Can you unlock a mobile broadband dongle the same as you can a phone?

JennyP

I have 2 dongles - an old Vodafone one and a newer Orange one. Can I unlock one of these and start using a PAYG SIM from T Mobile ? It's just I pay per month currently with Orange but hardly use it but I don't like the thought of being without mobile broadband altogether (don't have it on my phone!)

Also, does anyone know, if you top up, how long does your credit last? They expire dont' they?

macman

Yes, they can be unlocked. Yes, credit does expire, the term depends on the PAYG SIM you have.

JennyP

Does anyone happen to know how long the credit on a T Mobile one lasts please?

colinicky

macman wrote: »

Yes, credit does expire, the term depends on the PAYG SIM you have.

Not strictly true :- There is the old Vodaphone one that never expires as long as you log on at least once every 270 days. Very occassionally they appear on ebay . Expensive at £10 per gig as far as I remember, had mine 4 years & not needed to top it up yet !

TakeThis

colinicky wrote: »

Not strictly true :- There is the old Vodaphone one that never expires as long as you log on at least once every 270 days. Very occassionally they appear on ebay . Expensive at £10 per gig as far as I remember, had mine 4 years & not needed to top it up yet !

£15 per GB.

What are the model numbers of the modems?

The problem with the Vodafone modems is not with the unlocking, but with the software. You have to use a different Dashboard, as the Vodafone dashboard does not allow you to add the profiles of any other network.
Not difficult to fix, by installing a generic dashboard.

TakeThis

JennyP wrote: »

Does anyone happen to know how long the credit on a T Mobile one lasts please?

With T-Mobile, you top up your account with credit. It stays as a cash credit until you buy a data bundle, which then runs for as long as stated when you buy it.

colinicky

TakeThis wrote: »

£15 per GB.

What are the model numbers of the modems?

Sorry you could be correct about the £15 per gig .

Model number on mine is K3565 Rev2

TakeThis

colinicky wrote: »

Sorry you could be correct about the £15 per gig .

Model number on mine is K3565 Rev2

That's ok.

The modem question was for the OP. We need the information to put together unlocking instructions.

Ibelieveanything

colinicky wrote: »

Not strictly true :- There is the old Vodaphone one that never expires as long as you log on at least once every 270 days. Very occassionally they appear on ebay . Expensive at £10 per gig as far as I remember, had mine 4 years & not needed to top it up yet !

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They are £15 for 1GB