Phone sim in mifi unit

[solaris]

Simple question, hopefully. Will a phone sim work in a mifi unit, data part only obviously. 3 sell a phone sim for £10, lasts 30 days, for EU travel. They assured me it would work in the mifi, but abroad unit disagreed and I got ‘no service’ message. Or is it likely to be user error?

Perhaps not so simple question. The HUAWEI app and the mifi unit won’t speak to each other. Phone screen displays message‘ disconnected’. Even when holding phone about 6 inches away.

 

[ChrisL]

You would normally need to set it up in the UK before travelling, can you see the mifi device in your wifi listing's? When it is turned on?

 

[dunnah01]

Our Tesco mobile phone SIM has worked all over the UK and EU for 3 years in our Huawei mifi unit.
I'm with you on possible user error

 

[Manic]

I’ve used a Smarty in my Huawei router in uk and Eu but it need a different APN to work in eu.
I’ve now got a 1p mobile phone sim (ee) in a ZTE mu5001 mifi and it’s working better than the Smarty (3)
On 1p mobile site it states can be used in routers

 

[Stoosal]

We used Tesco sim in mifi unit recently. Only issue was we needed to change the apn settings after leaving uk and when we returned. After changes it gave no issues.

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[solaris]

You would normally need to set it up in the UK before travelling, can you see the mifi device in your wifi listing's? When it is turned on?

Pretty certain I set it up in uk first. Though as away for over 30 days other half put a new one in her phone while away which worked perfectly. Yes can see device in Wi-Fi listings so it was doing something.
Beginning to think I definitely have a problem with the user.

 

[ChrisL]

Pretty certain I set it up in uk first. Though as away for over 30 days other half put a new one in her phone while away which worked perfectly. Yes can see device in Wi-Fi listings so it was doing something.
Beginning to think I definitely have a problem with the user.

Okay, can you connect to the mifi in your wifi listing? you will have to enter your password if you haven't connected to it before, you may get a message connected no internet and if there are other wifi signals around that you've previously connected to it may drop the connection to your mifi so best to do this where there are no other wifi signals. Once you're connected to the mifi you can go back to the app and it should connect, you should then be able to make sure roaming is turned on and that you're using the correct APN.

 

[solaris]

Thanks will give it a go

 

[Madmag]

Now I am really not happy!! I spent a long time on chat with Tesco mobile and at least 2 seperate agents assured me that the phone sim would work in a mifi device. So I started a 24 month contract as that suited best, the idea was just to leave it in the van for use there. Set off the other day, all good although being O2 not the best of reception in some places. Managed just the one day now nothing, worked OK in phone but not in mifi!! Checked all details and reset everything but still no joy. Contacted Tesco by chat. Shouldn’t be a problem it must be a faulty SIM card, got cut off connected to another agent. Faulty sim will send replacement. Read on here that may be a problem, tried twice, shouldn’t be and nothing and Yesco do t stop the use in mifi. This afternoon thought I’d ask for a definite answer and got the biggest load of waffle none of which made sense.
Does anyone have a definitive answer direct from Tesco as I am still within my cooling off period for contract. Thanks

 

[Speve]

Now I am really not happy!! I spent a long time on chat with Tesco mobile and at least 2 seperate agents assured me that the phone sim would work in a mifi device. So I started a 24 month contract as that suited best, the idea was just to leave it in the van for use there. Set off the other day, all good although being O2 not the best of reception in some places. Managed just the one day now nothing, worked OK in phone but not in mifi!! Checked all details and reset everything but still no joy. Contacted Tesco by chat. Shouldn’t be a problem it must be a faulty SIM card, got cut off connected to another agent. Faulty sim will send replacement. Read on here that may be a problem, tried twice, shouldn’t be and nothing and Yesco do t stop the use in mifi. This afternoon thought I’d ask for a definite answer and got the biggest load of waffle none of which made sense.
Does anyone have a definitive answer direct from Tesco as I am still within my cooling off period for contract. Thanks

I have never been able to get my tesco phone sim to work in our van router so I went to Tiekom for a sim to use in the EU which has never let us down and you can pause it when not in the EU for a small fee

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[Madmag]

I have used a tiekom no problem other than needing a VPN. The problem is that why won’t it work as I was told it would. A lot of its use would be in this country but in the mifi unit of my rooftop aerial

 

[ChrisL]

My Tesco sim is still working fine in my Huawei mifi since 2022, you must use the Tesco APN which you will need to add manually. It is likely to have defaulted to an O2 one which will be unreliable or not work at all.

 

[Madmag]

My Tesco sim is still working fine in my Huawei mifi since 2022, you must use the Tesco APN which you will need to add manually. It is likely to have defaulted to an O2 one which will be unreliable or not work at all.

That may explain it. How do I do that please. Problem is also that the first agent said Sim was faulty, sending replacement so cut this one off! I won’t be home until next week to get sim or check! But details of how to change to Tesco would be really useful. Thanks

 

[ChrisL]

That may explain it. How do I do that please. Problem is also that the first agent said Sim was faulty, sending replacement so cut this one off! I won’t be home until next week to get sim or check! But details of how to change to Tesco would be really useful. Thanks

If you do a search on here for Tesco APN you will find a post by me on another thread about this issue. I'm currently out and about but I'll get the instructions for you when I get in.

 

[Madmag]

That’s absolutely fine. Appreciate your help

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[Bolti]

Now I am really not happy!! I spent a long time on chat with Tesco mobile and at least 2 seperate agents assured me that the phone sim would work in a mifi device. So I started a 24 month contract as that suited best, the idea was just to leave it in the van for use there. Set off the other day, all good although being O2 not the best of reception in some places. Managed just the one day now nothing, worked OK in phone but not in mifi!! Checked all details and reset everything but still no joy. Contacted Tesco by chat. Shouldn’t be a problem it must be a faulty SIM card, got cut off connected to another agent. Faulty sim will send replacement. Read on here that may be a problem, tried twice, shouldn’t be and nothing and Yesco do t stop the use in mifi. This afternoon thought I’d ask for a definite answer and got the biggest load of waffle none of which made sense.
Does anyone have a definitive answer direct from Tesco as I am still within my cooling off period for contract. Thanks

Yes tesco sims work in the EU I am typing using one now in sunny Spain. Is it a mifi or a router? O2 do not allow there phone Sims to be used In routers and will cut you off. It is always best to put the SIM in a phone for the initial set up so you an make sure it works properly then transfer to mifi and ensure correct APN is being used.

 

[Bolti]

APN: prepay.tesco-mobile.com
Username: tescowap
Password: password

And this is the website

Getting Online | Accessing The Internet | Device Help | Help | Tesco Mobile

To access the internet on your phone or tablet you’ll need the right settings. You can use our device guides or update your APN settings manually

www.tescomobile.com

 

[JockandRita]

That may explain it. How do I do that please. Problem is also that the first agent said Sim was faulty, sending replacement so cut this one off! I won’t be home until next week to get sim or check! But details of how to change to Tesco would be really useful. Thanks

You need to go into the MiFi settings page, and set up a new profile using the following APN, ie, .................

Do I need to change the settings on my phone? If you are travelling abroad, you will need to select the Automatic network setting on your Tesco Mobile SIM Menu. Please ensure that the APN is set to “tescomobile.liffeytelecom.com”.

Data Roaming | Help Centre | Tesco Mobile

We’re here to answer all your questions from 8am-8pm every day, including Sundays and Bank Holidays! Contact our Waterford based Help Centre now!

www.tescomobile.ie

HTH,

Jock.

 

[OxfordMorgan]

Simple question, hopefully. Will a phone sim work in a mifi unit, data part only obviously. 3 sell a phone sim for £10, lasts 30 days, for EU travel. They assured me it would work in the mifi, but abroad unit disagreed and I got ‘no service’ message. Or is it likely to be user error?

Perhaps not so simple question. The HUAWEI app and the mifi unit won’t speak to each other. Phone screen displays message‘ disconnected’. Even when holding phone about 6 inches away.

When a MiFi (or Phone) shows 'disconnected' when roaming it usually means the local network is not allowing it to connect. This is often due to either the MiFi not having roaming switched on, or the SIM doesn't have roaming enabled, so double check those first.

As others have said, if it is a new SIM, then do make sure it is switched on in the UK first to get itself registered onto the UK network.

 

[ChrisL]

You need to go into the MiFi settings page, and set up a new profile using the following APN, ie, .................

Do I need to change the settings on my phone? If you are travelling abroad, you will need to select the Automatic network setting on your Tesco Mobile SIM Menu. Please ensure that the APN is set to “tescomobile.liffeytelecom.com”.

Data Roaming | Help Centre | Tesco Mobile

We’re here to answer all your questions from 8am-8pm every day, including Sundays and Bank Holidays! Contact our Waterford based Help Centre now!

www.tescomobile.ie

HTH,

Jock.

That's interesting Jock, I use the prepay.tesco one but I set mine up in the UK first and it's worked fine in France and Spain, perhaps that one's for use if you're setting it up for the first time in the EU? He'll have a choice of two to try it would seem.

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[Bolti]

That web page from JockandRita is for Tesco mobile Ireland. Probably both work the same.

 

[Madmag]

Thanks for all this help. Unfortunately as I said they have now disconnected the sim so won’t have chance to try all these ideas until I am home next week. It is a monthly contract sim which I activated in my phone and then transferred to the mifi unit of my MotorHome WiFi 4g antenna on the roof. It worked ok for a day without changing any settings but then failed. As unfortunately I went straight to Tesco to sort it and not here which is my usual first call, big mistake now I’ve no chance of trying it out here. Why is technology so wonderful yet so annoying and time consuming!!!

 

[Speve]

If you do a search on here for Tesco APN you will find a post by me on another thread about this issue. I'm currently out and about but I'll get the instructions for you when I get in.

Thanks for that ChrisL I now know why my Tesco sim will not work in my router is a HUAWEI same as Madmag I’ll stick with Tiekom but will give the new APN a go when next in EU and post if it works