Samba: new free way to surf the net on your mobile

With a sim card from Samba, just watch a few adverts and you can surf the net on your mobile free of charge!

A new service offering free 3G data service for mobile phones and computer has launched.

Samba describes itself as the first free broadband service for users on the go.

Here’s how it works. Users buy a sim card (with the option of a dongle as well) for £2.99. You watch a few adverts, and in return, you build up credit. That credit can then be used to surf the net on your gadget or mobile phone, free of charge, on the Three network.

If you watch two-and-a-half minutes of video, you get about 517 megabytes of data. So while it’s not free at the outset, once you have the sim, you won’t have to pay another penny as long as you watch enough ads on your phone.

The adverts are from the likes of Gillette, Unicef and McLaren, and you can choose which ones you want to sit through.

The idea is that you won’t have to search around for somewhere offering free Wi-Fi, so surfing the net when you’re out and about is more convenient.

That said, the thought of sitting through a two-and-a-half minute advert for the sake of checking my emails when I’m on the train doesn’t strike me as that appealing.

But the Samba launch is just the latest move in the ongoing battle among mobile phone networks to appeal to those of us who use our mobile phones for heading online.

Unlimited data

Back in February, T-Mobile threw down the gauntlet by launching the Full Monty tariff, offering unlimited calls and data for £36 a month.

Since then a succession of networks have unveiled their own deals catering to users who spend a lot of time online. Just last month Virgin Media unveiled the Premiere tariff, with ‘all you can eat’ data use.

Data use is swiftly becoming one of the main things we use our mobiles for. Back in April Virgin confirmed that data usage has jumped 250% in the past two years, and it is only going to grow further when the 4G technology is ready.

Using a phone to actually call people is becoming an outdated concept!

The best tariffs for big data users

Three has carved out a reputation as being the top network when it comes to data use, with many of its tariffs offering competitive deals.

For example, if you are after a sim-only deal, Three has a one-month sim offering unlimited data use (as well as 300 minutes and 3,000 texts) for £15 a month. Sign up for a year and the number of free minutes each month are doubled.

Alternatively, T-Mobile has a package offering unlimited data (200 minutes and 5,000 texts) for £26. There’s also giffgaff, which has a £10 a month goodybag offering unlimited date (as well as 250 minutes and unlimited texts) for just £10 a month!

On pay as you go, Three is again top dog, with its All-in-One 15 add-on, offering unlimited data use for 30 days for £15.

And on contracts, Three offers unlimited data on its Ultimate Internet Plans, with tariffs starting at a paltry £13 a month. Otherwise, there’s the Premiere from Virgin Media (from £23 a month for existing Virgin customers, £28 for new customers) or the T-Mobile Full Monty for £36 a month.

If you’re in the market for a new mobile phone or tariff, check out our new mobile phone comparison centre. You can compare handsets and a range of deals from the biggest mobile networks whether sim-only, pay as you go or contract.

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