cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Change of plan mid term

Wod
Level 2: Apprentice
  • 19 Posts
  • 4 Topics
  • 0 Solutions
Registered:

Hey gang,

 

So I've been getting terrible average 5Mbps speeds here where I live since I joined, if I go outside though and hold the phone up high I can get 15-20Mbps. It's still not great but then when I'm on the move I've always had good signal so a bit of a ****** for tat situation. Anyway I've just ordered a router and external antenna which I plan on using a Smarty sim with knowing that if it's no good I cancel it.

 

Then I learned that I can get 20% discount from a secondary sim. So that's got me pondering with the idea of getting another sim with O2 instead. So, if I add an additional sim card to my package, does that cause the original contact date to reset and start again or do you have two seperate dates?

 

Because ofcourse I'd then want to downgrade my phone sim because I can barely access the data. 4G is pretty shoddy for signal and 3G is just stupidly slow. Its bad enough where I could close the contract early to be honest as I don't find 5Mbps down and 1Mbps up average as acceptable and nor is seeing 0-1 bar on 4G constantly. But I'm trying to work around the problem. I'll put my phone sim into the router from time to time just to make sure my strategy is going to work out and that speed and signal is going to be acceptable. I'll run a second O2 sim in that router then I'll downgrade my phone package. Just not sure on the best way to go about it all to be honest, so if anyone could explain options then I'd appreciate it and hopefully I can stick around

 

Peace out and best wishes gang! 

Message 1 of 6
1,272 Views
1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

madasaf1sh
Level 76: Forum Legend
  • 9983 Posts
  • 54 Topics
  • 2981 Solutions
Registered:

@Wod 

 

I would see what happens with Smarty first and how that works, before getting another sim with o2 at this stage. 

 

The 2 sims would have different start and end dates.


Also you would get the 20% but you would need to get a data sim to be used in a router.

- Xperia 1V - o2 and Spusu
- Pixel 8 Pro - o2 and Vodafone UK

View solution in original post

Message 2 of 6
1,265 Views
5 REPLIES 5

madasaf1sh
Level 76: Forum Legend
  • 9983 Posts
  • 54 Topics
  • 2981 Solutions
Registered:

@Wod 

 

I would see what happens with Smarty first and how that works, before getting another sim with o2 at this stage. 

 

The 2 sims would have different start and end dates.


Also you would get the 20% but you would need to get a data sim to be used in a router.

- Xperia 1V - o2 and Spusu
- Pixel 8 Pro - o2 and Vodafone UK
Message 2 of 6
1,266 Views

Wod
Level 2: Apprentice
  • 19 Posts
  • 4 Topics
  • 0 Solutions
Registered:

Thanks for the reply, in which case I would just have to be patient and wait for this one to end before downgrading it.

 

For sure I'll be waiting as the cheapo smarty sim may be enough for me at home, also about the sim. I am fairly sure OFCOM regulations say that in the UK customers can use their sim data as they please. There should be no discrimination between hot spotting and/or tethering. I remember that happening as at the time I was Three who were limiting the amount of data which could be tethered. Ofcourse there's a fair usage policy but I'm not heavy enough on the web to get anywhere near that.

 

I'll find out as I'll be popping this sim card into the router to test the network and if I can't get registered on masts I'll have to check over the OFCOM regulations again to see if things have changed 

Message 3 of 6
1,260 Views

Wod
Level 2: Apprentice
  • 19 Posts
  • 4 Topics
  • 0 Solutions
Registered:

Smarty seems to be working better but then the router can't access B40 on O2 as its just not capable, would have been interesting to see how it ran. You know you're already wrong about the SIM type as I already explained to you what happened regarding OFCOM.

 

Anyway, all good ill downgrade my O2 package or leave when renewal is due. So nice not being stuck with 5Mbps in the front room, I did report multiple times to O2 but they seem to think 5Mbps is acceptable 😂 it is if it was pre 2015 maybee. Peace out 

Message 4 of 6
1,218 Views

madasaf1sh
Level 76: Forum Legend
  • 9983 Posts
  • 54 Topics
  • 2981 Solutions
Registered:

@Wod 

 

To be fair i dont listen to what claptrap Ofcom come out with as they are a toothless waste of space regulator, that has no interest in consumers... 

 

 I cant see any mention of mentioning Ofcom in the above thread but hotspotting and tethering are the same thing... 


You could always look at Voda/EE/ one of there MVNO such as PlusNet or BT Mobile

- Xperia 1V - o2 and Spusu
- Pixel 8 Pro - o2 and Vodafone UK
Message 5 of 6
1,214 Views

Wod
Level 2: Apprentice
  • 19 Posts
  • 4 Topics
  • 0 Solutions
Registered:

I hear what you're saying but also as you will know providers also lie, prime example being their coverage maps. OFCOM should do something about this but anyway these days we've useful little apps like Coverage Map and Cellmapper

 

So far Smarty is doing OK I get 2CA (B1+B3) from a local mast here and constantly get 30-60Mbps, even when I don't I get 15-30Mbps from a single mast as the router switches (5G mast, using B28-700 as their underlayer).

 

O2 also have this but I can see it isn't intended to be accessed by 4G users since it connects and shows 3G technology, gives 1-3Mbps but Chrome constantly warns of insecure connection and get no SSL certification when browsing. Which is ashame as if O2 set it up as Three did then I could have probably got some good signal on 4G and acceptable speeds.

 

I can be fair and say O2 have upped their game with their B40 as just a few hundred meters down the road I'll get 50-110Mbps all day long but as you know the higher frequencies don't travel as far or penetrate objects as well, also the router I use doesn't do B40 and if it did I'd have to use an outdoor antenna anyway as the other lower frequency bands which the same mast puts out, I struggle to get an optimal signal.

 

Ill see how things get on but for sure ill be dropping my package as soon as a I can since I can't access all the data I've got due to poor speeds. It's ashame they allocated less bandwidth to the 3G masts as when I joined the speeds were 10Mbps minimal but now even with really good signal I get 3-5Mbps which in my eyes is not acceptable.

 

I'll try those others you mention should I run into any issues with Smarty, hopefully this stays good as unlimited data at £16 is good value eh! 

Message 6 of 6
1,209 Views