[malcolmfrost]

If you have a cellular tablet but don't want to pay for a full contract for flying, it might be useful. You get a free sim and in exchange for registering you get 200mb per month free. Might be enough for weather and planning on SkyDemon.
https://3g.co.uk/three-data-reward-sim

[Human Factor]

There’s a limit of five Data Reward SIM cards per household...

...or 1GB.

[Dodo]

That might be really useful to me. I used to use my phone as a wifi hotspot in flight to update weather and notams in real time on skydemon on my ipad, but since I bought a skyecho2, I need to connect my ipad to that instead when flying. (I can use the bluetooth hotspot on my phone instead, but it is slow and unreliable).

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

[MIddleGround]

Dodo, if you connect a Skyecho 2, do you even need the cellular capabilities of an iPad? I thought the iPad would provide the GPS input.

[Dodo]

Dodo, if you connect a Skyecho 2, do you even need the cellular capabilities of an iPad? I thought the iPad would provide the GPS input.

I don't actually need the cellular capabilities, but a sim would allow me to update the weather and notams shown on Skydemon in the ipad in real time whilst in flight. I use the GPS source from the Sky echo 2 as I believe it is probably more accurate than the built in one into the ipad. (Mine is an ipad with cellular capability, but currently without a sim).

[Dodo]

I can't help wondering what the catch is though. There is usually nothing really "free."

[PeteSpencer]

I can't help wondering what the catch is though. There is usually nothing really "free."

That catch is that the free capacity won’t last five minutes and you’ll find yourself buying the extra each month .........

[malcolmfrost]

I can't help wondering what the catch is though. There is usually nothing really "free."

Interestingly, back in the day, when 3 were just about to launch, we all paid £15/month for 30 min calltime and 10p per text. 3 were asked why they weren't charging for texts. "We tried to work out how much they cost us and we ran out of zeros on our calculator so decided not to bother" 3 have certainly shaken up the roaming market as well. I'm prepared to give 5hem the benefit of the doubt for the moment! We already have 3 contracts.

[Irv Lee]

This doesn't seem to be Three as in the phone service, but someone else called 3G. Anyone tried it yet? Any strange details needed on registration?

[timjenner]

This has been the case for many years, unless they've changed the terms recently there's no catch. Have had one of their SIMs in my ipad mini for exactly this purpose (occasional Skydemon use) for 3 or 4 years and have never paid Three a penny! If I remember rightly the original terms said something about needing to use it at least once every 6 months but mine still works even after I've not used it for periods exceeding that.

Cheers,
Tim

Edit: Come to think of it, I have given Three some money - just not for this. Knowing about the free data SIM meant I bought another one with 1 month's roaming data to use in my phone for Google Maps when we hired a car on holiday. So the business model works!

[PeteSpencer]

Hmm>
Sounds like a good idea for me :
I've been with giff-gaff for ages for iPad/Skydemon and while not free they used to sell a 'gigabag' of quite a lot of data and no calls for tablets only-they did issue a phone number but I never used this for my iPad. Only a fiver a month.

Then they dumped the gigabag and went back to goody-bag only , introducing calls as well as data, at the same time tweaking the price upwards even though I couldn't use half of what I was paying for (the calls).

Through idleness I've stayed with them with auto top up but even at £7pm the three 'free' model seems a better option...........

[malcolmfrost]

This doesn't seem to be Three as in the phone service, but someone else called 3G. Anyone tried it yet? Any strange details needed on registration?

I got one through that link the other day and got the sim the next morning and it was all Three branding etc. Oddly, going through the Three site you can get the same sim but pre loaded with 1GB for £10.
The redirect from the 3G site takes you here so perhaps it is a weird promotion not available direct from Three.
https://www.three.co.uk/Free_SIM_MBB/Order?manufacturer=&ID=1686&ty=aff&aff_id=337&link_id=lc&link_ref=three-data-reward-sim&link_ref=three-data-reward-sim&aidset=1
The £10 1GB Sim is on this page at the Three site.
http://store.three.co.uk/pricePlans?payGPriceForTariff=0to49.99

[Paul_Sengupta]

This doesn't seem to be Three as in the phone service, but someone else called 3G. Anyone tried it yet? Any strange details needed on registration?

You can get it directly from Three here:

https://www.three.co.uk/Free_SIM_MBB/Order

I have one in my Samsung tablet and one in my iPad mini. They work for a little bit of data at a pinch. I also recommend it to friends before they decide on buying a contract in order to check coverage and speeds.

[malcolmfrost]

Incidentally, it's a good idea to go into Settings/mobile data and turn off background data! I've already lost 51MB to the MailOnline

[Dodo]

Well mine arrived yesterday and I had an incredibly difficult time registering it and getting the free data. If anyone else is in the same situation look at this video

Whilst the video said you would not have to change the APN settings on a tablet, I did have to do so on my ipad mini to 3internet.

I was also able to get free data without topping up.

It will be interesting to see if it works to do what I want it to in flight.