Caravan mobile internet advice appreciated

LHC1962

Hello

We have home broadband with Sky and have had for years. Quite happy with price and service with no extras.

We have business mobile contract with EE which gives me 5mb data each month which I rarely use when at home.

We go away on holiday for around a month a year in the UK in our caravan, and up until recently we have used the caravan club broadband which is abysmal. It costs just over ten quid a week to use, for one device only.

This holiday, I’ve used my phone to tether my iPad and been able to browse eBay and Facebook, check emails etc.
I’d like to be able to use the internet as I do at home - ie, iPlayer, you tube etc but know how much this eats data. I’ve used up most of my 5mb data allowance with light usage over the last week.

I’ve researched 3 mobile with a Huawei router which I could get for 9.99 a month for 20 mb (no roll over) on a twelve month contract...but don’t want this as I only need it for around a month a year and am already paying for home broadband with Sky.

I’m looking for advice on the best money saving option for me and would appreciate help or advice! Would I be best with a mobile router and contract or should I simply purchase more data from EE as and when I need it on my business mobile phone contract?

Many thanks

colinf70

I got a 3 sim for one month cost £32 but was unlimited data call txt as only needed it for 2weeks and used it as I hotspot on my phone for 2 iPads and 4 phones you can get it on 12mth contact for £22 or 24 months with 6 months at £10
Well worth it as at caravan club sites can be costly

DCFC79

OP 5/20mb wouldnt last long, do you mean gigabyte instead ?

You can download the iplayer content to watch when your connected to your mobile data.

LHC1962

Thanks all for replies. .sorry, I must mean GB not MB. Doh.
Yes, I usually download loads of stuff onto iPlayer, Prime, c4 etc to watch offline, before we go.

I guess my problem is with having used Caravan Club WiFi for so long when away, with constant connection (if you can call it that) I don’t really know my average usage when away from home. I do t know what 5 gb will give me, apart from basic checking emails and social media. We have two devices, both do a lot of social media and general stuff and sometimes the sites we stay on have terrible tv coverage so use internet to watch tv as well.

It’s probs trial and error to see how much I need and am prepared to pay for even if I’m not using it....

matelodave

Get an unlocked MiFi unit, like the Huawei or TP-Link (from Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Huawei-E5573s-320-Mobile-Broadband-Unlocked/dp/B00U7POBOE or https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XC16QC1/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B06XC16QC1&pd_rd_w=gMuWX&pf_rd_p=1055d8b2-c10c-4d7d-b50d-96300553e15d&pd_rd_wg=ccZTU&pf_rd_r=8AWCT4Q97PW9HEQX5NY2&pd_rd_r=98319b70-2086-4a69-ba3d-dcefc9bc7e6b&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExN1BDWUZBQUJFUE1BJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzk1OTIwMlUyMVRLWU85N0tCSyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjQ0NjQwMlg3T0ZJNk5MVjJaMyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbCZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= even look on E-bay) and then a one-off pre-loaded data sim from Three or one of the others. Make sure you get a 4G one rather than 3G

If you only need it for a couple of weeks then you don't need a rolling contract.

I get a a pre-loaded 12Gb sim from here https://www.mymemory.co.uk/mobile/mobile-phone/sim-cards.html.

The Three one for £27 lasts a year if you don't use it all up or you can get 24Gb for two years. Others are available but they tend to have a shorter life (30 or 90 days). We get enough data for all our trips away (we carry a spare sim, just in case we run out). I've got the TP-Link unit but there's nothing wrong with the Huawei one

Both of us can browse the web and download stuff onto our Kindles if we want - it's just like being at home.(in fact we used it at home for around six weeks when we had a total broadband/phone failure due to BT's incompetence)

Obviously streaming films and stuff is going to chew through data so if that's what you want then you need an unlimited data package

The alternative is to get an unlimited data package for your phone and tether to that.

LHC1962

Thanks so much Dave, huge help.

Ps...I already have a TP link set, three pieces, which we use at home as our house is quite big and sporadic WiFi if distant from the router.

Could I just unplug this and use it when away? With a pre paid sim? Sorry to be thick but how would that work...or would I need a specific TP Link unit?

Apppreciate your time.

Lesley

Supatramp

I use a Huawei 4G router when way in the caravan, I've been using it for years. Originally used a dongle before mifi uints became availabe



Firstly, the CC wifi is a rip-off, and a joke, why anyone uses it I don't know!


Secondly, I have a rolling contract with 3, for 2gb, but since moving from 3G to 4G this barely lasts a week, so I have a 'back-up' of a 3 SIM I bought from Amazon which has 24gb for 24 months.


The TP unit you refer to is probably an extender unit for your home wifi, and so won't work when away, you need a mifi unit into which you insert a SIM.


Lastly, watching videos/films of any sort, even just Youtube clips will run away with your gb allowance, whatever that might be.