?? Connect 3 - Is it just me❓

[nortada]

Because we have other providers! When in Portugal, we seldom connect to my 3 Mobile WiFi (data only) MiFi.

Until about a week ago it always worked well but 2 days ago when trying to use it - no go. Just a 5 red bars. Going into the app I was advised No coverage available. Meanwhile my phone continues to work on roaming.

Checked that International roaming was still activated on this account and then contacted 3 who they advised every thing looked fine from their end.

When challenged, they were quick to advise that Brexit would have no impact on the service they provide.

Now this - am I being a little too suspicious

 

[NotBirdseye]

Probably a mast being faulty. Make the complaint that you have no access and insist on a resolution.

 

[nortada]

Probably a mast being faulty. Make the complaint that you have no access and insist on a resolution.

If a mast is faulty, why does the phone using the same providers still work OK?

 

[syvictoria]

If a mast is faulty, why does the phone using the same providers still work OK?

Probably a daft question, but is it definitely 'roaming' on the same network?!

 

[nortada]

Probably a daft question, but is it definitely 'roaming' on the same network?!

Appears to be.

Because we have plenty of other sources of free wifi, this is not very significant. Rather irritation, having to continue to pay for a service, we are not getting.

If I am honest, I think the Mifi transceiver is knackered so will replace it, when we next get back to the UK - April?

 

[syvictoria]

Appears to be.

And data (3G/4G) is working on the phone, not just voice? If so, then I think you have valid reason to be suspicious and I would be too!

 

[nortada]

And data (3G/4G) is working on the phone, not just voice? If so, then I think you have valid reason to be suspicious and I would be too!

Yes - glad to say both smart phones are working normally.

I used my iphone to contact the 3 broadband help desk - not that they could offer much useful advice!

If the 3 phone sims pack up, we have a Portuguese phone and could still connect the main phones to a free local Portuguese providers for all services other than phone contacts. But there is still face-time etc.

Could be a lot worse.

 

[Mistroma]

Probably a silly suggestion as you will have already tried it. Have you switched the SIM from the dongle into a phone and tried to access data from the phone?

We have used a spare phone in the past when having problems with a dongle. It was an old Android phone and trivial to use it as a local hotspot in exactly the same manner as the dongle. Apple devices have similar functionality.

Our own Android phones will both take 2 SIMS and can be configured to use one SIM for data. I haven't tried it but imagine I could also use the newer phone as a hotspot whilst continuing to use it for data and calls. Might also be worth trying if you don't have a spare phone but do use a dual SIM model.

 

[nortada]

Thanks for the thought.

Unfortunately the mifi sim is bigger than the phone sim but I put the phone sim in the mifi and the problem with mifi persisted so I concluded the problem is with the mifi unit.

Unfortunately, stuck in total lockdown in Portugal, there is little I can do about it until I get back to the U.K.

On the plus side, here in Portugal, we have good free, unlimited data WiFi and I can use the mobile hot spot which gives me up to 20GB per month.

 

[NotBirdseye]

Thanks for the thought.

Unfortunately the mifi sim is bigger than the phone sim but I put the phone sim in the mifi and the problem with mifi persisted so I concluded the problem is with the mifi unit.

Unfortunately, stuck in total lockdown in Portugal, there is little I can do about it until I get back to the U.K.

On the plus side, here in Portugal, we have good free, unlimited data WiFi and I can use the mobile hot spot which gives me up to 20GB per month.

You can cut down the mifi sim (yep), you can also re-pad it to fit back into the bigger slot. You should be able to find kits on ebay to do just that.

 

[Mistroma]

I remember buying a replacement phone which had a nano SIM slot and the instructions had dire warnings about cutting down SIMs to fit. I think it had a side slot to take the nano SIM and might be impossible to remove a badly cut one without dismantilng the phone.

The shop only supplied full size SIMs but said they were all designed to push out to the required size. I think the warning was about cutting really old cards. I removed the nano part of the full size one they supplied and it was fine.

I like to have a "plan B" and decided to use an old phone to backup the dongle when in Greece. I picked up an adaptor in a phone shop free of charge the next year. I pushed out the nano from the full size SIM in our dongle when testing it in a spare phone and re-fitted it in the dongle using the free adaptor.

The SIM will probably be designed to break out the micro and nano sections unless it is very old. I think that you will even find instructions on the internet to cut down original full-size SIMS using a sharp blade (or buy a punch on eBay).

 

[nortada]

You can cut down the mifi sim (yep), you can also re-pad it to fit back into the bigger slot. You should be able to find kits on ebay to do just that.

Thanks, if push becomes shove it could come to that.