Unlimited data sim card in a 4G router - Actually unlimited?

[camy252]

I've now spoken with EE on three different occasions and been given conflicting info on this each time.

I signed up to an unlimited sim only deal for £35 which I put into a 4G router.  When speaking to EE a few days later about another matter, the advisor eluded to the fact that if i put that sim into a router, it thinks its a hotspot and i actually only get 100GB a month! I was a bit frustrated at being misled the first time so I asked if this could be confirmed.  The advisor confirmed that i would get 100GB a month!

So i had to cancel that contract and take out a £50 a month one that is only 500GB a month but they said thats the most they do.  I'm now spending more a month, have a data cap AND a router I'm not going to use but paying for.  But, I settled with it thinking that was my best choice for home broadband.

Spoke to another advisor today and he's not aware of any issues putting an unlimited sim into a router.  There isnt much about this on the internet but from what I've read, you should get unlimited data even if you put this into a router.  

So now I'm a bit confused (and a little annoyed) but all this so can anyone confirm if they have been able to use more than 100GB on their unlimited sim?  

Its a rubbish situation to be in because I'd have to use more than 100GB to test this theory which would probably take more than my 14 days grace period to work out! My worry is EE have misled me so i'd take out the more expensive deal.

[XRaySpeX]

Unlimited Plans

If you regularly tether 12 or more devices, we will consider this non-personal use and have the right to move you to a more suitable plan.

EE considers the active devices behind a router to be tethered to it.

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@camy252 wrote:

Nor is there any mention of routers which makes me think its possibly a loop hole (that will closed very soon) that you can put one in a router without any issues.

There is no loophole. EE can't prevent you putting any SIM in any device of your choosing. To do so would break Net Neutrality rules. So there's no loophole to close.

Forget that 100GB limit for hotspotting/tethering. It's a figment of someone's imagination. There are many using unlimited data phone SIMs in MBB routers & using far more than 100GB outside of gifting data. Look in the 4GEE WiFi forum for them.

I've nothing more to say on this subject. I've covered it all!

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[camy252]

You've been very patient with me thank you XRaySpeX and your replies have been very helpful. Sorry if I'm getting confused.

'To do so would break Net Neutrality rules'

This is interesting as I didn't realise it was actually against the rules.  Again, I'd wished someone at EE at advised about this when I was going through all this.

'EE considers the active devices behind a router to be tethered to it.'

This is a very helpful bit of information that does shed some light on what the advisors have been telling me.  Does give some credibility to the idea that the sim DOES know its in a router (as opposed to a phone) and could cap the data despite it being 'unlimited'.  Meaning the hotspotting cap may not be a myth and Im safer going with the 500GB sim which has been designed for router purpose.

To conclude then, I'm still annoyed I've been missold a more expensive and capped data plan however if its capped data vs capped devices, i'll take the data!

Thanks again.

[Mokka]

That's odd. I can only share my data until 100 GB ends... And its a hotspot !

[XRaySpeX · Accepted solution]

@Mokka : Not odd at all! It's a condition of EE unlimited data plans. You may only gift data to other nos. from the 1st 100 GB each billing month.

[Alanh3]

I took out an 18 month 100GB data plan on 4gee router and when i found it wasnt enough I got on to EE and the guy I spoke to put me onto an unlimited sim deal to use. My son has been playing his Xbox for hours a day plus pc use for school work and we have not had any problems with data use. My son was doing the 100GB in a few days just with Xbox so you shouldnt have problems with data caps.

Hope this helps