3 Uk Sim

BobMc

Hey All, anyone know if and how easy I could get my hands on a 3 UK sim for payg, they've a Three Like Home deal with 12gb data I'd like to use while on holidays, 20stg for it any advice be appreciated or by all means alternatives !!

MBSnr

BobMc wrote: »

Hey All, anyone know if and how easy I could get my hands on a 3 UK sim for payg, they've a Three Like Home deal with 12gb data I'd like to use while on holidays, 20stg for it any advice be appreciated or by all means alternatives !!

I got a Three UK SIM but I was in the UK at the time - so connected to their own network and topped up there. You can't top up on line unless you have a UK registered card, so I had to buy a voucher in a store.

I guess you could get someone to buy it and post it to you?
Not sure if it'll work if you just get hold of a SIM and first turn it on outside of the 'home' network.

My Three UK SIM no longer works here as they noticed I'd turned it on in Ireland but hadn't been back to connect to the home network in the UK for a few months, so they disabled roaming on it for 12 months... At least the credit lasts 180 days without use.

BobMc

Got you, might need to be used in uk first, then roamed away, have someone who could get me one, I might give it a lash send them the few bob over.

ta for info

MBSnr

BobMc wrote: »

Got you, might need to be used in uk first, then roamed away, have someone who could get me one, I might give it a lash send them the few bob over.

ta for info

Yeah they could put the SIM in a phone to register it as active, create a login on the three website (think you need to get a text back to confirm/validate - can't recall) to generate the login/password. However there is no need to register a name/address with them - you can then change the password afterwards.

The only benefit of registering with them is that you can quickly see your account credit when abroad. There is no call or usage history which is a shame.

There is also a Three UK app. I have it but it's only useful in the UK if using their masts for data. If you use it on another network or wifi it just redirects to a webpage to login anyhow. No benefit of having it really apart from the bubble game that comes with it... strangely addictive...

BobMc

shame three.ie dont have same deal for us suckers in ireland !!

ROVER

MBSnr wrote: »

I got a Three UK SIM but I was in the UK at the time - so connected to their own network and topped up there. You can't top up on line unless you have a UK registered card, so I had to buy a voucher in a store.

I guess you could get someone to buy it and post it to you?
Not sure if it'll work if you just get hold of a SIM and first turn it on outside of the 'home' network.

My Three UK SIM no longer works here as they noticed I'd turned it on in Ireland but hadn't been back to connect to the home network in the UK for a few months, so they disabled roaming on it for 12 months... At least the credit lasts 180 days without use.

I could not find this in their T&C do you have a link? I used a 3UK SIM in the states earlier this year worked great. Going back later on in the summer so was planning to top up on line and use it again. How can I check if they have disabled my roaming?

MBSnr

ROVER wrote: »

I could not find this in their T&C do you have a link? I used a 3UK SIM in the states earlier this year worked great. Going back later on in the summer so was planning to top up on line and use it again. How can I check if they have disabled my roaming?

No link. I had heard that they warned at 30 days and disabled at 60 days if not in home network in between. I used it Oct last year and then must have put SIM in the phone again after 60 days had passed for some reason. Could occur with you if you haven't used it in the UK since the US visit. Can't say really.

You can check on your Three online account. Mine says roaming is disabled internationally. I rang their customer service when I was last in the UK but could not get it enabled again. They told me it'll enable again in Oct. Seems the penalty for extended use outside of the UK is 12 months limited to UK only.

whiterebel

BobMc wrote: »

Hey All, anyone know if and how easy I could get my hands on a 3 UK sim for payg, they've a Three Like Home deal with 12gb data I'd like to use while on holidays, 20stg for it any advice be appreciated or by all means alternatives !!

I bought one on Amazon UK, but you can't top it up. Works fine abroad.

ROVER

whiterebel wrote: »

I bought one on Amazon UK, but you can't top it up. Works fine abroad.

I use www.mobiletopup.co.uk I think they charge £1 but works fine.

billbond4

you can buy those sims on ebay topped up with 20GBP to give you the data for use abroad. so you dont need to worry about the first topup anyway.
I will be getting one from there and setting up an old phone as a wifi hotspot when im abroad.

nualaonthewall

Can't use it as a WiFi hotspot abroad, unfortunately. It's in the T&Cs but I had a go here in Spain, only to get warned off Am looking at buying a pay as you go sim now that allows tethering.

billbond4

What phone did you try it in? didnt think the network would be able to tell if your using it as a hotspot

billbond4

Depends on what device your using as a hotpsot.
Try this https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.kernelxp.freetether

abarkie

Feel at home can be very slow for data

Used it in Ireland, Spain, USA & New Zealand

If you want to wait until June you can have mine when i am back or I would be happy to get one and get it sent over or bring when i visit Dublin in Mid June

Quazzie

Does this work for Sim cards bought up the north or only for ones bought on mainland UK?

nualaonthewall

billbond4 wrote: »

What phone did you try it in? didnt think the network would be able to tell if your using it as a hotspot

Motorola G. Was trying to use it with my Android tablet. Warning came up on the Motorola screen saying that I was trying to access a prohibited feature abroad and was being blocked. Not sure of the exact wording as I clicked out in case they blocked my entire connection and left me with nothing!
Have been investigating local sim options and they're good. Can get around 2Gb for 20 euro with a few networks, lasting 30 days.

nualaonthewall

Quazzie wrote: »

Does this work for Sim cards bought up the north or only for ones bought on mainland UK?

Bought mine in NI. Worked well last year but seems a lot slower this year. Had WiFi where we stayed last year, so didn't need to tether. Only have the sim this year and not finding it great. Phone Internet only is a bit wearing on the eyes imo.

billbond4

both sim cards

billbond4

What version of Android is running on your Motorola G?
Just doing some reading on Three do a bit of packet sniffing to see your not tethering, but if your Motorola is rooted you should be able to hide that.

Looks like I need to do some testing when I get my SIM from Three UK to make sure Tethering is working before I go.

billbond4

some info here
http://androidforums.com/threads/how-to-bypass-tethering-block-on-three-network.542650/page-10

nualaonthewall

billbond4 wrote: »

What version of Android is running on your Motorola G?
Just doing some reading on Three do a bit of packet sniffing to see your not tethering, but if your Motorola is rooted you should be able to hide that.

Looks like I need to do some testing when I get my SIM from Three UK to make sure Tethering is working before I go.

Marshmallow and not rooted. Don't know enough about it to try it, especially when away and no PC. Phone is dual sim, so going to get a Spanish one here later today. Will let you know how I get on. Have to bring passport with me and use Google translate with the blurb. According to some of the salesmen in the phone shops, their sims will all but make me tea in the morning and Sangria at night!

billbond4

hmm thats a good package that makes tea and Sangria.
Yeah with marshmallow, if your tethering it shows up, so you will need to hide it (if its possible)
I will be using an older Jellybean phone so hopefully it will be easier to hide tethering
And a Gingerbread phone as backup,so hopefully the tethering should be ok, and cheap calls back home too

nualaonthewall

billbond4 wrote: »

hmm thats a good package that makes tea and Sangria.
Yeah with marshmallow, if your tethering it shows up, so you will need to hide it (if its possible)
I will be using an older Jellybean phone so hopefully it will be easier to hide tethering
And a Gingerbread phone as backup,so hopefully the tethering should be ok, and cheap calls back home too

It's a good job the weather was poor today. Spent hours in 4 mobile phone shops trying to get what they advertised online. Finally opted for 2gb with an Orange sim for 15e. It's working fine now and tethering perfectly. Vodafone salesmen lost the ability to speak English when I asked for the advertised tourist option at 15, while Movistar wanted 30 for a 7e deal from Tuenti because I was using a passport to get it! The same deal can be obtained online for 10e for 2gb if you have a Spanish address to post the sim to.
Like everything else I suppose,it's buyer beware.

PeterDuggan

BobMc wrote: »

Hey All, anyone know if and how easy I could get my hands on a 3 UK sim for payg, they've a Three Like Home deal with 12gb data I'd like to use while on holidays, 20stg for it any advice be appreciated or by all means alternatives !!

I have one Bob. PM me if you want it.

sue97

I have one of these sims but the iphone is not recognising it in Ireland. Any suggestions.

billbond4

Is your iPhone locked?

billbond4

I got one and worked no problem on an unlocked android phone.
Three UK throttle netfix streaming from what I noticed

sue97

Yes, thanks, my phone was locked and i did not know. Off to unlock it.

billbond4

Grand, let us know if you have any problems. I'm off to France next week so hope everything stays working over there

mayogeezer123

So im going to the Uk this week and have a three sim waiting for me, my phone is unlocked if i put the three sim in, it wont lock it to that network cause i want to be able to use my irish sim when i come back ?

gazzaman22

I'm off to spain next week, Do any of you know if tethering is allowed, on any spanish networks?
I have an unlocked mobile Android that i would like to act as a hotspot for other devices, Have any of you any information on any of the networks allowing tethering?

If i can get my hands on one of these http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/1586468.htm#pdpFullDesc

Could i pop this in my unlocked phone?

Gaz

MBSnr

whiterebel wrote: »

I bought one on Amazon UK, but you can't top it up. Works fine abroad.

Managed to top my 3 UK sim up online using a Revolut card. Just set the address in the Revolut app to a UK one.

billbond4

or you could use this website
http://www.mobiletopup.co.uk/

billbond4

Its only possible for three uk to know your tethering on some versions of Android.
Whatever or not they block your tethering im not sure.

On my tethering phone (running Jellybean) I had no problem tethering in France last week.
Three UK do hammer streaming when abroad so i didnt do any, but I was able to surf and backup photos which is what I wanted it for.

You need to get a Normal package sim, as those sims wont work outside the UK. i.e you need something like this
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5499843.htm

eamonnq

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Three-3G-pay-as-you-go-sim-with-300-mins-3000-texts-12GB-data-/272403796780?hash=item3f6c88132c:g:B3UAAOSw9IpXyFVe

Would this work, or would you have to be in the UK to 'activate' it first ??

MBSnr

MBSnr wrote: »

No link. I had heard that they warned at 30 days and disabled at 60 days if not in home network in between. I used it Oct last year and then must have put SIM in the phone again after 60 days had passed for some reason. Could occur with you if you haven't used it in the UK since the US visit. Can't say really.

You can check on your Three online account. Mine says roaming is disabled internationally. I rang their customer service when I was last in the UK but could not get it enabled again. They told me it'll enable again in Oct. Seems the penalty for extended use outside of the UK is 12 months limited to UK only.

Just an update on this. Managed to use their live chat whilst in the UK to re-enable my roaming after a year of being restricted to the UK only. I've given the UK number to people, so suits me to keep the same one. Now I can use it abroad once if needed as long as I don't turn it on outside the UK again without connecting to the UK network in between.