Travel Technology - GPRS on prepaid UK mobile SIMs

Does anyone know if you can use GPRS (and VPN) on Orange, Virgin Mobile or Vodafone prepaid accounts in the UK. I have been told by both Vodafone and Orange that you can. I havent tried Vodafone yet, I am going to activate it when I am in the UK the weekend of the 11th but I have been unable to get Orange to work. I would like to either use it like I use TZones here (POP mail and access an exchange server) or use it as a modem for a handheld or PC. Preferably with VPN capabilities. Does anyone know if this is possible? Thanks for any information.

I know O2 works, and on some of their sim cards they even offer a 4 week free trial of a fully open GPRS service.

I know in the US I can with my prepaid T-mobile Sim... Only problem is my phone is not for T-mobile... LOL Only Att has it.... But it works fine on Att...

O2 only provides GRPS for WAP. Orange however provides GPRS on PAYG as part of its normal package. If you buy an Orange sim, you can try GPRS for free and get £12 pounds free Kb. They charge at £4 per Mb

I had to do this research my sefl not to long ago, now have a T610 wired into the glovebox doing GPRS soley for my in car tomtom navigator

Jon

Does anyone know what will happen if I use my TMobile US-unlocked 6600 and have the Orange GPRS configuator download the settings? Will it just add another access point or will it wipe the current settings? Thanks for any help, heading to London this weekend and wanted to give it a try.

I've used the Orange GPRS on my Pay-as-you-go SIM and a SonyEricsson Z600 with no problems (other than the cost :D )

£4 per meg is less than half what you'd pay roaming in the UK. I've recommended an Orange Pre Paid SIM to a few people for data access and they've all been very happy with it.

So to clarify, you let the Orange system configure your phone and it didnt mess up your other settings for your US network? Thanks.

So to clarify, you let the Orange system configure your phone and it didnt mess up your other settings for your US network? Thanks.

Certainly on the SonyEricsson's I've messed with its just a matter of setting up a new APM to Orange's specification, leaving your existing US settings as they are. I've never tried doing this "over the network" though so I don't know if that would overwrite something (i.e. default to APM 1 which would be bad).

Okay, thats good info. Thanks. I found the settings for a manual set up on the web. The "Phone Trainer" at the store in London kept alternating between "you cant do it" and "just do the automated set up".