You Go 3G on the SZ6 WWAN

I thought it may be useful as a new UK SZ6 owner to let others know that I've successfully got 3G internet access working using an Orange Pay As You Go 3G SIM. It's expensive but I'm not tied into a contract or monthly tariff (I only want to use it for occasional emergencies when I'm not near a wifi hotspot).

I wasn't interested in taking advantage of the T-Mobile deal that came with my SZ6-VN/X. I'm an Orange pay monthly customer but don't want to fiddle around with taking my SIM out of my phone and putting it in my laptop each time I use it.

I searched around and found it very difficult to understand whether it is possible to just buy a pay as you go SIM and put it in the laptop to use for data only. I gave it a go anyway and bought a new 3G SIM from my local Orange store. The SIM was free, I just had to put a minimum of £5 credit on it. The SIM came pre-registered to the network as well.

My main problem was software for the wireless WAN adaptor. The T-Mobile software which came with the laptop won't work with SIMs from any other network (as I expected, but I tried anyway). After searching around I realised that the Option Globetrotter module in the SZ6 in very similar or identical to the unit used in one of Orange's commercially available datacards. I didn't want to buy a datacard just to get the software when I already have one - all I wanted was the relevant software connection utility. On the support section of the Orange website there is a section on interim solutions for Vista customers with Orange datacards. A very simple piece of connection software called GT Connect is available which I downloaded and used with my new pay as you go 3G SIM. Here's a link to it:

http://www.business.orange.co.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Business&cid=1044135929377

Basically, it works and I was shocked by how fast the 3G connection was (having had my fingers burned with the disappointment that is 2.5G!).

Now the downside! It's not automatically obvious how much pay as you go costs for data and they probably don't shout about it because it's a shocking £4 per megabyte. You can sign up to a £4 per month tariff which gives you 4Mb per month (a 75% saving). However this does commit you to spending money every month, defeating the object of Pay As You Go. They also have unlimited access for £1 per day or £5 per week, but you have to sign up for a month (I think).

I hope that my detective work helps others with a similar interest. I'd be interested in finding out what other Pay As You Go deals are about on other networks (and if people can get software to use them). I'd use the WWAN more if there were cheaper access available!

Oh and by the way, the SZ6 is worth it. I've been in geek heaven for days. Words can't describe how much I love my new laptop!