Data only sim for tablet

Complete numpty at this but am planning on buying a Samsung Galaxy S4 tablet with 4g so that we can always get internet connection in Europe.... for now anyway.

I think this is the way to go but only just grasping the basics.

Anyone else use such a thing, the plan is to be able to stream movies and TV (not download), I am looking at a rolling monthly contract that is easy to get out of or a prepaid card that will last two or three weeks. I believe I probably need something with about 4 or 5gb

I hope you know what I mean because I don't!! All suggestions welcome.

Thanks
'hog

You will need a lot of data to watch TV, about 1gb per hour. For general surfing it will last a lot longer. We use a 3 Mifi, but that is only 3G in Europe, so other suppliers might be better. I think Quilter recently said she uses Vodafone for 4G in Europe. 3G has worked fine for us watching football on an iPad whilst in Europe.

The 3 network cards mentioned by rgermain can often be found on Amazon. I’ve heard of several people using them in mifi units. Apparently, it’s cheaper to chuck the cards and buy new than to top them up.

If you watch TV programmes on I player that surely uses the same data as surfing doesn't it?
Dumb question probably

My ipad mini has the capability of using a sim card. When I bought it I quickly found out that if a site did not have wifi, my sim card would not work either due to poor reception so it ended up as pretty useless.

After two years, I abandoned the contract which cost me some more money.  I was not happy as I had paid a good bit more to get the ipad with simcard facility.

I use Three in a mifi and have never had a problem in the UK, France, Spain, Portugal. The 24gb card is now about £45 from Amazon and lasts 24 months from when it’s activated, which must be done in the UK. We’ve been watching TV in Portugal through my phone, also Three, and I agree it uses about 1gb an hour, maybe a little longer. Three have a fair usage policy which means you can only use 19gb a month abroad.

My contract has just run out so I’ll probably change to Vodafone as there is no fair usage cap apparently. We’ll see. I’ve had a long discussion with their online chat and have been assured this is the case.

Nora

Can I repeat my question about usage if you watch. TV live that must surely be different to watching on one of the catch up networks

After a decision not to get satellite TV and several years of perfecting the systems we use a combination of phone data and a fixed mifi router when abroad. 
Our 2 phones have 20gb of 4g data every month and we use this to tether to first.  When this runs out we use a 3 Internet With Legs data card in the mifi but as already quoted it is only 3g abroad but it's fast enough for TV and whatever the size of the card you are limited to 15gb per month.  The most efficient way to view is through an Amazon firestick. The firestick allows you to chose the amount of data used. There is a choice of 3 streaming options and while the Best quality uses the most data the lowest uses the least, on the lowest quality 1 hour of TV uses 0.64gb.  To use a firestick you need a TV with a HDMI port and either a 12v or 240v socket nearby.  We can tether between our phones, tablets or the TV but not all companies allow this so check your contract.  Also if you register the firestick in your house before you go it thinks you're at home so access to all UK TV including iPlayer and ITV hub wherever you are  We have also used a Chromecast in the past but it's a bit of a faff to set up and complicated to control.  Through a web browser TVcatchup broadcasts the main UK channels but you need to sign up to an free agreement if you're using a non UK registered WiFi network. 
All these options are not suitable if you're a TV addict and watch it from morning to dusk. These solutions are good for selective viewing of a couple of hours daily.  Also check the Fair Usage policy in the terms and conditions small print of any card you purchase.   
Rich..

groundhog wrote:Can I repeat my question about usage if you watch. TV live that must surely be different to watching on one of the catch up networks

Tvcatchup is live television through a browser. 

Rich..

Traficlady wrote:I use Three in a mifi and have never had a problem in the UK, France, Spain, Portugal. The 24gb card is now about £45 from Amazon and lasts 24 months from when it’s activated, which must be done in the UK. We’ve been watching TV in Portugal through my phone, also Three, and I agree it uses about 1gb an hour, maybe a little longer. Three have a fair usage policy which means you can only use 19gb a month abroad.

My contract has just run out so I’ll probably change to Vodafone as there is no fair usage cap apparently. We’ll see. I’ve had a long discussion with their online chat and have been assured this is the case.

Nora

It's not necessary to activate a 3 data card in the UK before use - I have changed many while abroad and all have worked after a couple of resets of the device.  I think (?) the 19gb limit applies to a phone contract and the limit for a data card is 15gb.  
Rich..

I don't think I meant catch up TV I meant watching itv player etc over the internet when old programmes arrive there
Does that not use the normal amount of surfing data as watching U tube for instance?
Not used to all these options, sorry!

AFAIK you can select, in iPlayer Settings, lower quality for download of programmes but to watch live there are no alternatives.  This is where a firestick wins as there is control over streaming quality and all the TV players including Netflix are there.  
Rich..

groundhog wrote:I don't think I meant catch up TV I meant watching itv player etc over the internet when old programmes arrive there
Does that not use the normal amount of surfing data as watching U tube for instance?
Not used to all these options, sorry!

Thanks for the help everyone.

I had no idea that watching u tube and random videos ate so much data, I understand how it all works better now. Must as others have already said, repeat, what a useful forum this is

As mentioned, consider a mifi device. We wouldn’t be without ours. It pays to shop for a decent package. We are on a contract, as we do use it almost every month, even just when driving about , not necessarily on a trip. Take it any where, not just in van. £8 a month, 20gb data every month. You can even use it home.

RML wrote:After a decision not to get satellite TV and several years of perfecting the systems we use a combination of phone data and a fixed mifi router when abroad. ...............

Hi RML - Rich:   Just wanted to congratulate you on the informative posts on this subject  

I have:  A fire TV stick, a chromecast, satellite tv, freeview 
and two Motorhome wifi systems:
iBoost Pro D8  and 4G Roof Antenna with MiFi
https://www.motorhomewifi.com/catalog/3g/

Here are a couple of links to information I came across the other day:
https://www.tigermobiles.com/blog/preloaded-data-sim/
https://www.cable.co.uk/mobiles/data-sim-only-deals/


It doesn't seem long ago that I was criticised for taking a mobile phone camping 

Lorfal wrote:As mentioned, consider a mifi device. We wouldn’t be without ours. It pays to shop for a decent package. We are on a contract, as we do use it almost every month, even just when driving about , not necessarily on a trip. Take it any where, not just in van. £8 a month, 20gb data every month. You can even use it home.

Who are you contracted with that's a great price ?

It’s with 3

crosgor wrote:

Lorfal wrote:As mentioned, consider a mifi device. We wouldn’t be without ours. It pays to shop for a decent package. We are on a contract, as we do use it almost every month, even just when driving about , not necessarily on a trip. Take it any where, not just in van. £8 a month, 20gb data every month. You can even use it home.

Who are you contracted with that's a great price ?

But don’t Three cap you at 19gb abroad? They do on my phone - fair usage policy.

Nora

Thanks for all the information everyone, I am now thinking of ditching my current BT infinity package as I get better performance using a mobile as a hotspot so why pay loads of dosh for super infinity hi speed whatever. No engineer can find where the line enters 'hog castle nor the first entry point so no matter what comes down the line it is only as good as the connection. Thanks to the advice from you all I will probably get the best mifi unit possible and an all inclusive package and have unlimited data in the van and at home without spending much more money if any!  Only slight thing to get over now is the wifi range of the mifi unit I choose as indoors it needs to be good or I will have to just move it around when I use it.

I don’t travel abroad just now, so it doesn’t affect me really, the 20gb is sufficient for our needs, and each of us has 6 gb available on our phones between us. We are covered between us for EE, 3 and Vodafone.

Decision made to get the TP link M7350 or 7450 mifi which seems to have very high reviews and use it at home as well, now to search for that sim deal!