3 MIFI activation (1 Viewer)

Sep 24, 2013
1,302
736
Norwich
Funster No
28,255
MH
Carthago A class
Exp
Since 2014
I have a fresh 3 Mifi SIM (for Huawei E586) which I want to activate ready for our trip to France this week. I've used one before but can't quite remember the proceedure. My Mifi unit is remembering the last SIM data details which do not seem to update when I put in the new SIM. It is telling me that I have used 900 MB and have 100MB left (it was a 1GB Sim). Will this update to show me that I have 3GB available or do I need to register the SIm online somewhere?
 
Feb 29, 2012
358
225
Reading & Surgeres France.
Funster No
20,006
MH
Hymer 584
Exp
Motor homing since 1998.
Hope you don't mind if I jump in as well.
I'm in the same boat, have had a look at vodafone & 3 sites but had no joy.
Thanks.
Barrie.
 

DBK

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 9, 2013
17,969
47,804
Plympton, Devon
Funster No
24,219
MH
PVC, Murvi Morocco
Exp
2013
I don't think the MiFi remembers anything, it is your account it should be accessing. Have you logged into the My3 section of the Three website? There is something on the site about activating sims and you will also need to register a bank card.

Hang on, just found it: http://www.three.co.uk/Support/SIM_activation

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Camdoon

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 22, 2012
1,531
2,806
UK
Funster No
22,981
MH
Adria Matrix Supreme
Exp
2012
The Mifi monitors the amount of data it has transferred not the amount for the specific sim. As stated you can obtain the accurate figure from your 3 account if you want or reset the Mifi fo 0 to save data logging in to 3. The Huwaei app is the best way of managing the Mifi. You only need to register a credit card if you feel you are going to run out of data, in many cases it makes more sense to buy and register a second sim or visit a McDonald's.
 
Nov 8, 2015
181
400
Rakitnika, Varna, Bulgaria
Funster No
40,085
MH
Damon Daybreak RV
Exp
Now in fifth year and with American RV
My understanding of the 3 network data cards that can be used in various EU countries is that they have to be used first in UK prior to use anywhere else, we are leaving Bulgaria in May for a few months touring in Europe and UK and my plan is to get the 12gb - 12mth card purchased for me in UK, initiated there and then posted to me here in BG so that I can start using it once we land in Italy from Greece, Bulgaria and Greece not currently covered on the 3 at home thingy. Question is - are these data sims locked in any way to the device that is first used to " initiate " them or can they be used in various devices. I already have a Hauwei mifi that is unlocked and currently working well with my BG provider, hoping to change to the 3 network sim in Italy, any views on this plan please. Thanks.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Jul 13, 2008
3,723
3,641
Funster No
3,275
MH
Low profile
Exp
Since 2007
A friend here in Spain just inserted a brand new 1GB sim into his MIFI. Never registered or previously initiated.
 

spitfire

Free Member
Oct 13, 2010
2,408
5,135
Correze France
Funster No
14,089
MH
Bavaria
Exp
Since 2003
Can I hijack too please. My daughter is coming over from Oz for 3 weeks this summer and I said i would try to source a sim for her I Phone that she could use Europe wide. Had no luck searching the net so far and the french providers only do sims which work in France . Or not actually be are prohibitively expensive when used in other countries.

Anyone got a good suggestion ?
 
Nov 8, 2015
181
400
Rakitnika, Varna, Bulgaria
Funster No
40,085
MH
Damon Daybreak RV
Exp
Now in fifth year and with American RV
A friend here in Spain just inserted a brand new 1GB sim into his MIFI. Never registered or previously initiated.
Thanks for that, I have heard others say the same with 1GB cards but wanted to feel a bit safer about the 12GB being opened in UK and then used abroad in another device.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,008
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
AFAIK the sim, even once activated, isn't linked to any specific mifi and can be moved from one mifi/tablet to another.

Its just the roaming that I believe needs to be turned on before you leave the UK.
 
Sep 23, 2013
2,579
8,603
Lincs
Funster No
28,231
MH
Globecar Campscout
Exp
Since 2008 (started in a VW T4 campervan)
Question is - are these data sims locked in any way to the device that is first used to " initiate " them or can they be used in various devices.
I have a 3 SIM that has been in three different devices so far - several times in each.

AFAIK, the only swapping that you are not supposed to do is to put a phone SIM in a mifi (or similar) or a mifi SIM in a phone.

Out of interest - what type of SIM should you use in these phablet devices, which are phones & tablets combined? Presumably a phone SIM with a very good data allowance?
 
Sep 23, 2013
2,579
8,603
Lincs
Funster No
28,231
MH
Globecar Campscout
Exp
Since 2008 (started in a VW T4 campervan)
I don't think the MiFi remembers anything, it is your account it should be accessing. Have you logged into the My3 section of the Three website? There is something on the site about activating sims and you will also need to register a bank card.

Hang on, just found it: http://www.three.co.uk/Support/SIM_activation
That seems to be about linking a new SIM to an existing account. That would be important if it was a phone account with a number that you wanted to keep, but do people bother with that with a new data SIM? The phone number is pretty much irrelevant unless you want to receive texts with it. On the few occasions that I've changed to a new SIM I've treated it as a new account.

I've been using the same PAYG SIM for several years now, so not swapped lately, but I'm just about to because I ordered one of those 12GB 12 month SIM cards for £30. You need a new card to get that 200MB free per month offer too, which could be handy when I'm only doing an occasional day trip in a given month.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,008
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
Out of interest - what type of SIM should you use in these phablet devices, which are phones & tablets combined? Presumably a phone SIM with a very good data allowance?
You can use either a phone sim OR a data sim in phablets as they are able to do both tasks, we've used both in our phablet without a problem.
 

DBK

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 9, 2013
17,969
47,804
Plympton, Devon
Funster No
24,219
MH
PVC, Murvi Morocco
Exp
2013
That seems to be about linking a new SIM to an existing account. That would be important if it was a phone account with a number that you wanted to keep, but do people bother with that with a new data SIM? The phone number is pretty much irrelevant unless you want to receive texts with it. On the few occasions that I've changed to a new SIM I've treated it as a new account.

I've been using the same PAYG SIM for several years now, so not swapped lately, but I'm just about to because I ordered one of those 12GB 12 month SIM cards for £30. You need a new card to get that 200MB free per month offer too, which could be handy when I'm only doing an occasional day trip in a given month.
I only know when I bought a new PAYG data sim I had to go online to register and activate it even though it was pre-loaded with data. You couldn't just stuff it in the MiFi and expect it to work although it is possible it can be activated by SMS through the MiFi but I used the Internet.
 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,008
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
When we got our 12gb sim recently I just stuck it in the MIFI and it worked straight away, no need to set up on line at all.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Sep 23, 2013
2,579
8,603
Lincs
Funster No
28,231
MH
Globecar Campscout
Exp
Since 2008 (started in a VW T4 campervan)
When we got our 12gb sim recently I just stuck it in the MIFI and it worked straight away, no need to set up on line at all.
So who is going to be brave & wait until they are in a Feel at Home country before they try the same thing?
 

Tweedie

Free Member
Sep 14, 2015
211
150
Northants
Funster No
38,430
MH
Bailey Autograph 740
Exp
1 year (getting a bit experienced now)
Dumb question how do you make sure roaming is activated, I have only used mine in the UK so far and have just bunged it into mifi and it has worked so don't know about how to access settings on the mifi
 
Jul 13, 2008
3,723
3,641
Funster No
3,275
MH
Low profile
Exp
Since 2007
Minxy Girl said:
Its just the roaming that I believe needs to be turned on before you leave the UK.
How do you explain my friends sim working in Spain straight out the packet?

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Jul 13, 2008
3,723
3,641
Funster No
3,275
MH
Low profile
Exp
Since 2007
Dumb question how do you make sure roaming is activated, I have only used mine in the UK so far and have just bunged it into mifi and it has worked so don't know about how to access settings on the mifi
No settings on mine for roaming, comes up automatically. Huawei E589. See image.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_2016-04-01-15-55-16.png
    Screenshot_2016-04-01-15-55-16.png
    116.5 KB · Views: 18

DBK

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 9, 2013
17,969
47,804
Plympton, Devon
Funster No
24,219
MH
PVC, Murvi Morocco
Exp
2013
I think the only thing I am sure about in all this is every Three sim card seems to be different! What I do know is if you set up a Three account you can go on that and very easily change things like receiving data abroad or just in the UK.

Having looked at the leaflet from a new sim card I've just bought it is described as Ready-to-Go and the instructions do tell you to just fit it to the device and use it, as it already has data included. So I assume if it says Ready-to-Go it is just that, if it doesn't you will need to log in if only to top it up. But whether it will work outside the UK is another matter.

I think if you have the opportunity to try it before leaving the UK it would give some peace of mind. I had real problems getting a card associated to my account for top ups and had to ring them in the end as I couldn't do it on line at the time despite their website saying I could.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Sep 23, 2013
2,579
8,603
Lincs
Funster No
28,231
MH
Globecar Campscout
Exp
Since 2008 (started in a VW T4 campervan)
I think if you have the opportunity to try it before leaving the UK it would give some peace of mind. I had real problems getting a card associated to my account for top ups and had to ring them in the end as I couldn't do it on line at the time despite their website saying I could.
This is the problem with 3. Their coverage is good & they have some good deals, but in common with several other companies, their customer support varies from occasionally excellent to usually dire. The facilities offered via their website frequently don't work as they should. You get a different answer from every customer service rep you speak to. I was told outright lies in one 3 shop - I pretty sure it wasn't down to ignorance & lack of product knowledge, which would have been bad enough in itself.
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top