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Data only SIMs

MWwoman
Contributor
Contributor

We have a "data only" SIM in a TP-LINK router, which provides us with our home broadband. It works fine. The only problem is that we're capped at 50GB/month, and with the advent of covid-19 and Zoom conferences this is no longer enough. We were able to buy one 10GB extension, but we're now nearly through that and the system won't let us buy any more. In an (annoying) conversation with an EE telephone advisor we were told that if we totally exhausted our quota (50 + 10 extension) we would then be able to buy another extension - but that's no use if you're in the middle of a video conference!

 

So, we'd like to increase our monthly quota. But we're having terrible trouble trying to do this. We did see what looked like a good deal - unlimited GB for £34 a month - but when we tried to get this, the advisor told us it probably wouldn't work in a router as it was really designed for a mobile 'phone! Can anybody comment on the truth, or otherwise, of this?

 

The deal we saw is at -

 

https://shop.ee.co.uk/mobile-phone-deals/sim-only-deals

18 REPLIES 18

@MWwoman  While I don't know the answer for sure, my educated guess would be on similar lines to @XRaySpeX - the plan may not be intended for use in a router, MBB device or similar, but so long as your SIM physically fits I don't see any reason it shouldn't work. The fact that it comes with a voice call allowance or capability, could just be viewed as "immaterial".

Thanks for the feedback. We've found that a neighbour is doing similar to us, just a SIM he's stuck in a router and all is well. I assume, from what you've said, that there's no such thing as a "router SIM"? A SIM is a SIM is a SIM?

 

FWIW, neighbour was paying £60 for 200GB/month. He rang up and they offered him unlimited for £30! That's what we'd like 🙂

@MWwoman : Sort of! There's usually :

  • Phone SIMs with data, calls & texts allowances.
  • Data SIMs with only data allowances.

Some Data SIMs that EE sells, with the most data, are only provided for its better routers. That's why many mobile BB router users are going for the unlimited data phone SIMs.

If you think I helped please feel free to hit the "Thumbs Up" button below.

To phone EE CS: Dial Freephone +44 800 079 8586 - Option 1 for Mobile Phone & Mobile Broadband or Option 2 for Home Broadband & Home Phone

ISPs: 1999: Freeserve 48K Dial-Up => 2005: Wanadoo 1 Meg BB => 2007: Orange 2 Meg BB => 2008: Orange 8 Meg LLU => 2010: Orange 16 Meg LLU => 2011: Orange 20 Meg WBC => 2014: EE 20 Meg WBC => 2020: EE 40 Meg FTTC => 2022: EE 80 Meg FTTC (no landline number)

@bristolian wrote:

The fact that it comes with a voice call allowance or capability, could just be viewed as "immaterial".

You couldn't say the same for its text capability, as most MBB routers can do SMS.


 

If you think I helped please feel free to hit the "Thumbs Up" button below.

To phone EE CS: Dial Freephone +44 800 079 8586 - Option 1 for Mobile Phone & Mobile Broadband or Option 2 for Home Broadband & Home Phone

ISPs: 1999: Freeserve 48K Dial-Up => 2005: Wanadoo 1 Meg BB => 2007: Orange 2 Meg BB => 2008: Orange 8 Meg LLU => 2010: Orange 16 Meg LLU => 2011: Orange 20 Meg WBC => 2014: EE 20 Meg WBC => 2020: EE 40 Meg FTTC => 2022: EE 80 Meg FTTC (no landline number)

Just tried ringing the SIM's number - "the number you called is busy, to use ringback please ..."

 

Then sent it a text message - this worked fine. I could read the message on the router's control page. Then sent a text message from the router, using the control page again, to my mobile 'phone and this too worked fine.

 

Guess that means our current SIM has minutes, text and data, i.e. it's a regular mobile 'phone SIM?

 

We could stick the SIM in a mobile 'phone, but a little reluctant to do that in case something gets confused somewhere and we lose our internet connectivity!


@MWwoman wrote:

Guess that means our current SIM has minutes, text and data, i.e. it's a regular mobile 'phone SIM?

Not quite, again! All SIMs are capable of making calls & texts and using data when the device they are in has the ability to do the same. The distinction lies in whether the plan on the SIM includes allowances for doing these things. If it doesn't have allowances for calls or texts you can still make them but you will charged at standard rates for making them.

 

You will find you have been charged about 16p for sending a text from your data SIM to a mobile. You can send free texts to 150 with any of its code words.

 

There is no harm in putting the SIM in a mobile phone & then bringing it back to the router. Use of it a phone will just consume its allowances or be charged outside the allowances.

If you think I helped please feel free to hit the "Thumbs Up" button below.

To phone EE CS: Dial Freephone +44 800 079 8586 - Option 1 for Mobile Phone & Mobile Broadband or Option 2 for Home Broadband & Home Phone

ISPs: 1999: Freeserve 48K Dial-Up => 2005: Wanadoo 1 Meg BB => 2007: Orange 2 Meg BB => 2008: Orange 8 Meg LLU => 2010: Orange 16 Meg LLU => 2011: Orange 20 Meg WBC => 2014: EE 20 Meg WBC => 2020: EE 40 Meg FTTC => 2022: EE 80 Meg FTTC (no landline number)

Well, we finally got through to somebody at EE who knew what's what and they upgraded our current plan to unlimited data. Same SIM, so hopefully it'll all just work. Some of the online reporting seems a little muddled - it's currently telling us that our plan runs from 2018-2019! Hopefully it'll all sort itself out in the next day or so. If not you'll probably hear me screaming!

 

Thanks to all for the advice given - the heads-up on Net-Neutrality was very useful.

Thanks! You're welcome 🙂 ! Glad I could be of assistance & it is now sorted.

If you think I helped please feel free to hit the "Thumbs Up" button below.

To phone EE CS: Dial Freephone +44 800 079 8586 - Option 1 for Mobile Phone & Mobile Broadband or Option 2 for Home Broadband & Home Phone

ISPs: 1999: Freeserve 48K Dial-Up => 2005: Wanadoo 1 Meg BB => 2007: Orange 2 Meg BB => 2008: Orange 8 Meg LLU => 2010: Orange 16 Meg LLU => 2011: Orange 20 Meg WBC => 2014: EE 20 Meg WBC => 2020: EE 40 Meg FTTC => 2022: EE 80 Meg FTTC (no landline number)

Beware that there is a limit of 12 devices on the unlimited data phone sims when used in a router.

 

I have a second phone sim on my account which I use in a mobile broadband device on our boat. I can gift up to 100GB of data to it from my main phone sim. However as we are are now using the sim in a router when at home the 100GB will not be quite enough. I was going to upgrade it to unlimited data but although the fair usuge limit is 1000GB there is a limit of 12 devices, which will not be enough at home. So I am going to have to go for a 200GB sim and get another router whether I want it or not. Just trying to work out the benefits of the 4GEE Home Router 2 over the previous model. The EE website gives no information as why this might be worth paying more for.