Just wondered if anyone has managed to use a Three SIM in the XDA?
Until Three recently sent me a new SIM my XDA worked happily with the old one. The new one doesn't work though and I'm forced to using my Motorola A920.
Regards
John
I seem to remember reading that 3 have done something clever to stop new 3 SIMS from working in non-3 phones... People were buying PAYG 3 SIMs and then using them on 2G the whole time to take advantage of the cheap phone calls... even though this meant that they were roaming on O2 the whole time and costing 3 loads of money!
Thanks for the reply.
You're absolutely right, but in my case I just wanted to use my WindowsCE based XDA phone instead of the Motorola A925 which 'personally' I hate.
My 3G package includes 500 minutes of free calls across networks and of course in using my XDA all calls were being routed through O2 so it's understandable 3 taking the action of changing the SIMS.
Hope someone can come up with a workaround!
John
Pope is correct. The company blocked any SIMs being used for just roaming on o2.
Hi
I've got an unlocked t-mobile universal and my contracts coming to an end, so i am looking to see whats available for mobile broadband and its all a bit confusing.
The big issue has to be whats allowed by the operators, T-mobile seems to block IM and skype
Three looks interesting The pay as you go options look reasonable, but for pay monthly people seem to have issues with them.
The others i know nothing about.
so who is best for mobile broadband?
The next issue usb dongle or using the phone as a modem.
on my universal connection seemed very slow about dial up speed really (t-mobile)
I think the universal doesnt support high speeds so perhaps the dongle is best.
I don't know is if a sim bought for a usb dongle will work in a mobile such as a htc-universal
also if other sims would work in the dongle. for example a local pay and go sim whilst out of the uk.
Mobile broadband seems a minefield especially if your going to sign a contract so any advice personal experience would be good to hear.
thank you
john
I have a Three PAYG Modem that I got about three months ago for £20. I also have my Nokia N95 on a Three contract. I use the USB Modem (ZTE Model) rarely. Normally I just use the PAYG Sim in my Vario III. If I need to use my laptop I just fire up WMWifiRouter and it works perfectly. If I can't get a single I also have a T-Mobile PAYG sim that I keep at a really low Value (Less than £4). T-Mobile should only cap the cost at a maximum of £1 a day.
The USB Dongles are almost always locked to the issuing network. Some of them can be unlocked but not all of them. I know the Soap block looking ones from three can be unlocked.
Hi, I've been using the Iphone PAYG unlimited internet SIM in my Polaris for over a month, quite happily.
O2 have just sent a text however saying that they know I'm not using the SIM in an Iphone and will cut off the Internet access within the month.
My question is - without using the WiFi radio part (which I don't BTW) how on earth can the O2 Network know that its not an iphone connecting?
All advice gratefully received.
D
probably since o2 know what imei numbers are iphones therefore yours is not an iphone and so you get the data cut off.
Thats my best but o2 is really hot on that then if they are about to cut you off what a load of bull****?!?!?
yay or nay
chris10230 said:
probably since o2 know what imei numbers are iphones therefore yours is not an iphone and so you get the data cut off.
Thats my best but o2 is really hot on that then if they are about to cut you off what a load of bull****?!?!?
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anybody actualy sure how o2 do check what their sim is connected through,do o2 use different system from 3uk,cos the old nokia n95/96 cab works and that does not change imei,just some of the browser type settings in advanced settings.
from what i have picked up on various forums,some folk using hacked mobile broadband dongles have got away with months and months before anyone noticing,but hook a mobile phone up witho2 iphone sim they soon notice!!
anyone got any help
I am not entirely certain but i suspect there are headers for data packets embedded in the phone that let o2 know what phone you use.
I found this out when trying to figure out why o2 would limit mms file sizes, see
this thread but the jist of it from what i can make out is that your browser and mms services have a user agent string that indicates the device you are using. In opera they are under the about:config options, the location for mms is in the thread.
There may be more of these header strings but i suspect what might help is that you get the iphone string and alter your polaris onces to suit.
You are being watched lol.
Don't worry about this. I got that message 3 months ago, still surfing on 3g (but not wifi). As long as you keep your credit over a £1 you'll be alright.
I just got my Nexus One unsubsidised about a week ago. Although it can apply for other phones I guess, but I'm interested what your thoughts are to the UK residents on here at xda. I don't plan on signing a new 12+ month contract because I want to save it in case some newer phone comes along.
My contract on my T-Mobile Vario 3 (kaiser) ran out over half a year ago and have since changed to a 30 day SIM only plan (Solo 20 on T-Mob). I was thinking of changing to O2 as since it's the UK provider that actually supports EDGE nationally. Well Orange I think supports it too but it's not on a national scale I dont' think. I travel fairly often on the motorway as well as on trains so I figured having EDGE available while I go through some countryside would be nice.
All 4 providers offer 600 mins for £20 a month, but Orange doesn't include internet at all, Voda only 500MB, while O2 and T-Mob offer unlimited (with FUP of course). Going lower than £20 a month none of them offer internet as part of the package, which is the main reason I am on the T-Mob £20 pm package.
My typical usage hovers around 300 mins a month, I rarely text, and I mostly use my phone for surfing (news, mail, occasional social sites). Now here is the dilema. Last week T-Mobile just overhauled their SIM only monthly plans. All their plans now allow a choice of flexible boosters, which includes unlimited internet as 1 of them. The boosters are available to even their £10 100 mins plan as well! I am more interested in their £15 plan with 300 mins and choosing the internet booster.
So the question is, do I stick with T-Mobile and change to their £15 plan, goto O2 for £20 with EDGE support, or maybe even goto Vodafone because they are using gnomes to speed their internet speed that I am not aware of?
Why havent you mentioned 3? They have the best 3g or hsdpa coverage in the country and also offer unlimited data.
Only trouble is their customer service call centre is in India and they arent very helpfull.
Thats a good point. I have totally forgotten about 3 for some reason. The £15 package from 3 looks interesting. But as I understand that 3 only uses UTMS (3g) frequencies and does not support GSM (2g) frequencies? Which is the reason they always say that 2g only phones are never supported.
I am using a Shift on O2, 30 day contract sim only which is 14.99 per month + £7.50 for unlimited data. This works well though HSDPA cells are not as frequent as I'd like them (on the North Kent Coast).
My Touch Pro 2 is on T-Mobile payg. Plenty of HSDPA cells wherever I go and as long as I topup 10/month data is unlimited for the following month. This setup works quite well for me.
3 have 2g roaming with orange. If you can't pick up a 3g signal, then it connects to oranges 2g towers. The sim cards will only work in a phone if it has 3g, but it doesn't need to use 3g, (just costs them more if you dont).
im with o2 on a 30 day rolling contract, its great.
for £20 u get 600 mins 1200 texts (600 double texts and 600 single texts) + i have added the unlimited data bolt-on as my free bolt-on.
go with o2 my friend, i have never had a problem with them
Do you have EDGE working on the O2? As it's one of the main reasons for me considering O2 as I don't like to be stuck on GPRS while around the countryside without a 3G signal.
Well I've finally nailed it down to either O2 or 3. 3 for their biggest 3G coverage or O2 for EDGE (if it's confirmed working that is).
Use O2 on pay as go Text & Web pretty much always HSDPA or 3G coverage when go out in the sticks it flips between GPRS & EDGE.
I moved to T-Mobile when purchased Touch Pro but soon went back to O2 as constant connection problems when surfing and problems with signal dropping out.
3 meant to be good coverage but @ home had to go outside house just to get signal.
Orange are good for signal but absolute bismal on data usage p/m.
Makaijin said:
Do you have EDGE working on the O2? As it's one of the main reasons for me considering O2 as I don't like to be stuck on GPRS while around the countryside without a 3G signal.
Well I've finally nailed it down to either O2 or 3. 3 for their biggest 3G coverage or O2 for EDGE (if it's confirmed working that is).
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EDGE works fine, im rarely in a 3g area so i have to use EDGE and GPRS a lot. both work fine.
OK, went over to my mates this afternoon to borrow his O2 sim, he's currently on the £20 30 day so I had a play with that on my Nexus one. EDGE works great on the N1. My brother has a spare 3 Pay & Go card lying around that he dug out just now. Testing on it now. If you turn off 3G it roams on the Orange network in 2G mode which connects with EDGE as well!
Now I'm even more at a loss. O2 is £20 pm with 600 mins, but its over-minutes charges are 20p a min(same for land, and all mobile networks). 3 has £15 for 300 mins, but it's over-minutes to other mobiles are 40p a min, wtf? But 3 does have unlimited skype calls which my girlfriend might like since she calls back to China a lot. My average useage hovers around 300 mins, but I do go over it a bit sometimes. Do I control my phone useage a little bit for better 3G coverage and free Skype calls? Or go with O2 for a little more flexibility in minutes?
Argh! Which to choose, which to choose...
After sleeping over it, I have finally decided to go for O2. I don't like that 3 is too expense for over-minutes call charges, and the fact it has to roam with Orange for 2G. Although free Skype calls is very attractive, my current skype habits doesn't really involve me using it outside of my home anyways.
Thanks for everyone's help and comments.
Makaijin said:
After sleeping over it, I have finally decided to go for O2. I don't like that 3 is too expense for over-minutes call charges, and the fact it has to roam with Orange for 2G. Although free Skype calls is very attractive, my current skype habits doesn't really involve me using it outside of my home anyways.
Thanks for everyone's help and comments.
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I think that's a good choice, I'm on O2, SIM Only for £20 and I get:
700 mins
1400 texts (MMS is 1:4)
My Choice of Bolt On (currently Web but has been Blackberry sometimes)
ITS included
[I got their January offer which upped the online tariff from 600 mins and 1200 texts]
I moved to O2 because I travel quite a bit and in addition to ITS you get:
Text messages to the UK taken from bundle at the rate of 1:4
MMS messages to the UK taken from bundle at the rate of 1:4
You can buy a data bundle currently 10MB/£20 and 50MB/£50 - better than £7.50 per MB that I had to pay with T-Mobile.
Best of all, if you don't like it you can give notice and move.
edenc said:
I am using a Shift on O2, 30 day contract sim only which is 14.99 per month + £7.50 for unlimited data. This works well though HSDPA cells are not as frequent as I'd like them (on the North Kent Coast).
My Touch Pro 2 is on T-Mobile payg. Plenty of HSDPA cells wherever I go and as long as I topup 10/month data is unlimited for the following month. This setup works quite well for me.
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Wouldn't you be better off moving to their £20 per month tariff?
DuoM said:
Wouldn't you be better off moving to their £20 per month tariff?
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Only valid reason for his choice would be that he's using a different inclusive Bolt-On, like unlimited O2 to O2 calls, or maybe unlimited weekend calls? Having just checked, things like unlimited internet can be paid extras whereas things like unlimited O2 to O2 you can only take up with your inclusive Bolt-On.
Makaijin said:
Only valid reason for his choice would be that he's using a different inclusive Bolt-On, like unlimited O2 to O2 calls, or maybe unlimited weekend calls? Having just checked, things like unlimited internet can be paid extras whereas things like unlimited O2 to O2 you can only take up with your inclusive Bolt-On.
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Ahh, yes. Good point.
Thanks
Well, just to keep this thread alive, yesteday Vodafone just updated some of their 30 day plans. One interesting plan is a £25 pm plan that comes with 1GB internet and WiFi with BT Openzone.
With 4 of the major providers updating their plans since January, it'll interesting what Orange will come up with if they do update their packages.
Ah, the wonders of 30 day contracts.
Makaijin said:
Well, just to keep this thread alive, yesteday Vodafone just updated some of their 30 day plans. One interesting plan is a £25 pm plan that comes with 1GB internet and WiFi with BT Openzone.
With 4 of the major providers updating their plans since January, it'll interesting what Orange will come up with if they do update their packages.
Ah, the wonders of 30 day contracts.
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Click to collapse
That 1GB plan looks like an iPhone plan. I asked them about their contract plans with 1GB data, etc last month and they said that you could only get them with an iPhone but since these are SIM Only it should be possible to use them with any phone (unless Vodafone try and restrict the device somehow).
Makaijin said:
After sleeping over it, I have finally decided to go for O2. I don't like that 3 is too expense for over-minutes call charges, and the fact it has to roam with Orange for 2G. Although free Skype calls is very attractive, my current skype habits doesn't really involve me using it outside of my home anyways.
Thanks for everyone's help and comments.
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You do realise that all "Free Skype Calls" means is that they allow you to use the internet freely to make skype to skype calls using their app?
You'll get the same on o2 seeing as how you're getting an internet bolt on, all you need to do is get a Skype app.
Actually no. The 3 version of the skype app actually dials out a number and doesn't connect via 3G internet nor via wifi if it's available. It reroutes the voice data using a voice connection within the 3 network. The IM portion of skype still uses the 3G data network though. According to my brother, using skype voice via 3 is a really good experience. You don't get drop-outs at all, unlike when you are in a car travelling and it switches cells and/or the connection switches between HSDPA and EDGE etc. Plus all other 4 major carriers have ToC's explicitly restricting VoIP use, although none of them actively block out VoIP apps atm.
i've been looking at giffgaff but after receiving 4 sims - none of which will register i'm wondering if they're that difficult to get registered with, how bad can the service be?
hit me up with genuine Uk unlimited no-cap-throttles or fair usage nonsense on uk networks please
payg preferably, sim only contracts considered.
thanks
I have been using 3UK for years, and I have the all-you-can-eat data plan, sim only.
I pay a MONTHLY contract of 15 pounds ( so I can stop it wherever I want), with 300 min+ 5000 SMS, free 3 to 3 calls, and all-you-can-eat-data.
Works flawlessly. With Speednet test I got always 6/7 MB download sometimes more, I watch in streaming a lots of football games without issues (even on my old Hero), and I got a good signal everywhere. My friends are using 3UK too, no problem so far.
Hope this can help.