Turbo Sticks

User avatar
ChrisGreaves
PlutoniumLounger
Posts: 15498
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 23:23
Location: brings.slot.perky

Turbo Sticks

Post by ChrisGreaves »

... is what BELL Canada calls them. I gather they are like a memory stick, plug into a USB port and function as a modem. Tap my laptop into the internet anywhere in the habited fringe of Canada.
The cost, activation and monthly fee is a different question.
Q1: But if I buy the Turbo Stick outright, is it likely to be transferable to another supplier (in Canada “Rogers” or “The Source/Radio Shack”) or are the weasels likely to do the old “Sorry, you can’t use their hardware on our system” trick?
Q2: If I buy the Turbo Stick outright (in Canada) and get conned into spending another rainy month in Florida, is there a chance it might work with a Floridian service supplier?
Q3: And supposing I decided to spend two weeks in Paris next year, is there a chance it might work with a Parisian service supplier?
An expensive day out: Wallet and Grimace

User avatar
jonwallace
5StarLounger
Posts: 1118
Joined: 26 Jan 2010, 11:32
Location: "What a mighty long bridge to such a mighty little old town"

Re: Turbo Sticks

Post by jonwallace »

The answers to 1 and 2 are similar. This thing seems to use the mobile phone network, so you probably can't use it with another network unless it support using a SIM from another network, if the SIM is even replaceable. And 2, if you could use a Bell Canada mobile phone in Florida, then this doodah should work.

I don't know/think it would work in France without incurring roaming charges. Actually roaming charges might apply in Florida as well.
John

“Always trust a microbiologist because they have the best chance of predicting when the world will end”
― Teddie O. Rahube

User avatar
Claude
cheese lizard
Posts: 6241
Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 00:14
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Turbo Sticks

Post by Claude »

What you should be looking for are unlocked wifi dongles. Whenever we travel overseas, we always buy local prepaid sims, we never fall into the trap of expensive roaming.
Cheers, Claude.

User avatar
ChrisGreaves
PlutoniumLounger
Posts: 15498
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 23:23
Location: brings.slot.perky

Re: Turbo Sticks

Post by ChrisGreaves »

Claude wrote:What you should be looking for are unlocked wifi dongles.
Thanks Claude, I think that's what BELL is trying to sell me.
Here's a similar device from Radio Shack (in Canada "The Source")
An expensive day out: Wallet and Grimace

User avatar
PaulB
BronzeLounger
Posts: 1596
Joined: 26 Jan 2010, 20:28
Location: Ottawa ON

Re: Turbo Sticks

Post by PaulB »

ChrisGreaves wrote:Here's a similar device from Radio Shack (in Canada "The Source")
Chris, this device is not at all similar to the Turbo Stick. The D-Link Wireless N USB Adapter provides WiFi connectivity to a wireless router, something your laptop is probably already capable of.

I have a Cisco equivalent to the D-Link adapter to connect my desktop (which has no WiFi hardware) to my wireless router.
Cisco.JPG
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Regards,
Paul

The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The realist adjusts his sails.

User avatar
ChrisGreaves
PlutoniumLounger
Posts: 15498
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 23:23
Location: brings.slot.perky

Re: Turbo Sticks

Post by ChrisGreaves »

PaulB wrote:Chris, this device is not at all similar to the Turbo Stick.
Thanks Paul. Now I see the difference.
At my level of no-knowledge I'd only got as far as "a USB stick that gets me access to the Internet".
An expensive day out: Wallet and Grimace