Unlimited sim in a 4GEE router - Still data and device limited?

[camy252]

Due an upgrade to my 4GEE home internet deal and wondering if the unlimited sims (designed for phones) are still data and device limited if you put them in a router?

Had my contract for a year now and I've started streaming 4k more, downloading more game updates and Warzone needs its on data deal in itself for those updates!  I'm starting to creep a bit closer to my 500gb limit. 

I was put off buying a sim only deal by EE advisors who told me at the time I'd be capped at 100gb because the sim would think I'm tethering when its put into a router and I would also only be able to connect 11 devices to it even though my router is capable of up to 64.  

Its tough paying £50 for 500GB when people are out there paying £35 for unlimited!  So I'm asking/wondering if things have changed and it might now be feasible to go for one of the unlimited cards when I'm due an upgrade.  

Unfortunately I can't test and see because it might take more than 14 days to reach 100GB at which point I would know if i'm capped or not.  Also, I now have way more than 11 devices on my network so I would definitely need this cap lifted before I'd consider it.  (unless thats EE's way of stopping people putting phone sims into routers, by capping the devices?)

[mikeliuk]

Hi @camy252 ,

As long as you are using NAT on the router and the service provider is not carefully inspecting your traffic, there will only appear to be a single device on the service provider's network and it is highly unlikely that all your devices will be simultaneously passing data.

If GBP 50 was your original cost when you needed to pay for the device, it may be worth looking for a cheaper SIM-only contract when/if you become the owner of the router, otherwise you may be paying for the router multiple times over.

I've never heard of anyone either being warned or disconnected for tethering too many devices, and I agree that it's to catch data-using/hogging devices and not devices with trickle usage. I suspect most of the devices you have named will use a negligible amount of data that the service provider will not care about and would be fully willing to ignore. Good luck!

Here is a good summary of service providers who do not permit their SIMs to be used in 4G routers: https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/unlimited-data

Here is a good discussion of SIMs in other devices such as tablets and routers: https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/sim-cards-for-your-tablet-dongle-router-or-iot-device

[camy252]

Thanks folks, certainly helps to have all this input.  I just don't think I could take that leap of faith that it would all work and I wouldnt lose connectivity around the house.  I'd be blaming the wifi signal/freq, then blaming my router then start to wonder if its my sim being capped.  And by the time I tested it all, i would likely be past the 14 day return period and be stuck with a contract thats not suitable.

Yeah, I'm sure I'm paying for a router I don't even use but they didnt offer a 4GEE home internet sim without the router at the time so just had to take the hit.  By the time my contract ends, I'm hoping 4GEE sim only deal will be available.

[EssexBoyEE]

@camy252 wrote - Yeah, I'm sure I'm paying for a router I don't even use but they didnt offer a 4GEE home internet sim without the router at the time so just had to take the hit.  By the time my contract ends, I'm hoping 4GEE sim only deal will be available

They are available, always have been, EE Data Sims, look under the Tablets and Dongles section in the Shop, same stuff as the MiFi Device Sims, Data Sims without the Voice Option, I believe you get 100 texts thrown in. But generically always more expensive than the Phone Sim plans with Voice and Texts and Data.

[XRaySpeX]

Unlimited Tablet or dongle contract SIMs are available now from EE.

[camy252]

Thanks guys, and these are suitable for routers and don't have the device limit?

[camy252]

arg...never mind.  Just read the small print.  Says only up to 10 device on those sims.  I'll stay away from those.  Thanks anyways.