Alcatel L800 Mobile Broadband - Install and Usage issues

Hi all,

Last week purchased an Alcatel L800 mobile broadband dongle from EE in the UK.

When inserted in a 2013 model Macbook Pro (13" Retina), as with most USB broadband dongles, it prompts to install it's software - a package simply called 'Web Connection'. This, as usual, prompts for an admin password, after which all dock icons change to a question mark and nothing on the Mac will work. It would appear to be resetting permissions on one or more things it shouldn't!

I managed to get back to a usable machine by booting into Recovery and repairing permissions. Unfortunately from this point things are still not properly working. The dongle will usually connect and work initially, but after waking from sleep the Mac doesn't even see the dongle plugged in. A reboot repeats this process, it will connect to the network and function until the next time I sleep the machine.

I notice the only change in Network prefs is a new addition within the Thunderbolt Bridge called "MobileBroadband" which reports it is Active. After resuming from sleep, this entry doesn't exist.

I also notice if I view package contents on the installed 'Web Connection' software, there is a section containing various 32 and 64-bit drivers. None of the same appear in \Library\Extensions so I'm guessing they didn't install properly. Console unfortunately yields no information on what is failing, if anything.

So far:

1. I've tried contacting EE only to be told to take it into store, and that it only supports up to 10.8. Suspect this is, to some extent, ignorance of the support staff... and that all the store will do is offer to return it.

2. I've posted in EE community forum and managed to find one user that got it working, but I suspect they're on an older Mac as they don't have any thunderbolt devices listed in network pref.

3. I've sent a message to Alcatel for their advice as there is nothing by way of support, driver, or software downloads for this device.

Anyone else have any experience in getting this working?

Thanks,

Tom