Data Sims - How are they different ?

LinW13

Hiya Everybody,

I've just got myself a Huawei E5332 mi-fi thingy. Comes locked to T-Mobile but am sorting that out via eBay.

As this is mainly for use away from home, I am going for a PAYG SIM. And I am getting somewhat confused - especially after a visit to CarPhoneWarehouse. I am not going to go into the whole story. Lets just say he wouldn't admit that PAYG SIMS existed until I told him I was going to Tescos as they had them. Anyhow, I digress.

When I look at GiffGaff, for example, they offer talk/text/data packages and Data packages.

My question is this. Is there such a thing as a DATA SIM, or is it just a DATA package on any old SIM ? In other words, is a DATA SIM somehow different?

Many thanks in advance.
Lin W

Stageshoot

DATA Only sim's are just that no voice or Text allowance on them, and tend to work out more expensive for use than the combined voice/text/data bundles used in phones.

Some Voice/Text/Data PAYG sims with work in Mifis and Tablets some will not the network reconises the IMEI and stops them connecting.

3 are like this. I have a Galaxy Note 8 Tablet that also has a phone feature but if you put a 3 Voice/Text/Data sim in it it refuses to use the data. Same with a Mifi.

But some do work fine. T-Mobile/ EE / Orange. Wortk fine and if you buy a voice/text/data PAYG sim on T-Mobile you can add a vey good data package for £20 for 6 months and then put it in your mifi. (Gives 1Gb a month for downloads like video but is unlimited for web email etc)

A lot of people also use the Giffgaff Voice/Text/Data package in Mifis but its technically a breach of the terms

I would say stay away from 3 for sure and also Voda. But T-Mobile is a good choice with the 6months web for £20 deal

Or if you are using very limited amounts of data grab a proper Prepay Data sim with 1Gb to use over 30days. they are cheap if you dont use large amounts of data.

If you are getting a 4G Mifi there are some good EE ones that are 4G on ebay at the moment £17 gives you 6Gb of 4G data to use over 90 days.

Perwsonally I would get a T-Mobile PAYG Voice/Dataa/Text sim from a T-Mobile Shop bung a £20 credit on it stick the sim in a normal phone, then send a text 6MONTHWEB to 441. wait for the confirmation its active then put that sim in your Mifi, trouble free data for 6 months

We have these in 3 ipads in the family and they work really well

Here are the details

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/services/payg/boosters/

paddyrg

Above poster says stay away from 3, I say give them a try. They have regular data products like 1TB including tethering for £15/month SIM only, or a PAYG phone/all round deal with calls 3ppm, texts 2p each, data 1p/MB - something to suit both ends of your potential needs with others in between.

ps2659

LinW13 wrote: »

Hiya Everybody,

I've just got myself a Huawei E5332 mi-fi thingy. Comes locked to T-Mobile but am sorting that out via eBay.


Hi
If you haven't already unlocked your mifi through ebay you can go to the GSM forum GSMhosting.com post your IMEI number and model Huawei E5332 someone will give you the code for free, I got my code back within the hour.
Hope this helps

LinW13

Many thanks Stageshoot - that is exactly the information I need - spot on.

I reckon a Prepaid Data Sim will suit me best.

And thanks PS2659, but cannot find the free option. eBay is only 99p.

NiftyDigits

LinW13 wrote: »

Many thanks Stageshoot - that is exactly the information I need - spot on.

I reckon a Prepaid Data Sim will suit me best.

And thanks PS2659, but cannot find the free option. eBay is only 99p.

Look here... or here for T-Mobile.

System

Just taken my mifi thingy to phone shop (not provider) and asked how much to unlock it as it's locked to Vodafone.

Was told £25

I informed them it can be done for 99p via ebay and walked out. Looks like I will have to be adventurous and follow advice from above.

System

I think this £2.99 data only SIM from Curry's (on 3) could be ideal for occasional/holiday use. The amount given initially lasts for 30 days, then it is PAYG which for people that only need to use their tablet every few months, would suit them.

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/phones-broadband-gps/mobile-phones-and-broadband/pay-as-you-go-mobile-broadband/three-mobile-broadband-1-gb-preloaded-pay-as-you-go-sim-card-13828907-pdt.html#longDesc

NiftyDigits

islandman wrote: »

I think this £2.99 data only SIM from Curry's (on 3) could be ideal for occasional/holiday use. The amount given initially lasts for 30 days, then it is PAYG which for people that only need to use their tablet every few months, would suit them.

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/phones-broadband-gps/mobile-phones-and-broadband/pay-as-you-go-mobile-broadband/three-mobile-broadband-1-gb-preloaded-pay-as-you-go-sim-card-13828907-pdt.html#longDesc

Tablet SIM? Which size would that be?

NiftyDigits

islandman wrote: »

Just taken my mifi thingy to phone shop (not provider) and asked how much to unlock it as it's locked to Vodafone.

Was told £25

I informed them it can be done for 99p via ebay and walked out. Looks like I will have to be adventurous and follow advice from above.

Which model? R201, R203, R205?

R205 here

R203-Z is a ZTE model, so I'm not sure, but you can definitely unlock it if it is locked, using the DC Unlocker application for £5.75.

System

Nifty, all i can show you are these:-
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/phones-broadband-gps/mobile-phones-and-broadband/pay-as-you-go-mobile-broadband/three-mobile-broadband-1-gb-preloaded-pay-as-you-go-sim-card-13828907-pdt.html?intcmpid=display~RR~Phones%2c+Broadband+%26+GPS~13828907

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/phones-broadband-gps/mobile-phones-and-broadband/pay-as-you-go-mobile-broadband/three-mobile-broadband-1-gb-preloaded-pay-as-you-go-micro-sim-12871865-pdt.html?intcmpid=display~RR~Phones%2c+Broadband+%26+GPS~12871865

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/phones-broadband-gps/mobile-phones-and-broadband/pay-as-you-go-mobile-broadband/three-mobile-broadband-1-gb-preloaded-pay-as-you-go-nano-sim-for-ipad-air-ipad-mini-retina-19597894-pdt.html?intcmpid=display~RR~Phones%2c+Broadband

Mine is R206