Non Time Limited Broadband Sim?

[Barry]

I've just bought a Huawei E5332 Broadband mobile modem and an aerial.

 

I want to buy a pre-loaded SIM card to suit it but Amazon have only 3 options as far as I can see.

 

1) 1Gb for 1 month - about 8 quid

 

2) 3GB for 3 months - about 12 quid

 

3) 12GB for 12 months - about 55 quid

 

I'm not interested in a time limited SIM card though - If I want that I'll get a contract

 

 

 

What I want is a simple pre-loaded SIM that is not time limited - the old fashioned pay as you go concept

 

 

 

Does anyone still have a source for these and if so can you point me in the right direction with a link please?

[Guest]

I've just bought a Huawei E5332 Broadband mobile modem and an aerial.

 

I want to buy a pre-loaded SIM card to suit it but Amazon have only 3 options as far as I can see.

 

1) 1Gb for 1 month - about 8 quid

 

2) 3GB for 3 months - about 12 quid

 

3) 12GB for 12 months - about 55 quid

 

I'm not interested in a time limited SIM card though - If I want that I'll get a contract

 

 

 

What I want is a simple pre-loaded SIM that is not time limited - the old fashioned pay as you go concept

 

 

 

Does anyone still have a source for these and if so can you point me in the right direction with a link please?

 

I think that none time limited data SIM's are a thing of the past. I believe people still have them but got them yonks ago, Vodafone used to do them from memory.

 

Certainly all the ones Three do 'time out' after a given time depending on how much you have topped up.

[DaveC]

I don't think such a thing exists now, although it used to. I generally get a new SIM card from ebay when we go for a long cruise but I will watch this thread to see if you can get what you want.

 

 

 

Dave

[john6767]

I also don't think you will find non-time limited ones, certainly not from Three that I assume those are from. To me the 3GB for 3 months are a good deal for irregular light use, at £12 that is £48 per year, less than £1 per week, with luck you may get them at nearer £10.

[Barry]

 

I think that none time limited data SIM's are a thing of the past. I believe people still have them but got them yonks ago, Vodafone used to do them from memory.

 

Certainly all the ones Three do 'time out' after a given time depending on how much you have topped up.

 

I suspect you are right Martin but it cheeses me off in a very big way.

 

I bought an O2 dongle that the salesman assured me was Pay As You Go. I even checked by asking him to confirm that if I bought data, what I didn't use would roll over to the next month

 

He said "Yes"

 

He lied!!

 

Its not Pay You Go. Its Pay and Go which is a different thing entirely. It means that each month I buy data for just over a tenner but I only use the dongle occasionally. In my heaviest month I only used about 500Mb and sometimes I just use it once (about 100Mb perhaps even less). But every month I still have no choice but to buy ten quids worth of data that I don't use.

 

It might not seem much but something in me gets really mad about being forced to buy something I don't use

[Higgs]

I've had a 3 sim/internet PAYG dongle since their early days and can't remember them ever being used as a PAYG phone. They always seemed to be of the time-out irritating versions. Fortunately, I'm able to use the marina's wifi, cheaper and with more data allowance.

Edited July 28, 2013 by Higgs

[smileypete]

I'm not interested in a time limited SIM card though - If I want that I'll get a contract

 

 

 

What I want is a simple pre-loaded SIM that is not time limited - the old fashioned pay as you go concept

 

 

 

Does anyone still have a source for these and if so can you point me in the right direction with a link please?

If you're a very light user you could try a 'Samba' SIM where you get data in return for watching ads:

 

http://www.sambamobile.com/Home/Samba

 

The SIM works on the 3 network and the data never expires though I'd use it at least every 6 months too keep it alive.

 

If you'd like to give it a try please PM me your email for a referral link which gets you the SIM for £2.50 instead of the normal £5 (and in the interests of full disclosure it earns me £2.50 too ).

 

It's best to watch the ads on normal broadband/Wifi to charge the SIM up, it's normally 3MB per ad and 10MB for the first ad you see in the week, sometimes they do double or triple data days. I usually watch a few ads at the start of the week and earn about 25MB which works out 100MB/month to use.

 

There's also an uber cheap way of getting a Tmobile SIM with £5 credit for 99p off Ebay and converting the credit to 500MB/1 month of data.

 

So I use Samba when on the go as '3' network seems to be best for that, and the TMobile sims if I need to use more data in one go, eg tethering when changing broadband suppliers.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited July 28, 2013 by smileypete

[Barry]

Pete

 

Its an intriguing idea. I confess, though, that on my desktop PC, lappy, and phone, I use Firefox with the adblock add-on because I have no interest in adverts.

 

I suppose I could select an ad, from time to time, set it to play, then wander off and do something else.

 

 

I'll think about it for a while. Don't be surprised if I PM you

[nb Innisfree]

At the mo I'm trying out a 3 payg phone sim, it's called 321 -3p per min voice - 2p per text -1p per mb data -all non expiring. Sims cards are free.

 

Though we use a combination of a 3 contract data sim and payg data sims from Amazon in our MiFi I find this 321 very good with data on my smartphone, seems as fast as the MiFI and definitely faster than Giffgaff on O2 where we are based now which is usually gprs, 3 only do 3g so is bound to be faster generally anyway.

 

I'm hoping that 321 will give me some usable data and work out cheaper than Giffgaff O2, so for you, 500mb to1gb would cost between £5-£10. Worth thinking about?

[Guest]

At the mo I'm trying out a 3 payg phone sim, it's called 321 -3p per min voice - 2p per text -1p per mb data -all non expiring. Sims cards are free.

 

Is that in a dongle? 3 normally pick up on phone SIMS being used in dongles - or do they allow it on these?

[nb Innisfree]

 

Is that in a dongle? 3 normally pick up on phone SIMS being used in dongles - or do they allow it on these?

No, it's in a phone, though Bazza's post is to do with data only sims I just thought I'd mention it, he could perhaps tether with 321.

 

This seems a genuine attempt by 3 to make payg a realistic and economical option, as Giffgaff is at present. Perhaps to be followed by other networks?

[Guest]

No, it's in a phone, though Bazza's post is to do with data only sims I just thought I'd mention it, he could perhaps tether with 321.

 

This seems a genuine attempt by 3 to make payg a realistic and economical option, as Giffgaff is at present. Perhaps to be followed by other networks?

 

They don't allow tethering either though unless on the One Plan or you have bought a tethering 'add on' for other SIMs., and again have systems to pick up if you are doing this.

 

It's to stop the abuse of SIMs intended for phone only use, unless you pay for the tethering facility.

 

Some report they have got away with it for a while but eventually it seems 3 will pick up on it.

 

All that said this SIM may allow for it as it is PAYG so you will pay for any data you gobble up as you go along but if you are using your lappy while tethered it could get quite expensive.

[nb Innisfree]

 

They don't allow tethering either though unless on the One Plan or you have bought a tethering 'add on' for other SIMs., and again have systems to pick up if you are doing this.

 

It's to stop the abuse of SIMs intended for phone only use, unless you pay for the tethering facility.

 

Some report they have got away with it for a while but eventually it seems 3 will pick up on it.

 

All that said this SIM may allow for it as it is PAYG so you will pay for any data you gobble up as you go along but if you are using your lappy while tethered it could get quite expensive.

I was thinking along those lines i.e. if on payg tethering wouldn't matter as you are paying for any data used, but on checking I see you are correct, it's not allowed. Maybe to do with 150mb free when topping up?

 

We had to give up our 3 phone contract a couple of years ago due to a very poor signal where we are now, but things seem too have improved since then and I am now getting fast data and a reliable voice service on my phone.

[spannerman]

Slightly off topic but which aerial did you buy Bazza?

[Barry]

This one (clicky)

 

I looked on the Commex website as recommended on another thread. There was a cross referencing chart on there that identified the aerial for a E5332 modem as a TS9

 

Looking up TS9 on e-bay confirmed that it is suitable for the E5332

Edited July 28, 2013 by Bazza2

[spannerman]

thanks,I will be following in your footsteps with a similar purchase ready for my august cruise

[Barry]

Ah. I've been dithering about this for months.

 

If I'd waited a bit longer you could have sussed it all out for me.

 

 

Part of the timing of my decision was that my phone contract was due for renewal and I wanted to wait for that in case I decided to get a phone contract that allowed tethering, in which case I wouldn't have needed this set up. I went for a cheap 15 quid a month contract with no tethering in the end

[spannerman]

well, I spend a chunk of time last weekend searching the forums for previous threads on this subject, had the Huawei E5332 Broadband mobile modem info saved on desktop, was still messing about trying to decide on aerial - you saved me the trouble lol

 

wife will be donating the sim card out of her ipad when we are on the boat

[Guest]

well, I spend a chunk of time last weekend searching the forums for previous threads on this subject, had the Huawei E5332 Broadband mobile modem info saved on desktop, was still messing about trying to decide on aerial - you saved me the trouble lol

 

wife will be donating the sim card out of her ipad when we are on the boat

 

Don't forget you will need an adaptor to use the micro sim from an iPad in a dongle.....

[spannerman]

Thanks for the info Martin

 

I believe I have that sorted but will be double checking with the more technology minded family members to be sure (teenage daughters )

[Guest]

Thanks for the info Martin

 

I believe I have that sorted but will be double checking with the more technology minded family members to be sure (teenage daughters )

No worries...

 

They are pence on eBay just search for 'micro sim adaptor'

[spannerman]

thanks Martin

 

hope I haven't hi jacked your thread bazza

[Barry]

Its a forum for everyone mate

[Barry]

Just received a 3Gb, 3 month Three SIM

 

Interestingly the packaging identifies it as Ready-To-Go but at the bottom it says "Top up with Pay As You Go if you need more data"

 

 

 

The front cover of the information leaflet inside says "Ready-To-Go or Pay As You Go"

 

The inference is that Pay-As-You-Go is still available but a clear difference or choice isn't immediately obvious from inside the leaflet.

 

 

 

I think I'll get more information when my WiFi dongle arrives and I set it up for the first time.

[Guest]

Just received a 3Gb, 3 month Three SIM

 

Interestingly the packaging identifies it as Ready-To-Go but at the bottom it says "Top up with Pay As You Go if you need more data"

 

 

 

The front cover of the information leaflet inside says "Ready-To-Go or Pay As You Go"

 

The inference is that Pay-As-You-Go is still available but a clear difference or choice isn't immediately obvious from inside the leaflet.

 

 

 

I think I'll get more information when my WiFi dongle arrives and I set it up for the first time.

 

I think the PAYG reference is because you do still pay as you go, but it still will time out after three months. It just means there is no contract and you can use up all the data or let it time out until you top up again.

 

I can't swear to it but IIRC my Three Sim was similarly packaged. I either top it up for a day, a week or a month depending how long we are on the boat.