Three MiFi quandry?

[Yorkie]

I discovered in a post recently that Three offer a data sim that can be used out of the UK and set off on a trail of investigation.

I have found Sim cards for Data for 3 or 12 months of use which seem perfect so i need a device to hold it
I searched for a MIFI and this gives me a dilemma:

If i take a three contract the man says i can cancel it with a 30 day notice period and this gets me a 4G unit
If i buy a separate MIFI unit and SIM then i only get 3G units.
I looked at unlocked wireless units but they don't even mention 3G so may run lower.

Does anyone have experience of a practical solution? I even dug out my old EE Nokia and thought about unlocking it and just using that abroad.

 

[WelshGas]

I discovered in a post recently that Three offer a data sim that can be used out of the UK and set off on a trail of investigation.

I have found Sim cards for Data for 3 or 12 months of use which seem perfect so i need a device to hold it
I searched for a MIFI and this gives me a dilemma:

If i take a three contract the man says i can cancel it with a 30 day notice period and this gets me a 4G unit
If i buy a separate MIFI unit and SIM then i only get 3G units.
I looked at unlocked wireless units but they don't even mention 3G so may run lower.

Does anyone have experience of a practical solution? I even dug out my old EE Nokia and thought about unlocking it and just using that abroad.

I just bought a 3 PAYG MiFi. Definitely has the capability for 4G if available. Got it from the local 3 shop.

 

[GrannyJen]

I have a 4G MiFi from Three. I bought it three years ago on a 30 day contract.

EE also do a 4G PAYG MiFi. Both EE and 3 offer no roaming charges in Europe.

 

[theonecraw]

@Yorkie - https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/4g-in-the-cali.14046/#post-147733

 

[Yorkie]

I have a 4G MiFi from Three. I bought it three years ago on a 30 day contract.

EE also do a 4G PAYG MiFi. Both EE and 3 offer no roaming charges in Europe.

I asked in my retailer last evening and he told me EE didn't offer the no roaming option.

The EE devices are a lot more modern and also i could pop it into my old phone for when i am away from the van.

 

[GrannyJen]

EE have all of Europe with no roaming. I checked them out only yesterday.

Now, I was looking at contract as I have EE for my home Broadband but I don't see PAYG being any different.

 

[Yorkie]

@Yorkie - https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/4g-in-the-cali.14046/#post-147733

Good link, thanks. I tried all searches but never thought of 4G in the Cali!

 

[johnyboy]

I bought an arial for the mifi too as there were a couple of annoying blackspots on a frequently used route... this got rid of them and will get data signal when my 3 phone cannot!

 

[Broch Hunter]

I bought a TP-Link M7350 4G Mifi unit from Amazon and use it with a preloaded Three Data sim also bought from Amazon. Works very well in the Cali and also provides better speeds in the house than the broadband I receive through the piece of wet string and 2 pop cans provided by BT.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Ha! Coincidence! I upgraded to a 4G TP-Link M7350 MiFi with a 3 PAYG 20GB preloaded data SIM just last week. Good for 3G or 4G with switchable frequency for best reception in Europe. Works very well with max download speed of 150Mbps and upload of 50Mbps. No Roaming charges and the SIM is valid for a year. Very pleased with UK performance so far but we will make real test in Holland, Belgium and France in a couple of months time.

 

[TwoDogs]

Just a word of warning...I have a 3 mifi dongle, originally bought with a 12 month payg data SIM. It worked fine and I used it abroad with no issues intermittently over about 9 months. On one trip to France, it wouldn't connect, and I contacted 3 when I got back, and they'd cancelled it with about half the data allowance unused. They said it was because I'd only used it abroad.....their Ts & Cs allegedly say that it is intended for UK use with occasional use overseas. I had barely used it in the uk....other than to check it worked.
The Ts & Cs didn't actually say that, but it was vaguely suggested somewhere on the website. I eventually got a refund after about 2 hours on the phone arguing, and they only backed down when I asked him to confirm that the email address of the head of 3 was what I'd found on google.

 

[MrNick]

I bought an arial for the mifi too as there were a couple of annoying blackspots on a frequently used route... this got rid of them and will get data signal when my 3 phone cannot!

Which aerial did you get, and for which MIFI?

 

[johnyboy]

Mine is old now (and on a contract) but does the job http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/phone...d/three-pay-monthly-4g-mifi-10145754-pdt.html

The aerial is this https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00L57AL10/?tag=unique09f-21 a bit chunky but just sits on the dash - check the copatibility

I use an Android based head unit so all radio listening goes through this hotspot

 

[Cwoods1405]

I had a 3 mifi and 12 month sim. Found it really hit and miss in the uk and France. Luckily Tesco mobile allowed free roaming last year so used my phone most of the time. I also remember having trouble setting up the mifi when in France. Frustrating to say the least

 

[Cali Ali]

Using a 3 wifi at the moment in the New Forest, speed is good, better than mobile data on the phone

 

[WelshGas]

I had a 3 mifi and 12 month sim. Found it really hit and miss in the uk and France. Luckily Tesco mobile allowed free roaming last year so used my phone most of the time. I also remember having trouble setting up the mifi when in France. Frustrating to say the least

I must have a different model because in UK., USA, Australia, France, Holland. Germany and Italy then I just switch it on and my iPad and Phone connect wirelessly and away we go. I'm not sure what you mean by setting up?

 

[GrannyJen]

As above. My 3 MiFi just connects automatically wherever I am and in France it has been excellent.

 

[Trebor]

We've had a 4g Mifi with 3 for nearly 2 years now mainly for use with an iPad . We have 20gb in Uk but this is reduced to about 12 gb abroad ( they don't tell you that ! ) and you will also be charged for any data used on a ferry in harbour or train ( they don't tell you that either ! ) . I had an hour and a half on the phone to 3 2 weeks ago about charges whilst used on a ferry ( in harbour) and finally was told where this is well hidden but explained on their website (maritime charges ) . Also limited to 3 months use abroad not 12 which I was told when I signed up . Having said that it does work better than campsite wifi usually but definitely quite a bit slower in Europe than Uk . This post was written using a 4g 3 Mifi in Memling campsite Bruges .

 

[bigmac77]

I have a Huawei E5377s it is unlocked and is 4g. I buy Three data sims from wherever is cheapest and it works great used in France and Spain. If necessary I could buy local data sims in whichever country I'm in.

 

[Bramco]

HELP!!!!

Followed the advice and bought a tplink MiFi and three 12 months SIM.

All worked well before we left the UK - happy bunnies.

Now after a week of fiddling and having to buy WiFi at all the sites we've been to on our travels. France, Belgium, Germany, Austria and now Slovenia the damn thing will not work....

Funnily enough - although not that funny - if I hung the SIM into my android phone it works fine. Except of course when I try to set up hotspot any other device that connects tells me that hotspots aren't supported. Is this the issue? And if so does anyone have any ideas how to get round this.

And obviously roaming is on etc and I've logged onto my three and checked all the settings.

Anyone any ideas?

 

[Bramco]

Too slow!!!! Only kidding, I only posted the help post a few minutes ago.
Finally fixed it. I had to add another APN using three.co.uk as the APN address. Everything suddenly worked as if by magic.

 

[Jabberwocky]

As per my earlier post all well in UK, real test will be Europe in June/July & August so will be really interested in comments here. Slightly nervous.......
That said I did go to Germany a couple of weeks ago and the service was rather flakey!

 

[Jabberwocky]

You got me! How do I add another APN?

 

[WelshGas]

HELP!!!!

Followed the advice and bought a tplink MiFi and three 12 months SIM.

All worked well before we left the UK - happy bunnies.

Now after a week of fiddling and having to buy WiFi at all the sites we've been to on our travels. France, Belgium, Germany, Austria and now Slovenia the damn thing will not work....

Funnily enough - although not that funny - if I hung the SIM into my android phone it works fine. Except of course when I try to set up hotspot any other device that connects tells me that hotspots aren't supported. Is this the issue? And if so does anyone have any ideas how to get round this.

And obviously roaming is on etc and I've logged onto my three and checked all the settings.

Anyone any ideas?

This might be of use.

https://community.giffgaff.com/t5/Help-Support/Using-GiffGaff-with-a-TP-LINK-mifi/td-p/19409293

 

[WelshGas]

Well my HUAWEI MiFi with 3 data sim from Amazon has worked well, UK, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and now in Norway. As shown by my thread of my journey north. Sometimes quicker than other times but always worked.