Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Microsims in the UK -- what's the cheapest option?

r-sparks

r-sparks

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 1, 2006
255
0
England
I remember somebody here saying the cheapest way to get mobile data is to buy prepay microsims from eBay.

Is this a good idea? Do I just buy a new microsim each time? Don't the phone companies get wise to this?

I don't intend to use a lot of mobile data because we get BT OpenZone as part of our landline deal and wifi is free at places like McDonalds and Wetherspoons pubs.
 
The best bet used to be the Dida mobile SIMs but they got blocked by Three last month. My seller was actually very good and offered me a refund for the unused data.

Given your use is likely to be erratic, you would probably be best going for the Three 12g for 12 months SIM if you can find one. They usually go for around £55. They are meant for MiFis so you may have to cut the SIM down - ask the Seller as some will do this for you.
 
I use Three also. 3GB micro sim that lasts for 3 months or until you use the data. 21 pounds in store.

I have wifi everywhere but at times when I'm out in the car etc the sim is perfect!

I may look into that 12 month one if I can find one when this one runs out.

Tony

EDIT - yes the 12mnth is much cheaper but I didn't know they existed till about an hour ago :)
 
Last edited:
Cherimoya said:
Given your use is likely to be erratic, you would probably be best going for the Three 12g for 12 months SIM if you can find one. They usually go for around £55. They are meant for MiFis so you may have to cut the SIM down - ask the Seller as some will do this for you.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the helpful reply. I've found a few of the ones you mention on eBay. It seems the 12GB can be used all at once, or across the 12 months, which is very useful -- looking at my iPhone's data usage, I see that most times I don't get above a few hundred MB per month but every now and again seem to get up to 700-800MB.

----------
OneBigFatNinja said:
I use Three also. 3GB micro sim that lasts for 3 months or until you use the data. £21 in store.

I have wifi everywhere but at times when I'm out in the car etc the sim is perfect!

I may look into that 12 month one if I can find one when this one runs out.

Tony.
Click to expand...

Hi Tony. Doing the sums you're paying £7 per GB. With the £58 12GB SIM you'd be paying about £4.80.

I also found a seller offering 12GB for £50 but it turns out he sends you 12 individual SIMs, each of which are loaded with 1GB and last a month :rolleyes:
 
r-sparks said:
Thanks for the helpful reply. I've found a few of the ones you mention on eBay. It seems the 12GB can be used all at once, or across the 12 months, which is very useful -- looking at my iPhone's data usage, I see that most times I don't get above a few hundred MB per month but every now and again seem to get up to 700-800MB.

----------



Hi Tony. Doing the sums you're paying £7 per GB. With the £58 12GB SIM you'd be paying about £4.80.

I also found a seller offering 12GB for £50 but it turns out he sends you 12 individual SIMs, each of which are loaded with 1GB and last a month :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Surely that's a better option, unless you are likely to exceed 1GB. Especially if you may not use data every month
 
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1336389429.705205.jpg


Or just 4 of these?!?

Wished I'd have looked around on eBay first.
 
If you looks for the 3 3gb microsim on Amazon, you can get them for about £13 as opposed to £21 - I have one in my iPad 3 now and lready picked up another for when this runs out!

Edit: just saw the last eBay post - same thing ;)
 
One option would be a T-Mobile paygo sim....

1) Get an paygo number microsim from T-Mobile - free i think or maybe £2.
2) Put SIM in your smart phone / iPhone if you have one.
3a) Wait 1 hour, you might then get an offer of a years mobile internet free (it happened to me).
3b) If not, top up £20 to sim and buy a 6 month internet booster = £40pa / £3.33pm / 76p pw. Text 6MONTHWEB to 441. http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobile-phones/price-plans/pay-as-you-go/boosters/
4) Move micro sim to your iPad and change the three T-Mobile data settings from site below. http://www.rhysadams.co.uk/ipad-cellular-data-settings-for-the-uk.php
6) After 6 months swap sim to iPhone and buy another booster and swap back to iPad.

It worked for 18 months with my iPad 1 (then sold), but now i have a Wi-Fi only so I havent tried it on new iPad. My guess would be it will work. And I never got any data fair usage limit warning but my usuage was 90% browsing and app data syncing.

Worth a try. You can buy a 1 week booster for £5 to try it out. Or if you got a microsim in your smart phone with data try it now. If it works you can just move sim when you need too once you've changed settings.

Good luck. This worked for me.

OR maybe just buying a prepair sim is a more simple solution. I didnt know of prepaids when i had my iPad1.
 
Last edited:
kromekat said:
If you looks for the 3 3gb microsim on Amazon, you can get them for about £13 as opposed to £21 - I have one in my iPad 3 now and lready picked up another for when this runs out!
Click to expand...

How about this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Original-Br...1ZH0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1336399016&sr=8-4

3GB over 3 months for £11.41. That's £3.80 per gigabyte -- a lot cheaper than most of the £10/1GB per month deals and ideal for anybody who is only occasionally going to be using 3G data.

The only issue is viewing your account information, should you feel the need to. The only way to get a password for the online account is via a text message sent to the number associated with the microsim. And iPads can't receive text messages.

You can put the microsim into your phone to receive the text but it'll need to be a Three-issued phone, or unlocked.
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
You don't need to do anything - you login with the 3 app - it just did it automatically and you can see your balance etc
 
Hi,

I might need a bit of guidance here.

I buy a 3 sim from ebay and I either have to cut it down or it fits?

Do I have to enter 3 apn settings in the ipad or does it work right out of the box.?

I have a three mifi. Will the sim work in there as well as my ipad?

Thanks

Lawrie
 
r-sparks said:
How about this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Original-Br...1ZH0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1336399016&sr=8-4

3GB over 3 months for £11.41. That's £3.80 per gigabyte -- a lot cheaper than most of the £10/1GB per month deals and ideal for anybody who is only occasionally going to be using 3G data.

The only issue is viewing your account information, should you feel the need to. The only way to get a password for the online account is via a text message sent to the number associated with the microsim. And iPads can't receive text messages.

You can put the microsim into your phone to receive the text but it'll need to be a Three-issued phone, or unlocked.
Click to expand...
I have gone through 5 or 6 of them in the last 18 months, plus buying them for parents, cousins, etc. They work perfectly, and if you want to get onto the Three account into just Google "MyThree" with the sim in and you can view/edit account info, such as the balance or expiry date.

By far the cheapest way I have found to get data access on the iPad.
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Just buy the micro sim version then no cutting, and yes it just works straight out of the box, and the 3 login for accounts is automatic
 
Just to jack this thread slightly, can anyone tell me how to go about getting a PAYG sim for an upcoming trip to northern England and Edinburgh? I'm a US resident. Last time I went to the UK in 2010, no one would sell me a sim without a UK billing address and matching credit card.

2 years later, can I walk into a carrier shop and buy some a la carte data for my 10 day trip without a hassle? Would one carrier cover both countries or do I have to buy another in Scotland?

Finally, what's the best company? 3? Vodafone?
 
mcdj said:
Just to jack this thread slightly, can anyone tell me how to go about getting a PAYG sim for an upcoming trip to northern England and Edinburgh? I'm a US resident. Last time I went to the UK in 2010, no one would sell me a sim without a UK billing address and matching credit card.

2 years later, can I walk into a carrier shop and buy some a la carte data for my 10 day trip without a hassle? Would one carrier cover both countries or do I have to buy another in Scotland?

Finally, what's the best company? 3? Vodafone?
Click to expand...

The answer is provided in this thread. You can buy Three SIM cards from eBay. You're probably best buying a 1GB/1 month card and pay as you go (PAYG). I can't paste a link because I'm on my iPad but just search eBay.co.uk. As far as I know none of the guys who sell these cheap SIM cards will care if you're not a Brit so long as you have the cash :)
 
r-sparks said:
The answer is provided in this thread. You can buy Three SIM cards from eBay. You're probably best buying a 1GB/1 month card and pay as you go (PAYG). I can't paste a link because I'm on my iPad but just search eBay.co.uk. As far as I know none of the guys who sell these cheap SIM cards will care if you're not a Brit so long as you have the cash :)
Click to expand...

thanks, but doesn't the sim require some sort of activation on the ipad, whereby an address is required? do I just make one up? And does 3 cover Edinburgh?
 
DONT PAY EXTRA...Use your three iPhone data tethering

I have an ipad & iphone, my iphone is on a three network "all you can eat" data plan. When on this plan you can tether to ipad or laptop etc at NO EXTRA CHARGE.
This means I link to my macbook pro and can download music, apps, movies etc at no extra charge to my account.
I have used over 10gb some months on my ipad & macbook pro as well as linking my daughters ipod touch when out in the car & never a problem.

Connect the ipad & play internet radio as you drive, my kids sit quite in the back seat on there facebook accounts as we drive too. Three is a great network & not many inactive areas that I drive in so works brilliant 99% of the time.

-- 64gb iPhone -- 160gb ipod (x2) -- 64gb iPad 2 -- macbook pro 1tb 8gb --
 
Eddafl said:
Order a microsim from giffgaff they use the o2 network so great signal.
Click to expand...

lol really!?

I'm lucky if I get 1mb with o2 on my 4s. My missus is with Three and gets anything between 2-8mb (not that she cares, but I've told her it's good anyway :)). It made me go buy a three MiFI box - 15gb a month @ £15.99 it's a lot of data but now I have my iPad and 4s fully usable wherever I am. Can stream movies/TV shows without worry. :)
 
cdjohnstone69 said:
I have an ipad & iphone, my iphone is on a three network "all you can eat" data plan. When on this plan you can tether to ipad or laptop etc at NO EXTRA CHARGE.
Click to expand...

Yes we know this but the key thing about using a SIM in iPad itself is convenience. It's as if the iPad says "out of range of your usual wifi? I'll use cellular instead". No need to switch on tethering on the iPhone. No need to tell the iPad to connect to it. Just open the smart cover and you're online instantly no matter where you are. This is the essence of the iPad. No fuss. No messing about. That king of thing is for android users :)

(Incidentally tethering in the iPhone has been a bit flaky for me; I sometimes have to switch it in and off several times before it appears in the list of available connections on my iPad or laptop. This is either a feature or a bug introduced with ios 5 because I worked like a charm before.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back