Data Sim

[Ingwe]

Well, as the NOS deal is unlimited, then it may well be the case that the NOS deal is better than Vodafone. Depends on data usage.
I don't know the details of the deal you refer to; does it require a contract? All the UK providers state that there is no throttling back (as you call it). This hasn't been our experience but won't be dogmatic about this, just what we've found. We've had 4 Three 'go anywhere' data only sims and have never had speeds that have permitted streaming.
You pays your money.....

 

[Just smiffy]

Can you show me a service provider outside of the UK who can better the 50GB of data every 30 days for £25.00 without any restrictions (throttling back) in any E.U. country. This is what Vodafone UK are currently offering.

Just to let you know Phil, on my second month now with this deal (although £27) used about 38gb first month and about 8gb so far this month (rolls over on the 19th) and I’ve had 4g from Calais to south coast of Spain and no buffering at all while Mrs watching Enders and Corrie while I’m on another iPad doing stuff.... I’ve saved a small fortune from using 3. Been using it in a HUAWEI e5577....

 

[1881TB]

Inge, can you use the NOS card in other countries or is it limited to Portugal?

 

[1881TB]

Ingwe *

 

[DBK]

@Ingwe

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[PhilandMena]

I don't know the details of the deal you refer to; does it require a contract? All the UK providers state that there is no throttling back (as you call it)....

Here is the deal you don't know the details about!
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/shop/bundles-and-sims/sim-only-data-bundles/
Not sure how you arrived at the fact that All UK providers do not throttle back in Europe when everyman and his dog knows this happens with 3 and no doubt many others.
Yes this Vodafone deal its on a 30 day rolling contract (as stated more than once in this thread) and their fair play usage ends after 3 months, so a simple phone call to their customer services after two months to cancel the contract meaning you get a full 3 months of using all of the data allowance without any penalty.

 

[Minxy]

Here is the deal you don't know the details about!
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/shop/bundles-and-sims/sim-only-data-bundles/
Not sure how you arrived at the fact that All UK providers do not throttle back in Europe when everyman and his dog knows this happens with 3 and no doubt many others.
Yes this Vodafone deal its on a 30 day rolling contract (as stated more than once in this thread) and their fair play usage ends after 3 months, so a simple phone call to their customer services after two months to cancel the contract meaning you get a full 3 months of using all of the data allowance without any penalty.

... but what happens if you are still abroad and need a data sim for another month or so? You can't suddenly 'activate' the sim again ....

 

[Minxy]

Inge, can you use the NOS card in other countries or is it limited to Portugal?

Portugal only I believe.

 

[zac]

The vodafone one now has £5 off making it £25 for 50GB on a 30 day or £20 for 30GB on a 30 day. That does seem quite good value for heavy users...

Sorry, looks as though this has already been mentioned previously in the thread.... Should of read all the pages lol

 

[PhilandMena]

... but what happens if you are still abroad and need a data sim for another month or so? You can't suddenly 'activate' the sim again ....

Correct ! If you do not cancel after 2 months their fair play usage comes in at the end of 3 months and you start paying through the nose. I have taken preloaded data sim cards to cover me for the extra months I will be away. Still not aware of a cheaper option for the period I'm away and the amount of data I want.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Minxy]

Ooo ... that remind me ... I meant to put my 'surplus to requirements' Three 12gb data sims on classifieds ... will go do it now!

 

[Stonemags76]

Just a point to note - 3 data sims that stop working after 9gbs can be put back in the month after and used up! I just have a few that I rotate!

 

[Ingwe]

Sorry, been out for the day. Yes, as far as I know, NOS card only works in Portugal.

 

[Ingwe]

@PhilandMena- you've misread what I said about throttling back. If you go and buy a data sim in the uk for use abroad, they sell it to you on the basis that it works as if in you're in the U.K. i.e. there will be no throttling back when abroad. We have found there is throttling back when abroad. I believe that is what I posted above.

 

[zac]

@PhilandMena- you've misread what I said about throttling back. If you go and buy a data sim in the uk for use abroad, they sell it to you on the basis that it works as if in you're in the U.K. i.e. there will be no throttling back when abroad. We have found there is throttling back when abroad. I believe that is what I posted above.

I can agree with this, on my testing in the UK on 3 the speeds are pretty good but in France/Spain/Portugal the speeds are blinking awful, so much so that the last time we went away i brought an EE 4G Data sim which was much better in terms of speed. The 3 ones i have now i will just probably sell as i doubt i will use them knowing what i now know. I am also considering this Voda deal but we dont go away much in Europe so i will probably waste most of the year just sat in my router doing nout. Still at 50gb a month for £25 i am slowly being tempted

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[webby1]

Just a point to note - 3 data sims that stop working after 9gbs can be put back in the month after and used up! I just have a few that I rotate!

Are you saying this works if you are still abroad.

Also we have always found a slow speed with 3 abroad............go on to Youtube and it slows down even before you try to stream anything.Although 3 may not throttle back, you are certainly low down in the partners pecking order (yes I know others will have had a different experience)

Only advantage 3 MAY have at the moment is that they seem pretty slack on the 2 months limit abroad and many report using it for 6 months or more. Of course now there is not just the fear of being cut off (no problem use the 12gb sims)or being charged at some ridiculous rate for the extra......................still it starts to prepare us for post Brexit deals.

 

[Parrot Face]

Really helpful this thread as I am new to this Mifi business. Just bought a Huawei E5573b on the Currys sale. Has 3 logo on it. Really want to get onto this Vodafone deal but not sure if the Mifi is locked or not. If I take it into the Vodafone shop will they try a sim card in it for me. I am willing to pay the cheapest amount for a sim card to try it out. Slight wander from the original thread but still linked to it

 

[Stonemags76]

Yes @webby1 we are in Spain at the moment, and that’s what I did in December - the card stopped working at 9gb, took it out & put a new one in. 1st January took out new card, and put old card back in to use last 3gb, then swapped back. No fear of extra charges cos I don’t register, and have found speeds to be middling, but no worse than at home (mind you, we live in the sticks!).

 

[zac]

Really helpful this thread as I am new to this Mifi business. Just bought a Huawei E5573b on the Currys sale. Has 3 logo on it. Really want to get onto this Vodafone deal but not sure if the Mifi is locked or not. If I take it into the Vodafone shop will they try a sim card in it for me. I am willing to pay the cheapest amount for a sim card to try it out. Slight wander from the original thread but still linked to it

It is most likely locked but these things can usually be unlocked relatively cheaply or in some cases free. You don’t need a data sim to try to see if it is locked or not. Any sim can be tried for that purpose as it just needs to check then network. If Locked it won’t work and will ask for a code.

 

[telsdog]

This is a screenshot of an online chat I had with 3 when I enquiried why I was only getting 3G abroad. I was on holiday with a friend who was getting 4g with EE.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Ingwe]

@Parrot Face-I think if your mifi device has 3 logo on, then it may be locked and will require it to be unlocked before using say, a Vodafone SIM card. They can be unlocked (there are plenty of instructions how to do it on the web) but I would check, initially with Curry's, whether it is unlocked or not, and then if locked, whether 3 or Vodafone will unlock it.

 

[Minxy]

Really helpful this thread as I am new to this Mifi business. Just bought a Huawei E5573b on the Currys sale. Has 3 logo on it. Really want to get onto this Vodafone deal but not sure if the Mifi is locked or not. If I take it into the Vodafone shop will they try a sim card in it for me. I am willing to pay the cheapest amount for a sim card to try it out. Slight wander from the original thread but still linked to it

The MIFI's nowadays are normally unlocked however if it IS locked its simply a matter of buying a code off Ebay for 99p and that will unlock it, but it may mean you don't have a warranty though this isn't a major issue as they are very robust bits of kit!

Bear in mind that if you get a Three 12gb sim whilst it doesn't have as much data as a monthly contract you can use it for longer (not just one month) so depending on your needs/usage you may not need the Vodafone one - we've used Three abroad for years and rarely had a problem, the only times tend to be when we're up in the mountains or in some very remote areas away from civilisation and didn't even have a phone signal!

 

[Parrot Face]

I got a free sim from Giffgaff, and activated it. Didn't purchase any data. Put it into my new mifi and it took me to the dashboard where it came up as 02 instead of Three. I don't know if this tells me that the Mifi is unlocked or not??

 

[Minxy]

I got a free sim from Giffgaff, and activated it. Didn't purchase any data. Put it into my new mifi and it took me to the dashboard where it came up as 02 instead of Three. I don't know if this tells me that the Mifi is unlocked or not??

Sounds like it's unlocked to me.

 

[Hils and Glenns]

I got a free sim from Giffgaff, and activated it. Didn't purchase any data. Put it into my new mifi and it took me to the dashboard where it came up as 02 instead of Three. I don't know if this tells me that the Mifi is unlocked or not??

Giff gaff use O2 so it may be locked. You can buy a code to unlock it on ebay. I've done it with mine so it's not difficult.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[zac]

Giff gaff use O2 so it may be locked. You can buy a code to unlock it on ebay. I've done it with mine so it's not difficult.

Originally this was on 3 network so for me and my experience with these it sounds as though it is already unlocked. Normally when locked as soon as another sim inserted and started it asks for a code.

 

[Parrot Face]

Thanks for all the help on this, put a mates EE card in it and it worked so definitely unlocked. Now for the best sim deal?