how to prevent pre-paid data sim (12 months) auto deactivating at 180 days?

[temp5]

I bought pre-paid data-only sim card, 120 Gb for 12 Months (Argos £50). I understand from comments on Argos & Amazon that some people are having problems with these cards auto deactivating after 180 days with total loss of internet. I'll be at 180 days in a couple of weeks. Is there a way to prevent this happening now while I still have an internet connection? I'm very dependent on this internet connection.

With thanks.

[XRaySpeX]

@temp5 : Send a paid-for text from it within the 180 days.

[temp5]

Hi. I can't work out how to do that. The sim is on a mobile internet router, data only, and it's pre-paid so there's no account attached to it and no phone.

[XRaySpeX]

Most mobile routers do texts. Does it have an envelope LED on it? Login to it & look for the SMS section. Just top it up & send a text.

Even a data SIM can send texts (& make calls). You just have to pay for them at standard PAYG rates.

[temp5]

Thank you! I found it and sent a text. It seems to have gone through without a charge though. I'll have to see if I can find a way to add texts to the card.

[XRaySpeX]

Who did you send it to? It should be charged if it's to a normal no. Also to keep the SIM live you need to make a chargeable action & it would worry me in this respect if you weren't charged. Did you top-up its credit?

What does texting AL to 150 from it fully report verbatim (it is free)? This is a type of text that won't keep your SIM alive.

You can't add a text allowance to a data SIM & even if you could sending them wouldn't keep your SIM alive, which is the whole point of your enquiry.

[temp5]

AL: "Your current balance as of today 22:25 is £0.00. You have 99 texts and 52.6GB remaining..."

There must be free texts on the sim even though it says data only. There's no way to put credit on it that I can see as it's not on a monthly subscription. It's a pre-loaded, pre-paid card from Argos, without an ee contract. When it runs out, you buy another card from Argos, or you can add more data by joining ee.

I think the simplest solution might be to buy another data card and put it on my phone so I don't lose my internet connection.

[EssexBoyEE]

As it's a Data Only plan rather than Phone Plan you normally get 100 UK SMS thrown in during the Life of the Data Bundle period.

Like the PAYG Sims They do go into Hibination if not used for a while but you shouldnt need to have to make a Chargeable Cost to keep them active as it's a PrePaid SIM, just give it a little Data squirt every month or two, or send a Text (or both), should you find it has gone into Hibination, don't leave it too long just give CS a call on 150 and will be able to re activate it for you.

If need be you can take the Data SIM out and use it in a Phone to call 150 for Free with it.

[XRaySpeX]

Ah, it comes with 100 inclusive texts but they are no use in keeping the SIM live as they aren't chargeable. Do you have a mobile phone you can put an EE SIM in? If so, you could make a short chargeable call from that.

You'd 1st need to top-up to make that call. You could use Fast Top Up online with a UK bank card. You don't need to login or register anything. All you need is your mobile no. & it doesn't remember your card details. If you don't know its no. just text NUMBER to 150.

When you exhaust the data just look at http://add-on.ee.co.uk/purchase from a device connected to your mobile router by WiFi to see what data add-ons are available.

[XRaySpeX]

@EssexBoyEE : Calling 150 from a PAYG SIM is not free but 25p per call.

You still need to make a chargeable action within the 180 days to keep them active.