Can you use a normal sim with our mobile broadband device?

DeoVolente

Hi all,

I'm home in Ireland for the summer and got a mobile broadband device, Alcatel R219T, and the €30 plan from Vodafone.

CurrentlyI'm going through the 50gb in less than a week with work, general WiFi and streaming.

Is there any cost effective way to get mobile broadband on a monthly basis? Can I use my regular phone sim in the device and get an unlimited Internet package with that?

Thanksfor any assistance.

FishOnABike

Three super surfer pre pay might be an option

https://www.three.ie/shop/plans/prepay-phone-plans.html

Shoog

3 mobile ordinary pay as you go SIMs should just work in your MIFI router. €20 per month for effectively unlimited data.

DeoVolente

Okay. Thanks for the feedback. Just for clarity again, I also got the mobile broadband router from Vodafone along with the sim.

Ihad already tried topping up the sim as a normal mobileand change the plan, but it doesn't work.

Just don't want to buy something else for it not to work with the mobile broadband router.

Thanks.

Ten Pin

There's a few potential hurdles...
The router might be locked to Vodafone and therefore only a Vodafone SIM will work. There is an unlimited VF PAYG phone plan for €20 BUT there is a possibility that the router might not allow a VF phone SIM in a Vodafone router. Only way to know is try it out.

You could also try another networks SIM to see if the router is locked, it might not be.

Ten Pin

"I had already tried topping up the sim as a normal mobile and change the plan, but it doesn't work."

It's possible that the SIM is configured to not allow phone plans.
However...
Plans must be changed BEFORE topping up.
You could try the SMS code for the phone unlimited data plan, does the router web interface allow sending SMS? If not then put the SIM in a phone and send the activation SMS for the plan as follows (BEFORE topping up):

DATAUL5 to 50222

Then check the MyVodafone portal to see what the plan is set to. If it worked, topping up by 20 should activate the unlimited data plan on that SIM which should then work in the router.
Last thing to do is set the APN within the router interface to:
live.vodafone.com

Finally and importantly, if there is still data remaining on the plan you are currently using, wait until that has been used before trying any of the above as any data balance will be cleared to zero by changing plans.

DeoVolente

Thanks for all the advice. I'll be trying them out at the end of this cycle.

Cheers.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122337542#Comment_122337542

Will that always work? Or is it technically against T&C's

They charge 30 quid per month for a broadband sim

Gregor Samsa

I use a "phone" Vodafone X plan/sim (with unlimited data) in a MIFI router in a remote location, €20 every 4 weeks. Been working for 2 years now without issue. Under the T&Cs, non-roaming data is actually unlimited (there's no hidden fair use limit like on a lot of other plans), but speed is capped at 10Mbps. Which is more than fine for my use. There's nothing in the T&Cs that limits what kind of device you can use it in.

As mentioned above, just make sure you're using the live.vodafone.com APN.

Shoog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122340426#Comment_122340426

Worked for us for months until we switched over to fibre. 3 seem fairly relaxed.

shmeee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122340426#Comment_122340426

I used a three prepay SIM for over 12 months for all household internet usage, I used 1/2TB's some months due to vast amount of downloading and streaming. Never an issue with usage.

Package was '3 prepay 20', unlimited data.

SIM was inserted into a Huawei router.

Just went into threw shop and asked for a new SIM for my phone with new number. No questions asked!