Since some weeks ago I was looking around the options I had to get Internet at home. As I am already hooked on Cable TV service from a major Portuguese player, the most obvious choice would be to subscribe also the Internet service. Nevertheless, after checking prices I was not convinced… also thought on xDSL offers, but as I am living in a rented flat I didn’t want to pay for the copper line installation.
Then I gave a shoot on mobile operators and search their 3G products. The one that most convinced me was Vodafone’s Residential service based on 3G card (USB) from Huawei Technologies, since it would allow me to have internet at home and if needed it could also be used for mobile access outside home (paying an extra-fee, off course). As I wasn’t going to do massive downloads, the 3.6Mbps service including 5GB download / 1GB upload seemed enough (if needed, also had an happy hour bonus).
…then I realized that the 3G device would need a dedicated application to manage network connection, which would mean that probably I would be forced to run MS-Windows on my laptop! and that, was really something I didn’t want (currently running Ubuntu at home)… so, I went back digging on this issue… after google around I discovered the Vodafone Mobile Connect Card driver for Linux at Vodafone Betavine. This was really a good and unexpected surprise, Vodafone has developed a specific application to manage the 3G device over Linux and released it under GPL license! I just couldn’t believe, a Mobile Operator gave me an option besides MS-Windows? this is really something new to me, maybe things are really changing… the Linux user was not forgotten 
well, that was enough to me, I was convinced, my search for an Internet provider had officially ended.
Below I leave some pictures of the “Vodafone Mobile Connect Card driver for Linux” app in action. This thing is really user oriented, after installing it you just need to plug the USB device, start the app, authenticate and press connect. Of course, for the first time you use it you also need to input the correct settings on preferences (this may be not as simple as it looks as there is a complete lack of information on the issue, for Vodafone Portugal network check below the settings I’m currently using).
… I was surprised by the outcome, a mobile Operator had “won” the competition for providing me Internet access, plus it runs smooth over Ubuntu!!!
note: anyway, according Vodafone Portugal official site, only MS-Windows is currently supported… may I ask why?
You can’t support something you don’t know nothing about. This [nice] piece of software is only part of an experiment by some vodafone r&d department who probably hadn’t much to do and started hacking.
Either way thanks to them
Cheers,
PP
…but shouldn’t Vodafone capitalize on their R&D achievements? think they could do much better than just ignoring this tool.
But ok, that would also means some nasty phone calls to their call center… eheh
Er, is there a version that will run on a Mandriva Linux/KDE environment? All the packages I’ve tried fail on install looking for various dependencies that don’t seem to be on any of the mirrors.
Hi Alex, really don’t know which release works best on Mandriva distros… I’m currently running version 0.9.7.3 on Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gybon with no problem at all (concerning app consistency).
maybe you can ask the guys on Betavine, they should be able to give you an hint… meanwhile check the latest releases here:
https://forge.vodafonebetavine.net/frs/?group_id=12&release_id=19
(think vodafone-mobile-connect-card-driver-for-linux-1.99.17.tar.gz should work on Mandriva, shouldn’t it?)
cheers!