View Full Version : Question about 'dongles'
Capetonian
18th Jun 2011, 10:48
I have a 'dongle' from '3' which I use in the UK, obviously it has a SIM card in it. The 'dongle' is, in my understanding, a small modem with its own software which downloads onto the laptop.
If I need to use it in another country, could I get a SIM card with a data allowance in that country, put it into the 'dongle', and use it?
I was down at my local Vodaphone office this morning, upgrading from a prepaid to a contract smart phone (€6 a month plus IVA, I'm not made of money).
Ahead of me were four Frenchy chaps, all on a sailing expedition, who had gone into the shop to ask precisely that question. The lady behind the counter said something very technical about why the SM card wouldn't work and sold them five Vodaphone dongles (so that's one and a quarter dongles per Frenchman/laptop) each containing a Vodaphone SM card, at something like €30 each.
Hope this helps, but I doubt it ! I wasn't paying much attention as we were discussing the non-stop rise of property prices in Paris, however I think the best bet is to visit the same branch of your original vendor in another country and ask.
P.S. I had to queue for an hour to get served at Vodaphone: when I left there were eight people beind me in the queue. Good business, eh ?
ross_M
18th Jun 2011, 13:30
Sometimes it works sometimes it wont. Depends on if or not the provider has locked the USB modem. It's quite similar to unlocking a GSM cellphone; these usually come SIM-card locked too.
Check online, lots of forum and blog posts like this one (http://www.sheeptech.com/how-to-unlock-huawei-usb-modem-for-free)
You might be able to unlock your USB dongle and then it'll take other SIM cards. No idea about the legality of this but I doubt anyone would care.