Dual SIM phone limitations

d123

I had this discussion on another forum and it was said that a number of Huawei and Honor models allow 3G on the 2nd sim, I’ll try and get a definitive list.

As others have said the Moto G4 was one of the first that allowed it.

fwor

Neil_Jones wrote: »

Please also be aware Three PAYG doesn't allow tethering.

That's a good point, but... do they actually enforce the rule?

I admit I do occasionally tether when I'm on Three PAYG, but that's just because I prefer using the larger screen on a laptop - if I didn't tether I would generate just as much traffic from the handset anyway!

I had always assumed - possibly wrongly - that Three would only object if you were using your phone as a hotspot serving several devices at once?

DCFC79

fwor wrote: »

That's a good point, but... do they actually enforce the rule?

I admit I do occasionally tether when I'm on Three PAYG, but that's just because I prefer using the larger screen on a laptop - if I didn't tether I would generate just as much traffic from the handset anyway!

I had always assumed - possibly wrongly - that Three would only object if you were using your phone as a hotspot serving several devices at once?

Why not buy a Mifi to tether or is it because you dont to carry another device and want to use the phone to tether ?

fwor

DCFC79 wrote: »

Why not buy a Mifi to tether

That's my main access at the moment - a 3G MiFi, and I use the phone (tethered) as a backup.

The aim was to get a single device to do everything so I don't have two devices to keep charged.

But as I said earlier, if there is not simple single-device solution I may just as well stick with what I have.

Neil_Jones

A relatively recent post on Three's Facebook page suggests it did work and older archive posts on other forums suggest it was hit and miss as its reliability but I get the impression they've changed things now so if it does work it won't work for long with regards to tethering on Three PAYG.

fwor

Neil_Jones wrote: »

A relatively recent post on Three's Facebook page suggests it did work and older archive posts on other forums suggest it was hit and miss as its reliability but I get the impression they've changed things now so if it does work it won't work for long with regards to tethering on Three PAYG.

In practical terms, do you know what that means as an end user? I would ~guess~ it means that you can set up the phone as a hotspot, but any traffic that you try to relay via that hotspot does not get handled - presumably based on the originating IP address?

The thing I can't understand is ~why~ they don't allow tethering - they are in business to sell bandwidth, and it's all traffic that the user pays for!

If it were one user handing traffic for loads of other local users then perhaps I could understand it, but if it's just one tethered device, it really doesn't make a lot of sense...

d123

fwor wrote: »

In practical terms, do you know what that means as an end user? I would ~guess~ it means that you can set up the phone as a hotspot, but any traffic that you try to relay via that hotspot does not get handled - presumably based on the originating IP address?

The thing I can't understand is ~why~ they don't allow tethering - they are in business to sell bandwidth, and it's all traffic that the user pays for!

If it were one user handing traffic for loads of other local users then perhaps I could understand it, but if it's just one tethered device, it really doesn't make a lot of sense...

They’ve become really tough on hotspot use on PAYG and Essential price plans, usually its detected within minutes now and they redirect to a page saying hotspot not allowed.

fwor

d123 wrote: »

They’ve become really tough on hotspot use on PAYG and Essential price plans, usually its detected within minutes now and they redirect to a page saying hotspot not allowed.

Ah - Ok, I've never seen that page, but I've only used mine for tethering a couple of times - 2 weeks ago - for maybe 2 hours a time. Sounds like I will see it some time soon then!

Neil_Jones

There's nothing to stop you setting the phone as a hotspot, indeed there's nothing Three or any provider can do about that as its a feature baked into Android and I dare say iOS and Windows Phone too.

I suppose a lot of it is down to traffic management/recognition and priorities, if you start streaming Netflix down it it'll certainly get intercepted, whereas just basic web pages on a similar level from a phone you're less likely to trigger the warnings.

Tethering on Three is available on most of their other packages but not PAYG - considering they only charge 1p a megabyte for it on that tariff it's perhaps understandable that they don't want it to be a key feature. Other providers will charge more for the calls and texts but allow you to tether so it gets offset to a degree, whereas the Three deal is clearly a loss leader for them, at 3ppm its significantly cheaper than any chargeable call I can make from a landline!

Inner_Zone

Neil_Jones wrote: »

There's nothing to stop you setting the phone as a hotspot, indeed there's nothing Three or any provider can do about that as its a feature baked into Android and I dare say iOS and Windows Phone too.

There is in iOS but some networks block it depending on tariff.