Can I use a UK Data SIM in iPhone 5 in the USA-just for Tethering?

[Azzin]

Gurus...

I'm have a MiFi from 3 UK.

I use preloaded SIMs, that come with a 3 month/3GB allowance.

As 3 now have their "Feel at Home" service (free roaming in various countries for voice, texts & data), I want to use it in the USA on a future trip, but I gather that this particular MiFi might not be compatible with the USA networks (Huawei E586).

So, if that's the case and the MiFi is a no go, I was wondering if I could simply put the SIMs in either my 5S (or my Wife's 4S) and just set it up as a Personal Hotspot for tethering?

Cheers.

 

[IFRIT]

Pretty sure you can't use a data sim in a phone regardless of where it's being used.

 

[nebo1ss]

A data only SIM will work in a phone just fine. On the question of using it while travelling in the USA it totally depends on if the SIM is set up for roaming. My best guess is that the MIFI SIM is probably not set up for roaming.

 

[KSean]

Will my phone or Mobile Broadband device work in all Feel At Home destinations?
We sometimes forget how different things can be abroad. This includes the different frequencies that some foreign networks use. All the phones we currently sell will work in all Feel At Home destinations. This is true of our current mobile broadband devices as well, except in the USA, where only the ZTE MF730M dongle will work.

We’ll soon be launching the Huawei E5372 Mobile Wi-Fi, which will work in the USA at 3G speeds.

http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI...t=roaming,varset_subcat=4157,Case=EXT(EM11925)

So your MiFi device (Huawei E586) definitely won't work in the USA. As for whether your SIM will work in a normal phone, you'd have to ask Three. I know they block it vice versa (if you try and use a phone SIM in a mobile broadband device).

 

[easytake123]

i tried to do it but i failed

 

[Azzin]

http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI...t=roaming,varset_subcat=4157,Case=EXT(EM11925)

So your MiFi device (Huawei E586) definitely won't work in the USA. As for whether your SIM will work in a normal phone, you'd have to ask Three. I know they block it vice versa (if you try and use a phone SIM in a mobile broadband device).

Good point, I'll stick it in my iPhone later, see what it does & report back.

Thanks folks.

 

[Azzin]

Just to update,

I spoke to 3 (while I was getting the unlock code for the MiFi) and asked about putting one of the data SIMs into an iPhone to tether.

The tech I spoke to said that the system would detect it and disable it within a couple of days.

I pointed out that that seemed pointless, as I'm still using the data SIM as a data SIM, I'm just using a different device.

I said I understood why they did it the other way round (to stop me putting my One Plan Sim in a MiFi and using it as unlimited home broadband), but not when I'm still using the SIM as a MiFi.

She didn't grasp the point, so I left it there.