Absolute beginners - need advice!

[DamianandJen]

Hi all - we are from Australia and starting our first campervan adventure here in the UK and would love some advice on getting online in a campervan here.

We both have an iPad and iPhone and think we need talk and text and some data for the phone, but data only ( and probably a reasonable amount of data) for the ipads. As we don’t have a UK bank account we are told we are restricted to pay as you go monthly ‘plans’. We would like to make sure we have maximum coverage, so my husband is favouring going with vodaphone. Have people found Vodaphone to be a good option?

I have been reading here about ‘mifi’, and gather this is used to boost signal, but I really don’t know if we need mifi or not? Would it be possible to get some pros and cons?

Thanks very much!!

 

[Figaro]

Welcome to the forum and to the UK.
Vodafone has good coverage as do many other networks.
It's really only the less inhabited areas where coverage is limited, think remote Wales and Scotland.
So it probably depends on where your thinking of going.
A mifi is a device for broadband over the mobile phone network for which you buy a data only sim, but you can probably get a PAYG sim with included calls, texts and data for your iPhone and tether other devices to it.
I think PAYG will be your only option without a UK bank account.
Lots of good advice on here.
Happy travels

 

[peterc10]

Try Giff Gaff. They are a PAYG firm, but offer monthly allowances as well. I think all you need is a credit or debit card

 

[Southdowners]

Hello and welcome!

As far as I know mifi is used to actually connect to the internet, not to boost an existing connection, certainly that’s what ours does.

We use an EE mobile WiFi dongle. We’ve had very good connection wherever we’ve been. They do a 5G version now.

Alternatively you could use your phones to connect to the internet.

 

[BRASH]

Hello. Can't help,with the wifi thingie but great song

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[The Dudess]

We have been using one of these for the last 12 months - no problems with it and have been able to connect everywhere we've been when touring Europe.

4GEE WiFi Pay As You Go

Our 4G WiFi pay as you go data SIMs and mobile WiFi dongles give you total freedom, free EU roaming and 4G in more places across the UK.

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And

 

[Shrimp]

We have a MiFi with a 3 (3 is the provider) for Internet and I have my phone on GiffGaff for calls, text and Data.
We both use iPads and iPhones that can connect to the MiFi for the internet and then use the Data option on the phone when away from the van.
Would think that Data would be the dest for you unless you are going to be here for a long time then maybe a MiFi.

 

[davidbaldam]

Hi and welcome to FUN.