New tariff plan for users of mobile Internet staffed PCMCI-map and special conditions of GPRS-services. Full cost of connection is 7,900 rubles, detailed information about the tariff is available here. Let us examine some features of the equipment and costs, and at the same time is comparable to competitors' offers
A set of "MegaFon-Modem" is a fairly niche product, focused on the active users of mobile Internet from a laptop. Modern phone with EDGE cope with this problem is not much worse, but PCMCI-card certainly convenient, though for giving such a pleasure to $ 290 will be able to / want to not everyone. On the other hand, the Chinese and Taiwanese maps of little-known manufacturers, we offer a comparable amount, and even more expensive. Market for such products in Russia is rather narrow, relatively few cards are imported and sold it not a quick, hence the price. In addition, such devices are available in small (compared with the phones) numbers and are oriented primarily to the corporate market. So the price of 7,900 rubles. is not prohibitive.
Special rate plan "MegaFon-Modem" has some important distinctive features, a detailed description of fare is here. We draw attention to the relatively low cost of megabytes transmitted / received data (4,7 rbl. Incl. VAT), although the required monthly payment of $ 170 USD. not happy. However, for the money we get 35 MB of traffic, ie the first 35 MB. we will manage to 4.86 rubles. per megabyte. In terms of cost savings is more important than the relatively humane rounding the amount of traffic, up to 8 kb; most tariffs from July 1, acts rounding up to 100 KB in the big party, which dramatically increases the costs of active online users of ICQ and similar services. Quote from the site operator: "Rounding is carried up to 100 KB in the big party 1 every 15 minutes or when the amount of data sent and received 320 kB, as well as at the end GPRS-session. Tariffs" MegaFon-Modem "and" communicator "rounding off by up to 8 KB in the big party 1 every 15 minutes or when the amount of data sent and received 320 kB, as well as at the end GPRS-session"
This proposal MegaFon-Moscow is very similar to a set of "Mobile Office" Beeline and we will compare these proposals, and therefore strongly encourage you to read our review of the "mobile office" here.
With the "iron" in terms of "MegaFon-Modem" different from "mobile office" type PCMCI-card: "MegaFon-Modem" Complete Map of GC85 EDGE / GPRS / CSD band GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz with an external antenna, and Mobile office "- a combined card GC89 EDGE / GPRS / CSD band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz + WiFi (standard 802.11 b / g WLAN) with a built-in antenna.
In the reliable reception of the internal antenna certainly preferable as sticking close to the keyboard pin is annoying its vulnerability, and distracts from the work. If the reception conditions permit, an external antenna GS85 better to turn down along the sidewall of the laptop, but even in this case, the probability of accidental damage is quite high.
Not accidentally Sony Ericsson launches the next version of this card GC86, which will differ from the GS85 only by built-in antenna (with a connector for external) and the additional working range of GSM 850. On the other hand, pay for 2000 rubles. more for card GS89 ("Mobile Office") is only meaningful if the laptop is no built-in adapter WiFi. In addition, a value ease and convenience of replacement SIM-card. On the "hot" replacement SIM-cards are not talking in any case because of ill-placed nests (PCMCI-card accounts removed from the computer), but the card GS85 at least a "no objection" against "hot-swappable. But for such an operation with a combined card GS89 computer every time they reboot. At least with the operating system, Windows 2000, it happens that way.
Map GS85 from the set of "MegaFon-Modem" is not "locked" to work with certain network operator, software, Sony Ericsson Wireless Manager allows you to create any required number of profiles. On the included CD recorded Wireless Manager version 3.3.28.1518, recent release № 3.4.1. 1518 of this software package (with support for Russian language) can be downloaded here (about 14 MB in the archive). Also for the GC85 card there is a new firmware version with additional functionality (thanks QBFF for the link), a program for self-Flash cards can be downloaded here (2,3 Mb).
GC85 and most other specialized PCMCI-card data do not support voice communication, the additional features - sending and receiving SMS (Russian and pasting from multiple messages), editing a notebook and work with the SIM-menu (in the latest firmware) . When a call comes over the tray icon pops up warning the name of the caller (if available rooms / name in the phonebook), the ability to "reset" the incoming call is not provided. Nice detail - the ability to save the contents of the notebook SIM-card in a separate file that can later if necessary for a few seconds "poured" into another SIM-card.
Wireless Manager allows you to manually select one of the bands (900 ili1800 MHz), which sometimes helps to "catch" the base station with EDGE; unfortunately, the possibility of rigid adherence to a certain BS / sector is not available. I am glad the stability of the card: in the process of downloading large files has been seen several transitions from EDGE to GPRS and back plus a couple of switches between different BS or sectors. All change took place quite smoothly and without losing the connection, although in each case the process of downloading the file is suspended for 10-15 seconds.
Working with a weak signal is far worth the BS once again demonstrated the validity of proverb about the bird in the hand and a crane in the sky: in spite of the EDGE-screen displays on the download speed test file is not much higher than in the quality of GPRS-connection. So what are waiting for the end of the year and promised MegaFon EDGE-continuous coverage throughout the territory of Moscow.
Will there be a similar proposal from a third operator? It is hard to say for sure. To our knowledge, it is assumed a joint project with Skylink, in which MTS solution will be proposed for data transmission in the network in the Moscow region. Cooperation between the two operators is expected at the level of marketing initiatives, ie likely to be offered any discounts on the connection or discounted rates on equipment.
