Data-only SIM: best options: Motoring Non-motoring forum

Non-motoring > Data-only SIM: best options	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: WillDeBeest	Replies: 12

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Sun 28 Jun 15 11:58

Data-only SIM: best options - WillDeBeest

In the next few weeks I'm likely to be issued with a more up-to-date iPhone for work. This will leave the present 16GB 4S free to be re-purposed.

I had thought of simply clearing it out and using its relatively ample storage for Deezer playlists downloaded at home to listen to in the car, but it's occurred to me that, with the right data SIM, I could use it for streaming on the move, or for downloading music when I'm not in an area with suitable wifi, without eating up my personal 500MB (which gets used most months) or misusing the corporate allowance.

I don't need to be tied to O2, so what's the best way to do this? It looks like Â£30 would buy me a 6GB SIM from EE, so that's about 30 CD-equivalents at 320k, or Â£1 per downloaded album. Anyone here do this, or do you find there's better value with a contract?

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Sun 28 Jun 15 12:14

Data-only SIM: best options - Zero

>> I don't need to be tied to O2, so what's the best way to do
>> this? It looks like Â£30 would buy me a 6GB SIM from EE, so that's
>> about 30 CD-equivalents at 320k, or Â£1 per downloaded album.

Tesco will do you an 8gb month 4g simm for 25 quid.

>>Anyone here do this, or
>> do you find there's better value with a contract?

While I was initially pleasantly surprised at the coverage and speed of 4g (O2), in my view mobile streaming is never (at the moment) a substitute for local storage.

My old iPhone 4 was rooted and is now an iPod.

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Sun 28 Jun 15 12:28

Data-only SIM: best options - smokie

Three do some good deals and include 4G at no extra cost, as well as the ability to use minutes from your plan abroad in quite a few European countries (and also, I think, the US)

www.three.co.uk/Store/SIM/Plans_for_phones

I got a non-contract SIM for Â£18 for use in France earlier this month, worked a treat although there is no 4G coverage in my immediate home area, nor was there in the area of France I was in.

If you need unlimited data then the cheapest is Â£17 pm which comes with free 0800/0500 calls, 200 mins and unlimited texts on a 12 month contract, or 1 month the same is Â£20. 4Gb data/600 min calls is Â£19 on monthly.

The only reason I don't use them as my regular provider is that Virgin give me a discount which brings their tariff in even cheaper.

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Sun 28 Jun 15 13:36

Data-only SIM: best options - WillDeBeest

Thanks chaps. I'll look carefully at the options and probably decide to stick with downloading. It's a nice-to-have rather than an essential, so I could just sharpen my wifi antennae for finding places to download when I'm away from home. It's mostly for instant gratification: I have a conversation about music with someone at work and I want to get the track or album straight on to the phone to listen to on the way home. But that's just me being impatient.

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Sun 28 Jun 15 14:29

Data-only SIM: best options - Zero

>> www.three.co.uk/Store/SIM/Plans_for_phones

I love the new 3 advert

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6jl5RoyMek

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Sun 28 Jun 15 16:51

Data-only SIM: best options - Falkirk Bairn

TalkTalk - Â£12.00 per month - unlimited calls, texts & Data

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Sun 28 Jun 15 17:03

Data-only SIM: best options - CGNorwich

>> TalkTalk - Â£12.00 per month - unlimited calls, texts & Data
>>
Only if you are and existing customer.

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Sun 28 Jun 15 18:00

Data-only SIM: best options - rtj70

Virgin Media used to offer 3G unlimited data/phone/text SIM only for Â£16.50. It's going up in price soon. If you don't need 4G (and to stream music you won't) then 3G might be enough.

But Â£30/month is Â£360/year.... you can buy a lot of albums for that!

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Sun 28 Jun 15 18:37

Data-only SIM: best options - ....

>> I got a non-contract SIM for Â£18 for use in France earlier this month, worked
>> a treat although there is no 4G coverage in my immediate home area, nor was
>> there in the area of France I was in.
>>
How does that work then ? It worked a treat but didn't where you live nor where you went.

How do these non-contract data SIMs work in the UK ? Can I buy one tomorrow then let it go dormant for a few months or do I have to top up each month ?
Obviously each one will be written in the small print but just wanted general information from those in the know.
I currently have an Aldi SIM card for use in Germany. I get 5GB data for 14,99â‚¬/month or 1,5GB for 9,99â‚¬, it is then 3â‚¬ for the same amount again to the end of the 30 day period.

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Sun 28 Jun 15 20:03

Data-only SIM: best options - rtj70

>> How does that work then ? It worked a treat but didn't where you live nor where you went.

4G didn't work so it will have at best been 3G. i.e. 3G UMTS was available but 4G LTE was not. A phone will fall back on lower speed standards. And for voice, I'm not sure there is a live implementation of VoLTE, i.e. voice calls use 3G or even 2G/GSM.

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Sun 28 Jun 15 20:21

Data-only SIM: best options - ....

>> 4G didn't work so it will have at best been 3G. i.e. 3G UMTS was
>> available but 4G LTE was not. A phone will fall back on lower speed standards.
>> And for voice, I'm not sure there is a live implementation of VoLTE, i.e. voice
>> calls use 3G or even 2G/GSM.
>>
Funny thing language. For me, worked a treat means worked at its optimum best, someone else may interpret that as worked for what I wanted.

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Sun 28 Jun 15 21:32

Data-only SIM: best options - smokie

Apols for linguistic sloppiness, it worked a treat meant it worked as well as I needed it to.

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Sun 28 Jun 15 22:17

Data-only SIM: best options - Duncan

>>
>> Funny thing language. For me, worked a treat means worked at its optimum best, someone
>> else may interpret that as worked for what I wanted.
>>

idioms.thefreedictionary.com/work+a+treat

HTH

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