Can the 5GEE hub mobile router (HH20C) work with another providers sim?

[EadredEats]

I live in a rural area and the EE mast signal fails regularly ( at the last count, 30 days out of the last 8 months).  I'd like to be able to switch to a different provider's SIM - O2 or Vodafone.  Although this worked when I tried with my phone sim from O2 back in August, it now doesn't 😞 

Q. How can I ensure my Smart 5G EE router successfully works with an O2 SIM, to cover the days when EE service fails?

What have I tried?

I purchased a new O2 data sim, and tried that in a phone - which registers and can search the web successfully.  However, when I switch the SIM in the 5gEE router, it cannot connect.   

I have changed APN settings (by creating a new profile in the web page of the router) to that preferred by O2.  I've tried an APN for mobile.o2.co.uk and payandgo.o2.co.uk.   

Diagnostics:

If I switch the network configuration of the router from auto to manual, I can see that the SIM is successfully recognised, and that the O2 and Vodafone networks are available and not restricted.   If I try to connect (using the connect button on the status/internet page), it fails after 15-20 secs.  The failure response message is 'Failed' (from browser dev tools, watching the network calls to the router)

APN and MMS settings ?

I note that O2's APN settings require MMS proxy and ports, and that this differs from EE's.  However MMS values aren't possible to set from the EE router admin page.   Q: Are these set in firmware, and do they matter for different providers?

Unlocked?

Finally EE inform me that the 5gEE router device is unlocked.  If I check the IMEI on EE's website, this is indeed the case.  I note that the EE page reports it as 'EE Smart 5G Hub 3 (HH70C)' , whereas it is actually HH20C.  I assume this is irrevant

Tech details:

5GEE Smart 5G hub V 01.11 model HH20C
Serial number 41ECJ000754

Cell ID 31024258

[EadredEats]

I discovered recently that the 5GEE mobile router (HH20C) doesn't work with other networks in the UK, only EE.   I know it used to in summer 2024, but it doesn't anymore.  I presume this is a firmware update, because I know the device itself is 'unlocked' according to the IMEI.

This begs the question, at the end of the contract when the device ownership transfers to me, although the device it unlocked, will it only function with an EE sim?  Or should we ask or expect EE to provide improved firmware that is truly neutral to network providers ?


Note: this topic is based on the conversation here, which of course might be incorrect or incomplete: https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Mobile-Broadband/Can-the-5GEE-hub-mobile-router-HH20C-work-with-anothe...

[XRaySpeX]

@EadredEats : If you know it's unlocked it should work with any network's SIM.

You owned the device from 6 months old.

[Rach_H]

Do you have another SIM available to check in the router @EadredEats, other than the O2 SIM you've already tried, just to see if you get a different result?

Rach