Unlocked 3 dongle, does it work with any network?

kobracai

Hello everyone

Does an unlocked broadband dongle (ZTE MF122 from THREE to be exact) work with any network or does the new network have to be set up over the phone? And is it the same for other dongles?

I have been probably 20 or 30 minutes on the phone with THREE this morning to get my dongle unlocked, when it finally got unlocked, I popped in the prepaid 02 sim card I got from Ebay... and it wasn't working ! THREE Customer service on the phone told me I have to call O2 to set it up so my dongle accept it

My question is, will I need to do this for every SIM I get from a different provider? Because I am planning for now to stay PAYG to keep costs down and having to buy SIMs from different providers and then set them all up is going to be time consuming (and expensive, since this morning I must have spent £10 calling THREE 0300 customer service number!)

apologies if this has already been asked, but from a quick search I couldn't find anything

Thank you for your help

NiftyDigits

kobracai wrote: »

Hello everyone

Does an unlocked broadband dongle (ZTE MF122 from THREE to be exact) work with any network or does the new network have to be set up over the phone? And is it the same for other dongles?

I have been probably 20 or 30 minutes on the phone with THREE this morning to get my dongle unlocked, when it finally got unlocked, I popped in the prepaid 02 sim card I got from Ebay... and it wasn't working ! THREE Customer service on the phone told me I have to call O2 to set it up so my dongle accept it

My question is, will I need to do this for every SIM I get from a different provider? Because I am planning for now to stay PAYG to keep costs down and having to buy SIMs from different providers and then set them all up is going to be time consuming (and expensive, since this morning I must have spent £10 calling THREE 0300 customer service number!)

apologies if this has already been asked, but from a quick search I couldn't find anything

Thank you for your help

No. If it is a Data SIM, you have to enter the APN/Profile for an O2 data SIM within the software.

It could be that the 3 USB modem software has no option to add the APN/Profile for other data SIMs. In this case, you can either enter the Profile via the OS, install generic mobile broadband software which will allow you to do so or install a generic Dashboard to the USB modem.

kobracai

thanks NiftyDigits, however I am not techy savvy enough to do that c quickly

is this the case with every unlocked dongle? If not, could you recommend me one that doesn't require all this legwork?

Thanks

NiftyDigits

kobracai wrote: »

thanks NiftyDigits, however I am not techy savvy enough to do that c quickly

is this the case with every unlocked dongle? If not, could you recommend me one that doesn't require all this legwork?

Thanks

It's not that complicated. You just enter the Profiles for the Data SIM cards that you intend to use and then set it as Default.

Have a look at the Settings Tab on the 3 connection software.

Why are you using an O2 SIM anyway? What's the offer? They aren't the best value overall.

ManAtHome

A couple of years since I used PAYG, but my post-it note says:
3 - APN 3internet, NAME and PASSWORD blank
O2 - APN m-bb.o2.co.uk, NAME o2bb PASSWORD password

kobracai

Thanks guys I'll give it a shot

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Why are you using an O2 SIM anyway? What's the offer? They aren't the best value overall.

I just found an inexpensive pre paid SIM on Ebay, 3GB for £12...

Not sure what my usage will be and atm I am tightening my belt, so trying to go for the best pre paid overall

kobracai

@ManAtHome where did you get m-bb.o2.co.uk as APN from? If I want to connect to say EE or GiffGaff in the future, where do I get the correct APNs from?

Thank you

Peter999_2

Hi,

There is a list of UK APN's here :

http://apn-settings.com/apn-settings-uk/

Giff Gaff settings are here :

http://community.giffgaff.com/t5/Settings-for-your-device/Internet-and-MMS-settings-APN-guide/ta-p/3489121#faq_no_6

mum2one

I know its digressing - but when I'm away (in UK0, I use t-mobile pay and go, - i brought both in the past, one was £30 - that included 3 months data, then u top up, the other complete pay and go, - dongle was £10, - the tops up £2 for a day, £5 for a week, £15 for a month.
x

ManAtHome

kobracai wrote: »

@ManAtHome where did you get m-bb.o2.co.uk as APN from?

Pointed at by Peter - I suspect the O2 PAYG I gave (which I actually used 2007-11) and the one linked to may both work - just checked config instructions for a Solwise 'mifi' thingy which has name/pw as web/web for O2.

kobracai

Hi all... reviving an old thread

anyone knows where to find the APN for EE ? I googled but I can't retrieve them, thanks

Peter999 wrote: »

Hi,

There is a list of UK APN's here :

http://apn-settings.com/apn-settings-uk/

Giff Gaff settings are here :

http://community.giffgaff.com/t5/Settings-for-your-device/Internet-and-MMS-settings-APN-guide/ta-p/3489121#faq_no_6