Can you now get Broadband without a phone line? As using the MSE comparison, none seem to come with

iniltous

That’s the idea , your wireless devices connect to the Mifi with the sim in it , ( or just a phone as a hotspot ) in the same way they would connect to a regular router , some may restrict data access , as lebara  don’t seem to have data only sims ( they come with calls and texts that may not be needed ) probably worth checking they don’t limit the sim being used in this way 

HaroldWhistler

pw23 said:

Actually, I do use a Lebara Sim card in my iPhone which runs on Vodafone network and the reception is pretty good so if I was to get a unlimited Lebara Sim card with a different number, could I then just simply put it into a Sim card modem and then use it for my other devices over Wi-Fi at home?

Until FTTP (Full Fibre/Ultrafast broadband) becomes available in the area, then yes a Mifi/4G mobile broadband option can help versus a pre-existing slow/unreliable FTTC connection either as a backup, or replacement until FTTP arrives. 

The best thing to do is check which mobile network (from Vodafone, O2, Three, EE) have a strong signal in your area. By the sounds of it, the Vodafone signal appears to be good. Then you check any provider who offers an Unlimited Data SIM (or you could choose less if you don't need unlimited, but unlimited would be like for like with your landline based broadband) on that same network. 

That SIM can then be placed in any phone or Mifi or broadband Wifi router or Tablet that has a SIM card slot. Anything that can create a Wifi signal or provide an Ethernet connection basically. Then your home devices can connect to the Internet using the mobile 4G network.

Speeds will vary, but you can probably run a speed test on your existing iPhone. Generally speaking, although the latency of mobile broadband connections can be higher, the broadband speed (if you have a strong 4G network signal) would likely be higher than your existing FTTC connection. I recall family friends who were getting 25-40Mbps on a Vodafone/Lebara SIM with high reliability and 35-70Mbps on an O2 SIM (both using the same shared mobile mast in that area) with a slightly higher latency than Vodafone, both on a little Mifi device.

An unlocked Mifi device is usually around £35-50 from somewhere like Amazon or Currys. You can technically use your iPhone as a hotspot, though the Mifi battery generally performs better as a hotspot as the sole purpose of its design is to be a hotspot. Like you said, you can get a SIM card Wifi Router and disperse Wifi over your home, or connect devices by Ethernet cable (including things like Powerline broadcasters) to that SIM based Router too.

I believe Lebara who you already use for a mobile do 30 day rolling plans as well. 
 

NellieNewbie

Our experience might help someone.

We just left Virgin after being there since the start of the dial up ntlworld days. Virgin broadband price differences between existing and new customers have always bugged me and haggling with Virgin was a burden. So, first we spent about 6 months weaning our family and friends off ringing us on the Virgin landline. Then we gave Virgin notice - talk about an annoying process. I had 3 recommendations for SMARTY in London, Bristol and rural Wales, so we bought a SMARTY sim card to use in a gifted tp-link 4g router (owner now get 5g, but we don't). It's a good job we tried the SIM card before the end of the Virgin notice period because it turned out there's virtually no SMARTY/3 signal where we live.  I'd checked if we had 5g or not, but not if the SIM card could get a decent signal. I'd wrongly assumed that we'd be fine because my tech savvy relative in rural Wales was okay. My mistake. So I checked signals in our area and now we're using a lebara SIM card.  

So far it's okay, but it's a long way from our old basic Virgin broadband speeds. It's a work in progress and it's possible we'll end up back with Virgin again as new customers once the required 12 months is up. 

I'm not sure what to do next though. We use giffgaff for our mobiles. We stream Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney, mainly on our TV. We also both have laptops and I have an android tablet.  We're about to set up an Amazon smart system using a Ring camera door bell with an Echo Show and speaker. I have serious concerns about our home network being up to the job and am thinking about changing to a dual band router. Any advice going forward? 

Patr100

KxMx said:

Neil_Jones said:

FTTP allows for broadband without a phone line.

FTTC/ADSL does not and you will be required to have a phone line to deliver the service.

Are you sure you can't get FTTP?  The only way you can get internet without a phone line (without going down the Virgin route) is FTTP.

Not true, I have a broadband only package from Plusnet with no LL provision, and it's FTTC not FTTP. 

Yep, if i renew now with PlusNet I will lose my landline - PlusNet are phasing them out - I do not have FTTP- it is not available  in my Close.

HaroldWhistler

NellieNewbie said:

Our experience might help someone.

We just left Virgin after being there since the start of the dial up ntlworld days. Virgin broadband price differences between existing and new customers have always bugged me and haggling with Virgin was a burden. So, first we spent about 6 months weaning our family and friends off ringing us on the Virgin landline. Then we gave Virgin notice - talk about an annoying process. I had 3 recommendations for SMARTY in London, Bristol and rural Wales, so we bought a SMARTY sim card to use in a gifted tp-link 4g router (owner now get 5g, but we don't). It's a good job we tried the SIM card before the end of the Virgin notice period because it turned out there's virtually no SMARTY/3 signal where we live.  I'd checked if we had 5g or not, but not if the SIM card could get a decent signal. I'd wrongly assumed that we'd be fine because my tech savvy relative in rural Wales was okay. My mistake. So I checked signals in our area and now we're using a lebara SIM card.  

So far it's okay, but it's a long way from our old basic Virgin broadband speeds. It's a work in progress and it's possible we'll end up back with Virgin again as new customers once the required 12 months is up. 

I'm not sure what to do next though. We use giffgaff for our mobiles. We stream Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney, mainly on our TV. We also both have laptops and I have an android tablet.  We're about to set up an Amazon smart system using a Ring camera door bell with an Echo Show and speaker. I have serious concerns about our home network being up to the job and am thinking about changing to a dual band router. Any advice going forward? 

What is the speed on the Lebara SIM card? That uses the Vodafone network. If it's able to deliver good broadband for the home, you can get a Broadband router that has a SIM input which plugs into the power outlet like a normal Router or a Mifi with a battery. With the former, you can set that up with a Mesh or Powerline network as needs be to distribute Wifi around the house. 

Are you in an Openreach Full Fibre broadband area? If so then you could get a new land based Internet connection from any provider that sells Full Fibre (FTTP) on the Openreach network. It doesn't have to be BT, or Sky. Alternatively, check if there are any "Alternative networks" offering Full Fibre such as City Fibre based networks (e.g. Vodafone or Zen) or any other networks like B4RN. 

pw23

So, following the advice on the forums have now got a VOXI Vodafone data Sim and I'm just about to pay for this Router on eBay:

Vodafone Mobile Wifi Router R219z (Unused -
And 


 do you feel this MFI router would be suitable to use 24/7 to give data to my devices?
I'll be getting it for only £10 so it seems to be a bargain
if it is suitable, that is

it does have a plug mains/USB adapter, but it is very small so assume it is designed for taking out and about with you, which makes me question whether it would be suitable for Home use All day long

Or do you think this TP-Link 4G router would provide better Internet wi-Fi connection and speeds to my devices:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226278478463?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=A6tHnXs3TLS&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=rK3fokEoSIG&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Thanks

HaroldWhistler

pw23 said:

So, following the advice on the forums have now got a VOXI Vodafone data Sim and I'm just about to pay for this Router on eBay:

Vodafone Mobile Wifi Router R219z (Unused -
And 


 do you feel this MFI router would be suitable to use 24/7 to give data to my devices?
I'll be getting it for only £10 so it seems to be a bargain
if it is suitable, that is

it does have a plug mains/USB adapter, but it is very small so assume it is designed for taking out and about with you, which makes me question whether it would be suitable for Home use All day long

Or do you think this TP-Link 4G router would provide better Internet wi-Fi connection and speeds to my devices:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226278478463?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=A6tHnXs3TLS&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=rK3fokEoSIG&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Thanks

The VOXI Data SIM would work with either option of a Mifi or 4G SIM Router.

The Mifi router is portable and has a battery so that means if the power goes out, or you simply want to use it on the move, then it works. It also means on the flip side, that if the battery runs out, you need to plug it in to charge. You can use it whilst charging. You can certainly use it plugged in throughout the day though technically it wasn't designed for that. The only thing to bear in mind is the range of the Mifi is going to be limited. So within a single room, or open plan space, you'll get a good signal. But, getting a signal through walls into nearby rooms, or another floor, then the Wifi signal at the receiving end is going to be a lot less. 

The Single or Dual Band stuff is relevant in terms of range and speed. Technically the Mifi uses just one frequency (2.4Ghz) to broadcast Wifi on which has a lower maximum speed than the 5Ghz band. The other Router has two bands (both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz) so can broadcast on the 5Ghz band as well. In the context of 4G speeds this shouldn't matter too much, but means the latter can manage traffic better to more devices at any one time in theory. 

The 4G Dual band router will have the advantage of a higher range to broadcast within the home and antennas as well that might be better at getting that outside 4G signal into the home as well. On top of that, it is designed to be plugged in throughout the entire day like a normal Home Router. (The flip side of that is if the power goes out, then there's no internet, but then desktop computers and TVs wouldn't work either in that case). The other advantage is the Ethernet ports. Meaning if you find you have spots in the House that aren't getting Wifi, you can buy a Powerline Wifi node (e.g. TP Link) or some form of Mesh system and connect that to your 4G Router. So it's more versatile in that sense. Whereas you can't connect the Mifi up to a Powerline or Mesh system because it doesn't have ports. If you want, you can also plug in any Smart devices by Ethernet into the TP Link 4G Router too.

The Mifi price you've found does seem like a bargain and if nothing else can be used if you want to travel. 

@pw23

Looking at your Ebay listing of the TP Link MR200 Home Router, that would be fine for £22.57, but the only thing to bear in mind is the listing mentions a damaged antenna. So I'm not sure how that might affect 4G signal strength since it looks like one antenna won't stand up? 

I don't know if these two listing help, but a quick browse on Ebay and Amazon shows a possible alternative:


TP-Link MR400 on Ebay listed as "Open, never used" (so effectively Like New) for £45: 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226289914620?_nkw=tp+link+mr400&itmmeta=01J595NGERSWA167ZB70JE6ZK3&hash=item34afee12fc:g:uQEAAOSwjF1muhdy&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKmuUQypAT9tvOEic2W9DbOdr5wSjVM3NgJIuAaToSpQVGXfBa%2FPLqAJLCP6imOdg1iphWyaKp%2B0lAcVRD%2Bl5CeU0FspTZwvllj6ICWKl29Y2y6kOvH5xs0Rgnpz1USDKTjvhCVIhuB5hGiKMKR8xViaUzGxVkK6a6DD8OpawJTGXhlghJ3Nn7ODp428%2FlyMkCshM2pviCkmJnZTgiwXBL3pkX6E41VqhuQlj01En2wK9GwYI5zu7Gl1JYft9B%2FxGgY%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR76H1qWqZA



Same TP-Link MR400 product new for £52.99 at Amazon (there are other brands for £30-40, but those have mixed reviews):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0741FFT6F?ref=emc_p_m_5_i_atc&th=1

Hope that helps

pw23

Thanks for this information, I think that I will try out the MFI route first and see what speed and coverage I get but as I live in a small flat assume I won't have problems there but wanted to speed, if it's not good enough I'll go for the Router 

HaroldWhistler

pw23 said:

Thanks for this information, I think that I will try out the MFI route first and see what speed and coverage I get but as I live in a small flat assume I won't have problems there but wanted to speed, if it's not good enough I'll go for the Router 

You're welcome!