Discussion
Hi All,
A couple of years ago, we purchased a Huawei EE 3G Mi-Fi portable WiFi. We purchased it, so that we would have WiFi on holiday and in the car when travelling and it has been a great little device and very reliable.
It came with (and still has) an EE sim card inside.
Unfortunately, we've only been using it once a year, on a 'Pay as You Go' basis. The problem is though, that as it is only used infrequently - EE assume that the number is no longer required and they 'invalidate' it - meaning that we can't top it up or use it. Because of this, we've twice had to get a new sim card, register it with EE and put credit on it. As we don't use the Huawei frequently enough, EE take the number out of service and we then have to get a new sim card.
EE have suggested, that we could get around this issue by having a monthly contract; but I don't want a monthly contract on something that we use only once or twice a year.
Is there any way around this ?
What we require, is a sim card that will not be taken out of service (if not used frequently) and can be used on a 'Pay as You Go' basis ?
A couple of years ago, we purchased a Huawei EE 3G Mi-Fi portable WiFi. We purchased it, so that we would have WiFi on holiday and in the car when travelling and it has been a great little device and very reliable.
It came with (and still has) an EE sim card inside.
Unfortunately, we've only been using it once a year, on a 'Pay as You Go' basis. The problem is though, that as it is only used infrequently - EE assume that the number is no longer required and they 'invalidate' it - meaning that we can't top it up or use it. Because of this, we've twice had to get a new sim card, register it with EE and put credit on it. As we don't use the Huawei frequently enough, EE take the number out of service and we then have to get a new sim card.
EE have suggested, that we could get around this issue by having a monthly contract; but I don't want a monthly contract on something that we use only once or twice a year.
Is there any way around this ?
What we require, is a sim card that will not be taken out of service (if not used frequently) and can be used on a 'Pay as You Go' basis ?
AFAIK all providers will take numbers out of use if they are inactive for too long.
I've had to get my parents to sign up for a cheap contract for a phone they keep in the car and virtually never use, for the same reason.
Maybe you can top up over the course of the year? Would this stop the account appearing as inactive?
I've had to get my parents to sign up for a cheap contract for a phone they keep in the car and virtually never use, for the same reason.
Maybe you can top up over the course of the year? Would this stop the account appearing as inactive?
Brainpox said:
Maybe you can top up over the course of the year? Would this stop the account appearing as inactive?
I've wondered about this ^^^; I suppose that I could look for the cheapest monthly contract that might allow me to carry unused data over each month - but even then, I'm worried that if the data is only being used once a year, that they might still take the number out of service.These devices are advertised, as being a means of providing WiFi - "Whenever and wherever you want . . . ideal for holidays etc".
Sadly, like most folk, we don't go on holiday frequently enough, to ensure that the device is used often enough to retain the number and the credit. There have been times, when we've come back from holiday with approx, £20-£30 of unused data and we've ended up losing the data and the number.
Sadly, all providers seem to act this way - customers can spend £x on data and if they don't use it 'often enough', they lose it. Of course, 'often enough' does not mean with regard to meeting the needs of the customer - but to ensure that the service provider gets money for nothing (in form of the paid for, but unused data allowance).
Presume the Mifi is unlocked and will take a non-EE sim, if not EE used to unlock for free after a time limit, don't know what the situation is now.
If unlocked, you can try a free PAYG Three SIM, comes with 200MB a month free, about enough to test it's working. Other providers are Giff-Gaff/O2.
Three also say they disconnect unused sims, though they haven't with any of mine.
You can send texts from Mifis a couple of times a year so there's a 'chargeable event' to keep the account alive or just fire it up and go to Google/Youtube/whatever. Set a reminder in your phone calender for five months ahead.
The other stumble is tariff charges on PAYG, the Three rates are 1p a MB.
I keep my Three Mifi in the car, it gets used with an android tablet when touring or checking flight times. I just keep £10 of credit on it, topped up from the Three web site login.
Free MBB sim by post.
https://www.three.co.uk/Free_SIM_MBB/Order
If unlocked, you can try a free PAYG Three SIM, comes with 200MB a month free, about enough to test it's working. Other providers are Giff-Gaff/O2.
Three also say they disconnect unused sims, though they haven't with any of mine.
You can send texts from Mifis a couple of times a year so there's a 'chargeable event' to keep the account alive or just fire it up and go to Google/Youtube/whatever. Set a reminder in your phone calender for five months ahead.
The other stumble is tariff charges on PAYG, the Three rates are 1p a MB.
I keep my Three Mifi in the car, it gets used with an android tablet when touring or checking flight times. I just keep £10 of credit on it, topped up from the Three web site login.
Free MBB sim by post.
https://www.three.co.uk/Free_SIM_MBB/Order
Edited by Slushbox on Tuesday 12th February 17:51
I've got a Huawei 4g dongle and a Virgin data sim, £20 a month for 100gb, I keep it in my van, connect up my iPhone and stream Spotify/iTunes, kids use it for their iPads when on road trips, camping etc. I lend the dongle out on occasion to friends and family if they need data.
I was paying something silly like £12 for 5gb's on PAYG before, plus unused data expired after 30 days.
Or you could do something like this (lasts 24 months)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01M3VJ2B2/ref=asc_df_...
I was paying something silly like £12 for 5gb's on PAYG before, plus unused data expired after 30 days.
Or you could do something like this (lasts 24 months)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01M3VJ2B2/ref=asc_df_...
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