Multiple Data Simcards?

Do any of the networks handle multiple simcards properly yet?

Ideally I want to be able to have multiple Devices each with their own SIM but have pooled data so I just buy say 3GB of data from the network and then I can use it on a laptop/ipad/whatever.

Edited by dragon2611 (Fri 26-Aug-11 00:17:10)

Not that I'm aware of (which doesn't mean it doesn't exist)

The login to the "my Three" portal is not with a user name and password, but is managed via the SIM card - so in that respect, on Three, the allowances are locked to the SIM card and thus not "transferable".

It would be nice to have a service where the same data allowance spans mobile and dongle, for instance, except that the two data services differ somewhat anyway - 3GB of data on a mobile (web pages, email) will probably go a lot further than 3GB of data on a dongle (downloads, etc)

I Think on three it's possible to accoicate the simcard with an online account so that you can see it's usage/credit.etc from another location by logging in

However that still doesn't pool data resources.

http://www.bandwidthblog.com/2011/04/05/vodacom-laun...

Looks like it's becoming available in South africa

Wonder if the UK networks will catch on and offer it an option

There are devices available in the UK for combining the upload and download capacity of a number of different SIM cards which could be on the same or different networks. These are often used as fixed installations inside railway carriages or coaches to offer Wi-Fi to travelling customers.

There are also devices like this that fit in a backpack with batteries and an antenna and take a feed from a camcorder to allow live broadcasts from reporters roaming the streets. Very clever tech and the picture quality is almost up to standard def quality with little delay.

Not sure about any devices aimed at the consumer though.

jayteedc

Not quite what I was looking for unfortunately

More that I have multiple devices that have 3G capability but it gets very expensive if I have a mobile broadband account for each one

Edited by dragon2611 (Sat 27-Aug-11 20:07:46)

I don't think the UK networks have quite cottoned on to the "dual play" aspect yet.

But then while our Three 3G connection which we use as our primary/home broadband can and does do over 6Mbps that will doubtless be because few are using it.

So while it's paying the mobile operators to have people switching from ADSL to 3G as we have, I don't think it would help if they started crowing about it and offering it as a real dual play service (e.g. mobile and home) because if lots of people then thought "Ah. I can have this at home and when out and about all for one price" then the connectivity would crumble.

Not only that, but we only get those speeds with the modem sitting upstairs at or outside the window. Take the dongle downstairs and it barely gets a signal.

With 4G/LTE I guess the dual-play offering becomes more of a possibility.

I wonder if Three's MiFi device is as close as you'll get to what you're after.

When I say multiple devices I was thinking more along the lines of a laptop/mi-fi and a 3G enabled tablet

Yes its possible to use the tablet with a mi-fi or by using hotspot on ones phone but that either means carrying yet another device or killing the battery on the phone rather rapidly.

Most of the time I just take the tablet but if im going away for a few days I might take a laptop instead and quite often using 3G works out much more cost effective than paying for hotel wi-fi.

Devices that have a mobile data connection will become more common so hopefully eventually they'll cotton on and offer something

In the meantime I might try asking a few carriers if they do any deals if you take multiple services