data abroad

[Wellington]

It's time to renew my phone contract, and I'm going to cut my data. I had unlimited, because I knew we were going away, but they downgraded it so I ended with a hefty monthly payment for a plan I only fully use for a few weeks a year. It would seem much more sensible to get a much lower data package, and a 30 day sim for a mifi type device. (I tried to do this last year, but vodaphone's mifi thingy never worked, and I wound up using the sim in a spare phone and hot-spotting).

Any suggestions for good mifi devices and data? It looks like Vodafone do unlimited sims now, which would be great.

 

[Addie]

The Vodafone MiFi (or any MiFi) wouldn't work abroad until you logged into the router's interface using either the details printed under the battery or via the Huawei HiLink app and 'turned on' its ability to work abroad via roaming.

Check out Smarty (Three) - they offer a plan where you can change the package that is renewed the following month. This might work for your phone and, if necessary, a separate MiFi. If you have two SIM's you get a further 10% discount. www.smarty.co.uk

If it's data in Europe you want, checkout VOXI (Vodafone) - they offer 45GB of data for £25 all of which can be used abroad. Smarty has a 20GB EU cap.

 

[Clarky]

It looks like Vodafone do unlimited sims now, which would be great.

Take care when checking out the contract details.
Most unlimited Vodafone contracts have very limited roaming data.
Also, I see that Vodafone contracts vary on the download speed. The cheaper deals have very slow download speeds.
Buyer Beware!

Having said all that, I’ve found Vodafone 4G coverage to be excellent almost everywhere we’ve been in Europe.

Richard.

 

[TCG]

Yep we have a vodaphone unlimited, however restricted to 25g while abroad, fair use policy I believe it’s called
Agree with clarky excellent coverage never had a problem streaming to amazon fire stick for catch up TV

 

[MisterB]

For a mifi type device, I got a netgear m2 from ee. It's an expensive but of kit but has lots of plus points ... I have a 100gb pm sim from ee and an unlimited one from 3 for when I can unlock the m2 in 6 months time.

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[TerryL]

If you only use it for a few weeks every year you'd be better off with a "3 Internet with Legs" datasim. Various amounts up to 24GB, which lasts for 2 years, smaller ones with up to a year. We use one in a mifi all over Europe and always had good connections and speed, although usually only 3G but good enough for us. It's not the cheapest on a per GB basis, but over a year for us it's a no-brainer, but don't ever top it up - thern it does get expensive. We carry a spare if we think we might need it, especially if we hit on a deal.

As always, though, it's really dependant on how much data you need.

 

[Minxy]

Why not go for the Vodafone 100gb data, unlimited calls & texts sim for £8 a month (24 month contract) via Fonehouse - it's a cashback deal but not difficult to do and nothing can touch it for price. There are a couple of threads about phone deals at the moment.

Phone deals: Vodafone expiring

Thanks everyone for this info. It’s reminded me to check my expiry date which is beginning of July as I took advantage of that mobiles.co.uk deal last year (thanks to you on here). So I’ll be watching this with interest and will have to start doing my homework too. I’ve a couple of questions...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[Chris]

Why not go for the Vodafone 100gb data, unlimited calls & texts sim for £8 a month (24 month contract) via Fonehouse - it's a cashback deal but not difficult to do and nothing can touch it for price. There are a couple of threads about phone deals at the moment.

Can you tether for that do you know?

 

[Minxy]

Can you tether for that do you know?

You betcha! That's what I'm doing now with my laptop.

 

[Wellington]

The Vodafone MiFi (or any MiFi) wouldn't work abroad until you logged into the router's interface using either the details printed under the battery or via the Huawei HiLink app and 'turned on' its ability to work abroad via roaming.

I did that. I spent hours on the phone to them, but they couldn't get it working. In the end, I put it in my daughters phone (she doesn't usually have a sim) and tethered it.

Take care when checking out the contract details.
Most unlimited Vodafone contracts have very limited roaming data.

Having said all that, I’ve found Vodafone 4G coverage to be excellent almost everywhere we’ve been in Europe.

I thought Vodafone didn't? Smarty definitely did. I can't find anything about the max package to say it is limited (also, nothing to say it isn't!)

As always, though, it's really dependant on how much data you need.

Lots and lots and lots. Last year I got a rolling 30 day contract over two calendar months, and used most of the eight weeks data in four weeks. I never watch TV at home, but it's my treat in the motorhome. My child watches tv almost all the time we are not doing something else (well, she doesn't really watch, just has it on for background company. It less fun that having a sibling, but there are fewer arguments! I'm expecting to use more this year. Last year we stayed at a couple of ghastly holiday camp type places, and there were little gangs of kids for her to run around with. This year, we won't stay anywhere like that.

Why not go for the Vodafone 100gb data, unlimited calls & texts sim for £8 a month (24 month contract) via Fonehouse - it's a cashback deal but not difficult to do and nothing can touch it for price. There are a couple of threads about phone deals at the moment.

Phone deals: Vodafone expiring

Thanks everyone for this info. It’s reminded me to check my expiry date which is beginning of July as I took advantage of that mobiles.co.uk deal last year (thanks to you on here). So I’ll be watching this with interest and will have to start doing my homework too. I’ve a couple of questions...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

I won't use it for 22 months of the contract. (We can't even get a signal at home). I want a shedload of data for four weeks, and none the rest of the year (well, we use a bit for the odd week away here and there, but my regular phone contract will take of that. I want to keep it separate, because then I know we can use it for entertainment as much as we want, and if we run out, we've got my phone (which has a pretty hefty data package that I've been paying for and hardly using for two years!) to run the satnav and find places to stay and so on.

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[SMB]

I don't know if this could work, It's a Vodafone unlimited data only sim on a 30 day contract that you can cancel after 14 days. I presume that would allow you to use the remainder of the month's allowance but you would need to speak to them about exactly how it works and confirm its unlimited abroad, I can't see anything to say otherwise. Maybe another funster would know? I've used the old 50gb for 30 days data only sim previously but kept it for 18 months:

 

[Wellington]

That's the package Im looking at. I'll get it any day now, so we have a months data to use in the last two weeks of July, and then we can use all of August's in the first two weeks of the month before heading home.

I'm not sure what to get to to put it into, though. I'm not sure I'm prepared to give their mifi device another chance. It was utter rubbish. The card worked fine in a phone (even though I don't think its unlocked, and I'm not totally sure what unlocked means anyway)

 

[Camdoon]

I don't know if this could work, It's a Vodafone unlimited data only sim on a 30 day contract that you can cancel after 14 days. I presume that would allow you to use the remainder of the month's allowance but you would need to speak to them about exactly how it works and confirm its unlimited abroad, I can't see anything to say otherwise. Maybe another funster would know? I've used the old 50gb for 30 days data only sim previously but kept it for 18 months:

View attachment 403812View attachment 403813

Unless things have changed very recently Vodafone unlimited SIMs are restricted to 25Gb while abroad but you can use all of the data on 60Gb or 100Gb offers.

 

[Addie]

The Vodafone Unlimited SIM is limited to 25GB in Europe, VOXI (Vodafone PAYG) offers 45GB for £20 on a PAYG basis and like Vodafone's fixed data SIM's you can use all 45GB abroad.

 

[Minxy]

Fonehouse 30 day sims here:

[Broken Link Removed]

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[Compactliner]

Yep we have a vodaphone unlimited, however restricted to 25g while abroad, fair use policy I believe it’s called
Agree with clarky excellent coverage never had a problem streaming to amazon fire stick for catch up TV

that is true for Vodafone (and the speed limiting) which is why i went for their 60gb high speed, no overseas limit Red deal....at £20...
annoyingly, a few weeks later they released a 100gb version of the same deal for the same price....might still be on now....

 

[NorthernSands]

I have the ~£32 pm (more now, I think) rolling month Vodafone SIM that works in 77 countries with unlimited data (not 100% sure it's unlimited abroad - I doubt it). I've not used it in mainland Europe yet, though it worked very well in Ghana and Kenya.

Addie - It works well in the 5G Flex kit that arrived yesterday (thank you!). Not fitted it yet, but maybe this weekend. I'm definately getting a speed boost from that antenna, even when it's sat in the van.

Peter

 

[Stealaway]

That's the package Im looking at. I'll get it any day now, so we have a months data to use in the last two weeks of July, and then we can use all of August's in the first two weeks of the month before heading home.

I'm not sure what to get to to put it into, though. I'm not sure I'm prepared to give their mifi device another chance. It was utter rubbish. The card worked fine in a phone (even though I don't think its unlocked, and I'm not totally sure what unlocked means anyway)

I like Three and have 8gb and unlimited calls for £8.00. More than enough for me especially if my months in Europe are over two separate months. But listen to Minxy Girl --- she's der man when it comes to phone contract's

 

[Phil 748]

Hi Just got a unlimited sim only from 3 for £18 per month for 24 month, all though still limited 20Gbt when in Europe, but at the moment looks will be staying in the UK this year anyway

 

[Vipar]

Sky let you roll over your data for 3 years have a look

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[SMB]

The Vodafone Unlimited SIM is limited to 25GB in Europe, VOXI (Vodafone PAYG) offers 45GB for £20 on a PAYG basis and like Vodafone's fixed data SIM's you can use all 45GB abroad.

Handy to know re Voxi as I have the 60gb unlimited social media package (was an offer upgrade from 45gb) but this is limited to 25gb abroad, I will look into it. The previous vodafone 50gb for £30 data only sim allowed me to use all of it abroad but this looks to have disappeared
Edit: the 25gb limit appears to apply to the unlimited data sim only, that is handy to know thanks

 

[Stonemags76]

I’ve got a Huawei unlocked mifi with a Vodaphone phone sim in it, & it works well in Europe. I enabled roaming on the Huawei app before we went away I think? I’ve got the monthly 100gb for £20 offer that was on a while ago, 30 day contract, and keep it on as it’s a good deal, and they can’t change it unless I do! It’s good for when we are away in the UK, & also sometimes at home when the broadband is having a hissy fit!

 

[Minxy]

I’ve got a Huawei unlocked mifi with a Vodaphone phone sim in it, & it works well in Europe. I enabled roaming on the Huawei app before we went away I think? I’ve got the monthly 100gb for £20 offer that was on a while ago, 30 day contract, and keep it on as it’s a good deal, and they can’t change it unless I do! It’s good for when we are away in the UK, & also sometimes at home when the broadband is having a hissy fit!

You'd be better off with a 12 or 24 month contract for £8 a month if you're gonna keep it.

 

[Wellington]

Thank you all (I missed these replies yesterday) So, if I buy a mifi, can I buy any sim deal, or do I have to get both from Vodafone? I think I will go for a 100gb deal on a 30 day contract.

what I really want to do is buy a couple of data sims, and when it runs out, put the next one in. Like gas, or batteries.

 

[Stonemags76]

Buy an unlocked mifi, then any network should work. Just not sure if you would have to activate all sims before you leave the uk? I know the 3 sims that you can get (like 24gb for £40) can be activated abroad, but they are expensive. You could get several 30 day contract sims, & have them in your phones, & then just stick them in the MiFi when you need to, providing you have activated the data roaming?

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[MisterB]

Thank you all (I missed these replies yesterday) So, if I buy a mifi, can I buy any sim deal, or do I have to get both from Vodafone? I think I will go for a 100gb deal on a 30 day contract.

what I really want to do is buy a couple of data sims, and when it runs out, put the next one in. Like gas, or batteries.

I got a night hawk m2 for £150 from ee on a pay monthly contract which I cancelled after a month. After 6 months you can unlock it to any network. I have an unlimited 3 account.

It wasnt cheap to do it that way but the m2 is a really good piece of kit for various reasons ...

I added a mimo aerial on the roof and havent failed to get a VERY GOOD signal anywhere yet.

My intent was to potentially cancel home internet and use the m2 on unlimited. I have tested it and get a better signal, especially upload, on m2 than my home broadband. We are in a rural area though ....

And as I said, its not the cheapest way of doing it!!

 

[Stonemags76]

Or just activate them at home in the MiFi, and take them out when the data is used and swap them? That would work I think? You get about 1 hour of tv per gb when watched through a Firestic.

 

[MisterB]

Or just activate them at home in the MiFi, and take them out when the data is used and swap them? That would work I think? You get about 1 hour of tv per gb when watched through a Firestic.

always best to get the bloody thing working at home in the UK before taking it away with you, just in case you have connection problems, you at least knew it was working before you left the UK !

 

[Brockley]

Horses for courses, but for us it’s Huawei mobile router with 2 x smarty.co.uk sims.

I say horses for courses because It’s the only sim that includes us as being in the uk even though we aren’t. It still has the 20GB limit in Europe, so we have 2 of them.

It works through 3 network strangely and the cover seems very good. No problems in rural France especially when using the squarial the Huawei came with.

 

[Wellington]

So, I have spent a couple of hours on the phone this morning, and have established the following

EE (my current lot) limit all their use abroad to 15gb, but probably won't enforce it unless you exceeded it month after month after month.

Vodaphone limit all their unlimited use packages abroad to 25GB, but not their regular limited 1, 2, 6, 12 or 24GB PAYG, 12 month or 30 day contracts. (You can get 50 or 60, but only on 12 month contracts)

ATM, you can get a PAYG sim with 20GB on it for £30. Right now, they have an offer where you can increase this to 100GB for nothing by texting something or other to somewhere once you have it in your grubby little mitts. You then top up after thirty days, and it looks like you can renew the offer (ie up to 100GB again) twice more (ie three times total) after thirty days, although I forgot to check that, because I think he said you could only do it once. The T's and c's definitely say three times, though. Mr Vodaphone has confirmed there is no reason I should not buy two. No-one is sure if you can put them in a MiFi, but I can't find it anyway.

I am going to get two of the 20GB-increase-to-100GB-for-free offers, giving me 200GB of data to use within 30 days, in Europe for £60 and put them in my daughters phone. I'm also renewing my phone contract with Vodaphone, although I haven't decided what to get. They seem to be all much of a muchness with the new phone I want, anyway.