Cheap SIM card

IanH
IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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Amazon are currently selling a 24Gb mobile data SIM for £24.80.

They say that it's an 'Amazon special' and indeed, the biggest that Three sell themselves is 12Gb and for that they charge £30

These can be used in mifi devices and tablets and benefit from Three's 'feel at home' scheme, so can be used in many other countries without incurring extra charges (or even having to do anything more than turn on 'roaming').

The 24Gb card lasts for up to 2 years (or until the data runs out, obviously). The 12GB card only lasts for up to 1 year.

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited December 2016 #2
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,958 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #3

    OH just checked Amazon £28.40 for 24Gb, IanH did you see differant.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,856 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #5

    That seems an excellent buy. However a question. Am I right in thinking that if you use it abroad like you do at home is it limited to two months use whilst abroad? Will they let you use it abroad for multipal trips?

    David

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,958 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #6

    One now bought for the mifi, thanks Ianh.Smile

  • Biggarmac
    Biggarmac Forum Participant Posts: 364
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    edited December 2016 #7

    +1

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited December 2016 #8

    OH just checked Amazon £28.40 for 24Gb, IanH did you see differant.

    Whoops, brain fade.......yes it's £28.40.......still good value though.

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited December 2016 #9

    That seems an excellent buy. However a question. Am I right in thinking that if you use it abroad like you do at home is it limited to two months use whilst abroad? Will they let you use it abroad for multipal trips?

    David

    David - as I mentioned elsewhere, I've not been able to locate anything about a 2 month limit on the Three website, although I admit that their website is very difficult to navigate.

    They do say that the 'feel at home' facility is not meant to be for those who live over-seas, so this might have something to do with it.

    I suggest that anyone spending long periods abroad to speak to Three and explain your circumstances. There might be a way around it.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited December 2016 #10

    a quick Google found this summary from a 'best buy' type website....i havent checked Three's own website for the Fair Usage Policy as its a nightmare to find anything....

    5. A fair use policy

    More seriously, Feel at Home has a Fair Use policy. Exceeding the service limits will result in all services being suspended abroad. 

    Time limit: Anyone using Feel At Home exclusively when they're abroad, or for at least a month, more than twice a year, could well have their account's international roaming suspended.

    Basically, Three aren't prepared to let people use the service if they're living between two places.

    under the Time Limit section, this must be where the two months comes in.....one month, twice....

    so two months away would be your lot for the year.....

     

    EDIT: its here under Usage Restrictions.....the page wouldnt let me copy the revlavent paragraph, sorry.

  • MichaelT
    MichaelT Forum Participant Posts: 1,874
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    edited December 2016 #11

    Just buy 2 cards, use 1 for a month then swap, repeat as required. I  guess if you are in Spain say for the winter it would be cheaper to buy a local payg sim and just use the 3 one whilst travelling down and randomly while in Spain? 

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited December 2016 #12

    two card would mean two different numbers, a bit of a pain possibly...as wpuld local SIMs, though for data only (mifi) this would be fine...

    i just prefer having the whole thing (mins and data) fully portable with no restrictions.....or extra kit or costs.Happy

  • MichaelT
    MichaelT Forum Participant Posts: 1,874
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    edited December 2016 #13

    two card would mean two different numbers, a bit of a pain possibly...as wpuld local SIMs, though for data only (mifi) this would be fine...

    i just prefer having the whole thing (mins and data) fully portable with no restrictions.....or extra kit or costs.Happy

    Write your comments here...I was thinking more of mifi but I guess if you want to use it for call it's more of a pain for anyone calling you.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,663 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #14

    We have been using the 3 feel at home SIM for wifi for several years now.  To get round  the 2 month thing, which our daughter told us about (she is on 3) we have previously bought the 1GB or 3GB pre loaded cards, finding we used at least 2 or 3 GB in a 2 month trip.

    For next year we have bought 12 GB as we will be using a few CLs before and after we are abroad for 2 months.

    For calls (very few) we have our PAYG phones.

    We already have all the kit, so it works for us.

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited December 2016 #15

    As said before, we found that the mifi got a far better signal in France than either of our phones. Surprising, as I always thought it would be the opposite.

    However, this meant that we didn't miss the ability to tether from our phones, because it was better to use the mifi.

    And as with KjeIINN, we have the mifi anyway, it just sits in the corner of the caravan providing good wifi......and at just over £1 per Gb the cost is neither here nor there.

     

  • dmiller555
    dmiller555 Forum Participant Posts: 717
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    edited December 2016 #16

    I've just taken delivery of mine and installed it in my iPad, no setting up required connected straight away useing the 4g network. 

    Regarding roaming abroad I quote from the included paperwork:

    "Roaming charges suck. You can use your data allowance to get online abroad at no extra cost in 18 destinations worldwide. Simply use your inclusive allowance or buy one of our Add-ons to fully enjoy." 

    Mind it doesn't say that this Sim is valid for 2 years but it does say that top-ups are only valid for a month and that one should connect at least once per 6 months to maintain the account.

     

     

     

  • Merve
    Merve Forum Participant Posts: 2,333
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    edited December 2016 #17

    Amazon are currently selling a 24Gb mobile data SIM for £24.80.

    They say that it's an 'Amazon special' and indeed, the biggest that Three sell themselves is 12Gb and for that they charge £30

    These can be used in mifi devices and tablets and benefit from Three's 'feel at home' scheme, so can be used in many other countries without incurring extra charges (or even having to do anything more than turn on 'roaming').

    The 24Gb card lasts for up to 2 years (or until the data runs out, obviously). The 12GB card only lasts for up to 1 year.

    Write your comments here...Ian, I have a buzzard 2 from EE. That data only lasts a month or 30 days! If you don't use it, you loose it! That is a ripoff- surely if you buy it, it's yours to use- not EEs to throw away!! 

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited December 2016 #18

    You would think so, Merve......bu not so.

    I think this Three one is a good buy.

  • Merve
    Merve Forum Participant Posts: 2,333
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    edited December 2016 #19

    You would think so, Merve......bu not so.

    I think this Three one is a good buy.

    Write your comments here...it certainly sounds it!!

  • Dottydingle
    Dottydingle Forum Participant Posts: 11
    edited December 2016 #20

    Thanks Ian, just ordered one.

  • BlueVanMan
    BlueVanMan Forum Participant Posts: 382
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    edited December 2016 #21

    think the limitation for roaming use in the quite large list of countries is 60 days in any one year or should I say 365 day period . I have just bought a 24GB sim "exclusive to Amazon for a limited period" I simply don't know what will happen
    after 12 months i.e will another 60/365 day window open. Time will tell but the 24GB was cheaper than the 12GB was in some outlets. Going over the permitted roaming day allowance will if applied result in the roaming privilidge for the sim being suspended
    but how this will work in practice remains to be seen . 

  • CBRBlackbird
    CBRBlackbird Forum Participant Posts: 184
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    edited December 2016 #22

    I have just received the 24Gb sim together with a new TP-Link 4g MiFi (my old mifi was only 3g)

    Easy set-up and is giving fast broadband that my BT home system!

    Great value as it will now cover Club sites, commercial sites and our holidays to Greece.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited December 2016 #23

    just to compare these deals....

    i now have a Vodafone £15 month sim only unltd mins, unltd txt, 5gb uk tetherable data....this in itself is a really good deal.

    however, for no extra charge, my mins and texts can be used in europe AND i get a separate extra 24gb of data each year (2gb per month) to use in Europe, which can also be tethered.

    no additional mifi, no additional sim, no additional charges, same phone number.

    i even think that there is a further price incentive on (in stores) this week.....

    deals like the amazon one have been mentioned, but the kit (mifi) and the charges for these are in addition to whatever the customer is paying for their phone service.....which takes the edge off the deal.

     

  • MichaelT
    MichaelT Forum Participant Posts: 1,874
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    edited December 2016 #24

    Yes but its with Vodafone, probably the worst of the mobile companies to do business with as they have the worst customer service and billing system ever...surprised

    The good thing about being on 1 provider with your phone and another fro data via a mifi is if one does not get a signal chances are the other will.  Also to change mobile providers is a bit more hassle and once you are ready BB try and get a PAC code from them.

    Like everything else its horses for courses and personal preference to who you have your mobile with, we are happy with BT but want to have internet access abroad and in this country where Wi-Fi is not available or poor and do not want to risk running up a large bill or use all my monthly allowance to watch a film or sport etc.

  • CBRBlackbird
    CBRBlackbird Forum Participant Posts: 184
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    edited December 2016 #25

    I've found the conditions for the Three  'Feel at Home' usage abroard.

     

    Is there any other information about Feel At Home that I should know?

    All of our Advanced Plans include a set of allowances, made up of a specified number of units. You can use a portion of these

    allowances in our Feel At Home destinations each month. For example, with All-you-can-eat data, you can use up to 12GB each

    month to get online; with All-you-can-eat texts you can send up to 5,000 texts back to the UK each month from a Feel At Home

    destination; and if you have 3,000 or more minutes included in your allowance, you can talk for up to 3,000 minutes on calls back

    to the UK each month. If you exceed your 12GB monthly data allowance, your data usage may be blocked in our Feel At Home

    destinations until your next billing period. If you exceed any of these allowances for any 2 months within a rolling 12-month period

    we have the right to suspend international roaming on your account, meaning you will no longer be able to use your device or

    allowance abroad. Of course, we will let you know in advance if this is likely to happen.

    Feel At Home is intended for our UK customers who are visiting one of the destinations for short periods, like holidays or

    business trips. It isn’t designed for people who live abroad or stay for extended periods. If you roam exclusively in a Feel At Home

    destination for any 2 complete months in a rolling 12-month period, we may suspend international roaming on your account,

    meaning you will no longer be able to use your phone or device abroad. Of course, we will let you know in advance if this is likely

    to happen. If you spend a full month abroad but some of that time is spent in a destination that isn’t included in Feel At Home, the

    restriction won’t apply.

    You can’t use your phone as a personal hotspot in a Feel At Home destination.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited December 2016 #26

    as listed above, Three customers dont have the same freedom on timescales as some other providers....those staying for more than eight weeks could suddenly be without a service...

    i also carry spare network sims, our ipads are both 4g and each have a different network sim card, so we get a choice of three different networks....

    however, i have found Vodafone to be far more transparent than some with regard to what you can and cant do with the data when abroad.

    we have tried Three, O2 and EE sims and none is any better than Vodafone which, so far, has proved to have great coverage, and at a great price.

    ive used then abroad previously, before this latest deal was brought out, and their service was fine.

    ill be interested to check it out further next month when we go away.

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited December 2016 #27

    But £15 per month is £180 per year. Every year.

    We also found Vodafone to be far inferior for coverage.......including at home.

    We found the £30 / 12Gb sim to be plenty for our needs last year. 

    So the £28 / 24Gb sim will be even better value.

    Horses for courses, but I wouldn't want to be tied into a monthly contract for data when w only need it on holiday and some months would hardly use it.

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited December 2016 #28

    But £15 per month is £180 per year. Every year.

    We also found Vodafone to be far inferior for coverage.......including at home.

    We found the £30 / 12Gb sim to be plenty for our needs last year. 

    So the £28 / 24Gb sim will be even better value.

    Horses for courses, but I wouldn't want to be tied into a monthly contract for data when w only need it on holiday and some months would hardly use it.

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited December 2016 #29

    Boring........