I just arrived to Lebanon last night and my DSL at home is not working. I’m actually at ABC Debayeh sitting at Nestle Toll House accessing internet from there since I don’t have access anywhere else. So I was wondering, which is better, Mobi or Wise? I’ve heard crap about both of them but right now don’t think I have another option.
Update: Looks like Wise is out of the question since I called them up right now and it turns out they’re out of stock on their devices.
Update2: I spoke to Mobi, they’re also out of stock with the routers but have their USB devices in stock. Price is $139 for the device and a 512kb connection with a 2.5GB monthly limit costs $50.
i use mobi, even tho they have some tough times, but i would recommend them over wise..
the wise machine is hard to operate + it is huge and requires a power outlet, the mobi one u can just plug into ur pc and it will work (after u install the s/w of course)..
mobi is a bit pricier tho
Use mobi if you wanna take it with you wherever you go. Use wise if you wanna install a wireless network at your place.
I’ve been using Wise for quite some time and they’ve had some bad times but they are more reliable than others.
which is faster? I am not looking for portability but for stability and speed. I live in Seheili (right after Jeita before Ballouneh) if that makes a difference.
They are practically the same. It all comes back to how the company handles the connection since they unplug the internet cables for no reason sometimes or slow it down on other occasions for no reason.
I am using Wise and it’s fine by me.
btw u need to check the signal for both at ur place..
if the signal is not stable, both dont work
2.5 GB limit???? that much money for a 512 connection??? wow! lebanon really needs to improve its internet service
I use both in Ballouneh.
Wise will work indoors, mobi will not (I have to sit outside if I need to use it). YMMV, so ask to test before buying.
@K: you don’t know the half of it (ref. http://ontornet.org)
K,
That used to be 1.5 gb only a year or two from now and this includes both uploads and downloads.
keep going to free wifi hotspots… you can buy a lot of cofee with 189 dollars if you are here for a month…and take a break in the evening while at homes and enjoy your time….
there was a time when being connected was not a life or death necessity, and newsflash, it still isn’t a life or death issue…
i’m good on mobi, just conserve during the day and ‘exploit’ them at night… you can pull off a gig of download a night if you really want to which offsets your daytime quota limitations…
also, i have the mobi USB dongle through my desktop and set up scripts to do connecting and disconnecting and shared it over wireless (their software is really crappy and takes 100 MB of RAM just idleing) so i’d recommend it if you could do the stuff i did.
i’ll admit i do have very good signal and i dunno how it runs in crappier conditions.
hello mark and welcome back to beirut.
thank you for considering mobi as a potential provider of Internet during your stay.
if it is OK with you, we would like to offer the following:
– we send a representative over to your house in Sheili at no charge
– he will install the USB modem and a weekend Internet account for you to test the service and the coverage
– you would only have to pay for the cost of the modem ($139 + VAT). Plus we will refund that cost on Monday in case of coverage issues or if you are unhappy with the service. (note that if you choose to keep the modem, you can use it anytime you come visit as there are no reactivation fees. you just recharge when you come in.)
do we reach you via http://www.248am.com/contact-us/ to get the address in Sheili where to send it ?
hoping to contribute to making your trip to Lebanon an enjoyable one,
Cedarcom Mobi Support
Now, why was it that when I requested the mobi device delivered to Ballouneh the rep on the phone said: heck no, it’s too far?!
Maybe I should have said that I just came back from bilad el ightirab and staying here for just 15 days!
Cedarcom thanks for the offer but I got the DSL working again at home 🙂
hi abdallah, delivery areas are usually to the greater beirut area and its immediate surroundings. we are gradually growing our delivery radius to be part of our regular delivery routes and hope to grow it as much as possible. moreover, our resellers are located in almost every area of Lebanon and can attend to the recharge needs . just in case, the list of resellers in Ballouneh can be found here (http://www.mobi.tm/lynx_resellers) or recharge can be done by SMS (http://www.mobi.tm/recharge_by_sms).
so how has your experience been abdallah so far with mobi? (other than the home delivery issue)
no worries mark. we are glad to see that you are now back online. we remain standing by for further assistance.
hope you enjoy your vacation in Lebanon !
You have to choose between bad and worse.. Go with MOBI. It worked fine for me!
hello danielle and thank you for sharing your mobi experience.
your mobi device will be on stand by for when you come back from your vacation. hope you have a good break and you are able to give some time for your battery cells to recharge !
Go with WISE for sure.. I’m downloading more than 1.6GB on it everyday.. Plus it excels at stuff like online gaming and video streaming (for a Lebanese connection anyways)..
I also have Mobi.. However I never managed to use my quota before the month ends.. I just can’t find anywhere with a connection!! The only time I did use it was when I kept my laptop powered and downloading in the car while it was parked.. Plus, Mobi only has Dongles in stock.. And those are an epic fail…