Data sim card will never work where I live, phone sim card will work

[1745Yes]

I purchased mobile broadband and antenna. Catch 22, the engineer can not come out till I get a working sim card. We get internet via phone sim card, data sim card is different, trying to chase it up, but high number of calls and tech help messenger service is turned off. 

[Chris_B]

@1745Yes  If a sim works in your phone then a sim will work in a mobile router,  the only difference is your allowances your get on your account to use with that sim.  A sim is a sim after that it’s all account based.    Can you try that sim in your phone ?     

[1745Yes]

Correct my phone sim card does work in the router, a data sim card is different from a phone card. The serving mast in my area  works on a different frequency, a data sim card will not work. I have no technical knowledge but I have observed issues over the years and gradually I talk to someone who can explain what maybe or is happening. 

[Chris_B]

@1745Yes  Can you put the router sim in your phone ?    

 Just to point out you could have receive this sim with a phone.  

 The only difference is the account allowances and if it’s included or you pay for call/texts with that sim.   The sim connects the same way as any other sim there is no difference. 

Is this router/sim on contract or PAYG?  as this can have a different bandwidth connection. 

EE operates 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G radio access technologies on a range of bands. 2G uses 1800MHz (Band 3), 3G 2100MHz (Band 1), 4G 800MHz (Band 20), 1800MHz (Band 3), 2100MHz (Band 1), 2600MHz (Band 7) while 5G is on 700MHz (Band 28), 1800MHz (Band 3), 2100MHz (Band 1), 2600MHz (Band 7) and 3500MHz, 3600MHz (NR Band 78).

your sim connection is to some/all of those bandwidths.  That’s all SIM cards eSims be it for a phone, tablet or router and even a  cellular watch.  

[1745Yes]

Yes I have put the router sim in my phone, it did not work, but I drove out of the glen and picked up a signal from a different mast and it registered, back home it did not work. In the past I found this to be a solution to activate a new sim card to make it become active and then it would work at home.

In the past a PAYG sim card would not work in the glen that's why I got a contract, that links to  "can have a different bandwidth connection". Saying that my daughters PAYG sim card works when she visits, it's on a different network.

Some time ago new sim card did not work, "Level 2" did something and it worked.

I have a 18 month contract on the router and sim card.

I think the mast is "810" bandwidth, we can go for days without an issue and then mobile internet becomes very erratic. I do get text messages sometime saying there is a fault at the mast, but I never see someone at the mast fixing it, is it a software issue?

Thank you for your input, technically I do not know but I do observe issues from the mast which use.

[1745Yes]

"EE operates 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G radio access technologies on a range of bands. 2G uses 1800MHz (Band 3), 3G 2100MHz (Band 1), 4G 800MHz (Band 20), 1800MHz (Band 3), 2100MHz (Band 1), 2600MHz (Band 7) while 5G is on 700MHz (Band 28), 1800MHz (Band 3), 2100MHz (Band 1), 2600MHz (Band 7) and 3500MHz, 3600MHz (NR Band 78).

your sim connection is to some/all of those bandwidths.  That’s all SIM cards eSims be it for a phone, tablet or router and even a  cellular watch."

Never read this bit when I did my last reply, so my bit about "810" bandwidth should be "800MHz (Band 20)"

Just shows I do not know the explanation, just know the data sim card does not work, EE knows this, engineer to fit the antenna will not attend till there is a working sim card. Past 14 days to return product as I was waiting for the engineer, who is now waiting for a working sim card.

[bristolian]

There is no difference between "data" SIMs & "phone" SIMs save for perhaps whether voice calls are allowed or how they're charged on the associated data plan.

In terms of what coverage layers you can access, a pay-monthly SIM in a VoLTE device allows access to the same service as a data-plan SIM.

Band 20-800MHz coverage requires a VoLTE-device & SIM combination to work, or a data-only device where VoLTE is not a consideration. That restriction doesn't apply to any other bands.

[1745Yes]

I am confused

Router works with my phone sim card on site.

Data sim card does not work in my phone on site.

Data sim card does work in my phone off site using a different mast.

Will a data sim card work where I live? This is probably the answer I am looking for.

[bristolian]

So the issue is specific to your router SIM in what sounds like a B20-only area, which is odd but consistent.

You could use the phone-SIM in your router to allow the install of the antenna, but only EE C/S will be able to further investigate the 800Mhz access restriction that one of your SIMs evidently has. When it's used offsite in a phone, does that device display VoLTE/4G-calling (Android/iOS)?

This is likely to need escalating within C/S, I would be surprised if a frontline agent is able to rectify this immediately.

[EssexBoyEE]

@1745Yes What is the make and model number of both the Router and Antenna? 

@bristolian A lot of the earlier EE mini and Home Broadband Routers never had B20, only 1, 3 and 7. A lot of Chinese 4G Router or Asian Market 4G Routers do not have B20.