Looking for an unlimited data SIM - must be paid up front

dneale123

I run a project part of which involves providing broadband for refugee families. Until recently we've been buying a 3 month unlimited data SIM from Three for £90 for a wifi hub, which a number of families share. However, Three have stopped the deal and we can't find anything else like this. We've tried other one month SIM offers to get them started but these either seem not to work or never arrive when ordered. What we need is:

• An unlimited data SIM that can be ordered in quantities online that works in a wifi hub (some pay as you go SIMs don't). We would prefer one that works for at least three months.
• The SIM must support multiple device tethering.
• We can only buy the SIM upfront as a gift and don't have the infrastructure to make topups.

Considering that the networks are charging a premium for this and get their money up front they seem remarkably unwilling to offer such a deal. Does anyone out there have any recommendations?

Cisco001

which sim have you try?

beckstar1975

you can get three sims that you can use in a mobile broadband hub no bother, it's £35 a month for unlimited data

This smarty looks OK too and supports tethering, but no mention of if can be used in a hub

https://smarty.co.uk/plans/unlimited?vc=12MthUnlimited16Mar21AFF&utm_campaign=awin&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_source=uSwitch+Mobiles&utm_content=Comparison+Engine&awc=10933_1617114220_c342fe3a2fed13a2abbe0781ec768ab3

getmore4less

We can only buy the SIM upfront as a gift and don't have the infrastructure to make topups

I Assumed(maybe wrongly) that also meant no pay monthly contracts(that would require credit checks)  or PAYG.

If the OP has a way to recover and reuse and needs at least 10 three business may be able to offer an option, they seem to have decent rate unlimited

Lebara have a £30pm unlimited and a £25pm without unlimited international minutes

there is an offer on the  3 unlimited 1 month loaded on amazon for £27 34  could bulk buy a few of them cheaper than the £90 3 months option they have been using.  would need checking if the new PAYG allows tethering.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08BWY2MJP

pbartlett

three also do an unlimited data sim for your mobile at £20 which allows tethering. never understood why it is 35 in a hub and 20 in a phone....

but as above i suspect the op does not want a monthly contract.

pbartlett

if it helps, ee payg bundles do allow tethering - i know because i do it.

pbartlett

have you looked  at the three 24gb preloaded sim aka internet with legs... 24gb for £60 with i think.24months to use it


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Mobile-Pay-Broadband-Data-Black/dp/B01M3VJ2B2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?adgrpid=117392492803&dchild=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwmIuDBhDXARIsAFITC_4m6pRs97Zv74sW8t0aGb1GbOu-M0S-550dKFX35COpYPGq0qhtfpQaArVCEALw_wcB&hvadid=498495082964&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=1006886&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=b&hvrand=11297289437650234710&hvtargid=kwd-476209113007&hydadcr=9121_1936571&keywords=24gb+data+sim+three&qid=1617116593&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyVUlPNDE4MktFS0ROJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTA2NDk1M1ZQMjJaRklJUTc1RCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDQ5ODI3Mkw2NVFPTzE1VzNDSyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

Cisco001

The best I can find  (price excluding VAT)

Pre-Paid EE Data Sim with 60GB per month for 6 months. No Rental No Contract

£33.33

https://scancom.shop/collections/pre-paid-data-sims

dneale123

We tried the Three SIM for £27.34 from Amazon and it didn't work for us in a wifi hub.

We can't enter into any contract or pay for any topups (we pay for a preloaded SIM, the SIM gets shipped to a third party for installation and we need to be able to offer it as 'fit and forget' without any other work. We don't know where or when it will be activated). We have used the Three 24GB SIM for a few individual clients but this doesn't offer enough data for a shared hotspot.

Cisco001 - thanks for the link. The EE SIM may not be enough data for this application but it represents a fantastic deal that might work for single family (when we can get it - it's not available until mid April).

We have ordered an O2 unlimited data SIM (1 month for £30) but after 2 weeks it's still failed to arrive and Amazon keeps apologising that it's been delayed.

Keep the suggestions coming

getmore4less

Cisco001 said:

The best I can find  (price excluding VAT)

Pre-Paid EE Data Sim with 60GB per month for 6 months. No Rental No Contract

£33.33

https://scancom.shop/collections/pre-paid-data-sims

10 pack only £269. + Vat.
Looks like they need activating the month you buy them.

jon81uk

pbartlett said:

three also do an unlimited data sim for your mobile at £20 which allows tethering. never understood why it is 35 in a hub and 20 in a phone....

but as above i suspect the op does not want a monthly contract.

Because a hub can connect to 64 devices and therefore you will probably use more data compared to using it just within a phone.