data only 3 sim

Gekko

I was onto 3 here asking if I could buy just a sim card for data only and they said I'd have to buy one of the Mobile Broadband PAYG sims with a USB modem.

They also said the sim card would only work in the modem and not a phone for browsing the internet and sending emails.

Anyone know if this is true?

If so, it seems Carphone Warehouse in the UK will sell you a data only sim card for 3 UK.

I meant to check whether it was cheaper to use PAYG broadband by paying for it there rather than here as well. Anyone know the answer to that one?

Sam Vimes

OMG stop the presses!!!!! three customer care gave someone an incorrect answer!!!!11111111eleven

just buy a normal 3pay sim card for €9.99. you can get an add on for €25 a month for 10 gb and it'll work for calls too. and it'll work fine in a phone. (only a 3g phone)

the smaller add ons are:
€10 for 1gb for a month
€5 for 500mb for 1 day
€10 for 2gb for a week

on contract you can get the offer of 10gb for €20 but with that you have to get the modem

thank you for calling 3 customer care....and then coming here for the right answer

Jonathan

Sam Vimes wrote: »

and it'll work fine in a phone. (only a 3g phone)

Will it not roam on voda when in a 2g phone or have they sanctioned roaming only in specific areas where they have no coverage?

Sam Vimes

jmccrohan wrote: »

Will it not roam on voda when in a 2g phone or have they sanctioned roaming only in specific areas where they have no coverage?

in some areas 2g coverage seems to allow data access but in some it doesn't. i think they got a deal to allow data access in urban areas or something like this.

but what i was saying wasn't about coverage. usually 2g phones can't even read a three sim and with the rare 2g phones that will turn on with a 3 sim in it, it won't get regular coverage in most places, never mind data coverage

Gekko

thanks guys - so it'd be cheaper to get a sim here. Will have to get one.

Will it work ok in a sim-free Nokia E71?

Jonathan

Gekko wrote: »

thanks guys - so it'd be cheaper to get a sim here. Will have to get one.

Will it work ok in a sim-free Nokia E71?

Yup.

Spipov

Sam Vimes wrote: »

OMG stop the presses!!!!! three customer care gave someone an incorrect answer!!!!11111111eleven

just buy a normal 3pay sim card for €9.99. you can get an add on for €25 a month for 10 gb and it'll work for calls too. and it'll work fine in a phone. (only a 3g phone)

the smaller add ons are:
€10 for 1gb for a month
€5 for 500mb for 1 day
€10 for 2gb for a week

on contract you can get the offer of 10gb for €20 but with that you have to get the modem

thank you for calling 3 customer care....and then coming here for the right answer

by the way, how long does the 1 day deal last?24 hours from the time you buy it on the phone?

i need to use it tomorrow, and have it in a skypephone. can i just go to my 3 and buy the 500mb 1 day thing, and use it for exactly 24 hours by popping it into my 3 usb modem and connecting to pc? thanks for replying, need to know before the morning to know whether its worth it

whisht

Yes, once you have credit, you go to my3 and purchase it there and the 24 hours starts from then

Gekko

jmccrohan wrote: »

Yup.

great - will see if I can pick one up in the morning en route to the airport as I want to use it in the UK.

Gekko

Got one of these today on Grafton St. - didn't manage to get one at the weekend.

Even got €5 credit as I had an old Meteor no. that I ported over.

But, does anyone know what the data rates are for other countries that aren't included in the 3 Like Home rates?

I want to see if it's cheaper to roam on 3 than it is on O2 in Denmark

whisht

Denmark is included in the 3 Like Home rates for prepay
http://www.three.ie/international/3pay.htm

Sam Vimes

and it won't work in countries that don.t have 3 networks. There are no rates

Gekko

whisht wrote: »

Denmark is included in the 3 Like Home rates for prepay
http://www.three.ie/international/3pay.htm

Just saw that - my bad. Thanks

Sam Vimes wrote: »

and it won't work in countries that don.t have 3 networks. There are no rates

Oh right so there's no data roaming in the other EU countries where you can roam for calls?

It seems 3 have no roaming in the US either...

Sam Vimes

Gekko wrote: »

Oh right so there's no data roaming in the other EU countries where you can roam for calls?

correct

Gekko wrote: »

It seems 3 have no roaming in the US either...

they have call roaming in the US but it's a bit shakey. no data roaming

Gekko

sorry just wanted to clarify again before I shell out some cash. If I buy one of the mobile broadband add-ons, it will work ok for internet and email in my phone, right, as opposed to being in a USB modem?

Sam Vimes

yes

Gekko

cool thanks.

Gekko

Opted for the 1GB mobile internet add-on in the end, as the 2GB mobile broadband option at the same price only lasts for a week, whereas this one lasts for a month.

Walkman

Are you using the sim in a modem or phone. If its a modem does it work cause I was told you could not use the 3pay sims in a modem even if you bought an internet add on.

Sam Vimes

who told you that? I've done it

Ah-Watch

I recently canceled a 3 contract BB, is it possible for them to switch it to PAYG broadband or are you stuck with a useless modem?

Gekko

Walkman wrote: »

Are you using the sim in a modem or phone. If its a modem does it work cause I was told you could not use the 3pay sims in a modem even if you bought an internet add on.

I'm using it in my shiny new Nokia E71

Walkman

Sam Vimes wrote: »

who told you that? I've done it

Guy in the 3store in Grafton Street.

culabula

Walkman wrote: »

Guy in the 3store in Grafton Street.

It's nonsense, I do it all the time.

Patrickof

And if you're looking for roaming and not interested in what phone number you're using, then when abroad pop into a local phone store and buy a similar PAYG €10 a month SIM. I did it with Orange in France. Didn't quite work out as cheap as I though but far cheaper than using a vodafone or o2 roaming SIM.

davemie

I bought a USB modem while in Spain over the summer and successfully got it unlocked and working with two different operators while I was in Spain. Movistar and Yoigo. Yoigo is PAYG and charge 1.20 (plus 7% VAT) a day for unlimited browsing! Anyway, I was planning to use the modem in Ireland when I returned! Sounds straight forward!

So I called into the 3 mobile shop on Patricks St Cork and tried to purchase a 3Pay mobile Internet sim. Silly me, I thought it would be as simple as that!

I was told that I would have to purchase a 3Pay Broadband Package (Inc modem) and that they don't sell the sim cards that support broadband on there own cos they needed to pair the sim with the IMEI number of the modem. Now I know this is a load of crap, but the guy ranted on that he himself was trying to do the same thing and was unsuccessful at getting a normal 3Pay sim card working with his modem.

He also appeared very suprised when I told him that laptops come with build in 3G modems now a day!

Anyway, from what you guys are saying above, it should be possible to get a normal 3Pay phone sim card and use it in my USB modem, I would just need to purchase the 3Pay Add On for Internet browsing, is this correct?

Will the Internet connection work like a normal ISP or is it HTTP only?

I only plan to use the sim in my USB modem, nothing else.

culabula

Get a 3Pay, add internet, stick in modem, configure APN in settings. No problem.

Remove revolver from pocket, point at 3-man in 3-shop and shoot at point-blank range for talking drivel.

Now please tell us (who are off to Spain) more about Yoigo,

davemie

culabula wrote: »

Now please tell us (who are off to Spain) more about Yoigo,

Yoigo is the new mobile phone operator. They mostly use the Movistar network, so coverage isn't a problem. I bought a sim card for ten euro and it came with ten euro of credit. You need a passport when buying a sim card, even PAYG! I was told ETA used PAYG phones when planting the bomb in Madrid airport Dec 2006. I think its also possible to buy a sim card online.

Anyway, one problem with Yoigo is that you can't send or receive International text messages, but that's not a problem if you are using it in a USB modem.

I believe you are charged something like 2 cent per Kb, but a maximum charge of 1.20 euro (ex 7% VAT) per day. Check out the box labeled Navegar here

I was using a Huawei E220 with the Huawei software and the below settings.

Spain - Movistar
* APN : movistar.es (Static)
* Number : *99#
* Username : MOVISTAR
* Password : MOVISTAR

Spain - Yoigo
* APN : internet (Static)
* Number : *99#
* Username : (blank)
* Password : (blank)

culabula

Thanks a mill: up until now, I've been using my Vodafone Espana SIM which is 60€ for 3 months access and includes something ludicrously small like 1GB (though beats a bill from O2 IRL of 88€ for 45 minutes).

I believe you can get the Yoigo in the 'Phone House' (aka The Crapphone Whorehouse).

I know all about the passport mallarkey -what's even worse is trying to top the blessed things up. Spanish ATMs let you go through the whole motion of topping up -which can be very long-winded -before informing you at the end, nope, sorry, can't be done, no foreign credit cards luv. Same goes for online top-ups. Irish ATMs just either grey out the option or don't even show it.

Tremendous info, I look forward to getting my hands on one.

culabula

davemie wrote: »

I was using a Huawei E220 with the Huawei software and the below settings.

Spain - Movistar
* APN : movistar.es (Static)
* Number : *99#
* Username : MOVISTAR
* Password : MOVISTAR

Spain - Yoigo
* APN : internet (Static)
* Number : *99#
* Username : (blank)
* Password : (blank)

Why both?

culabula

I believe you are charged something like 2 cent per Kb, but a maximum charge of 1.20 euro (ex 7% VAT) per day. Check out the box labeled Navegar here

Yeah, it's 1,39€ al dia with VAT. Sounds as though it's only meant to be for mobile browsing (strictly speaking) but I'll rip the árse out of it :-)