What is cheapest internet access method laptop ?

Hi,
What is the cheapest way to access the internet for an OAP in the UK who does not want email, or anything except occasional access to internet from his Laptop PC, winxp. He wont want to go having cables installed, or dishes erecting on house wall. Uses PC occasionally because he has no data access for it except me saving internet pages to usb tick !..and that takes my time and often fails anyway. The usb socket is type 1 !

Of course this prompts also the need for a virus checker but there are free ones like AVG.

Dbenz

 

I don't know about the UK, but here in the states we have pre-paid phone companies like TracFone/Net10.

I have a Net10 Android phone which is unlimited data/text/phone calls for a flat rate of $50 a month, no contract. SO, I downloaded a program called PDA Net for Android which will let you a.) tether your phone via USB, b.) connect via Bluetooth, or c.) turn the phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The program is free, or a one time fee of $15 if you want to access secure sites like Hotmail, gmail, or any other secure site. Basically it is 3G access from your phone to the internet anywhere there is cell reception.

Hope you can dig up something similar "across the pond".

 

Thanks for suggestions...How much would the pre paid usb dongle cost him per month ? i.e. whats the cheapest of those ? Laptop has usb 1 port, would that cause issues ?..no chance of him buying another laptop, not until he gets to discover www maybe

DBenz

 

There are plenty of comparison sites on the internet that could provide a much better list of these services than we can.

Try here to start: http://www.broadbandgenie.co.uk/mobilebroadband/3g-dongles assuming you are in the UK of course.