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Using PAYG SIM card for home broadband

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  • 05-08-2021 10:11am
    #1
    michaelduignan
    Registered Users Posts: 89 ✭✭


    Apologies if this has been asked numerous times but I struggled to find the answers I needed.

    Looking for an alternative to Imagine Broadband as speed is very poor in the evenings.

    Can I use a 30 day rolling SIM card (from Eir/Three) together with an unlocked WIFI router instead? Is this allowed? Is there any issues with not having the SIM in an actual phone?

    Both claim to have unlimited data but is there fair usage figures in place? Also i read somewhere that GOMO for example gives expected download speeds of 10Mbps when on 4G. Is this similar for Eir and Three?

    It appears i am in a 5g enabled area according to Three/Eir. My current mobile phone is with Vodafone and I dont have 5G at home - are Vodafone slower to roll this out? When i do a speedtest on my vodafone 4g network at home I can see 50Mbps at times.

    Should I look at getting a 5G wifi router?

    Thanks



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    #2
    basill
    Registered Users Posts: 1,348 ✭✭✭basill


    That will work fine. I am essentially doing the same thing at the moment. Am in the process of getting broadband setup but the new ISP is saying line is still active (which it aint). So I use my phone to hotspot for my devices. As I am sucking up the data and my limit on 48 is 100gb a month I purchased another 48 sim for 10.99 a month. Have this in a Huawei 4g dongle and its working faultlessly.

    Things to consider:

    • there is no such thing as unlimited 4g data in Ireland, most have a fair usage cap which you will have to check through the T&Cs
    • ensure the sim provider allows you to hotspot
    • if 5G is available in your area it would be worthwhile confirming if the 5G router that they would supply is capable of downgrading to 4G to ensure a continuity of service.

    I can recommend 48 as its a monthly membership so you can cancel and only be out of pocket a small amount if you find their signal is unreliable. Of course external aerials are available for 4G routers to help improve the signal. I don't think that the 5G routers that are being supplied in Ireland by the big players have the capability to have an external antenna which is a shame and to purchase your own 5G router is eye watering at the moment.



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    #3
    Laphroaig52
    Registered Users Posts: 1,099 ✭✭✭Laphroaig52


    Any recommendations for a good 3G/4G router?

    I need an internet connection in a holiday home that will only be occupied occassionally.

    We can use our phones most of the time while we are there and I don't need Netflix etc.

    But I do want ongoing connectivity for some home automation and monitoring (view cameras, monitor heat, turn on and off smart sockets etc)

    This seems like a good enough deal. Although I think it will only give 12 GB here. Still, it would probably be enough and £40 for two years service seems reasonable.

    Anybody have any other solutions or doing similar?



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    #4
    Laphroaig52
    Registered Users Posts: 1,099 ✭✭✭Laphroaig52


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117742648#Comment_117742648

    By "This", I mean https://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Mobile-Pay-Broadband-Data-Black/dp/B01M3VJ2B2/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=three+roaming&qid=1628773180&sr=8-5



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