O2 / Virgin Media Volt - Very slow speeds

[skot4th]

As part of my renewal with Virgin Media, I was offered an unlimited data 5G SIM.  The purpose of the SIM was to use in my car as a personal hotspot for any devices I may have (Dash cam, phones, kids tablets, etc.) however the speeds seem terrible on this and I am now considering cancelling.

Although the SIM is "5G" I am using it on a 4G MiFi router.  On EE I recieve about 60MBPS.  On O2, 4Mbps.

Why so low? Do O2 limit download speed on tethered devices or is it another issue? Upload is about 15Mbps, so much better suggesting it's not an issue with the 4G coverage.

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

@skot4th 

You can't use a phone sim in a router, dongle or mifi device.

[skot4th]

By "can't", why not?  You can use a phone sim to tether devices to your mobile via your phones hotspot.  How does MiFi differ?

[pgn]

O2 don't permit a normal voice SIM to be used in a MiFi device or data router, that's why - check out this post and answers thereon, @skot4th, for a solution:

https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Pay-Monthly/buying-a-SIM-card-for-my-MIFI/m-p/1335472/highlight/true#M...

[MI5]

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@skot4th wrote:

By "can't", why not?  You can use a phone sim to tether devices to your mobile via your phones hotspot.  How does MiFi differ?

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It's a business decision by O2 @skot4th 

We have no knowledge or influence on this, sorry.

[Enlli]

Using it in your router is probably not the problem at this stage. In many areas O2 is slow. 

At home, early morning I get around 16Mbs by evening it is down to 1.5Mbs. Put it simply it is congestion.

I was going to move my main number to O2 when my contract expires in Jan, but I've given up on that idea.