o2 phone sim mobile router (2024)

High 5 every one,

Before I kill my self with a massive hear attack trying to get propper answers from O2.

I'm interested in peoples reeal experience of an O2 phone sim in a Huawei router with a landline phone attached.

The good news, the phone works 100% make and receive calls 100%
The bad is that the internet speeds are deriseory at 50 meg download for 4 days and counting. No amount of using a different window makes a difference.
If I put a Three sim in, the speeds are at least 150 meg

O2 without checking deny throttleing

Yes I could use Three but out of spite they block incoming calls, and even lie about it.

What I want to do is replace Three 5g with O2 5g that is meant to be available, but when O2's 4g is poor what chance has their 5g got!

The OpenSignal app is good for comparing 4G and 5G performance in a local area. cellmapper.net will give an idea of signal and thus indirectly corroborate the OpenSignal data.

Actual measured behaviour is very area dependent.

mikeliuk said:

The OpenSignal app is good for comparing 4G and 5G performance in a local area. cellmapper.net will give an idea of signal and thus indirectly corroborate the OpenSignal data.

Actual measured behaviour is very area dependent.

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Yes a good idea, but windows 10 only here

james smith said:

Yes a good idea, but windows 10 only here

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Only an issue if you don't additionally own a mobile phone.

I'll wager money that you do.

I should mention the app compares using crowd-sourced data and doesn't require (but does allow) the user to test by themselves.

@james smith O2 are rolling out n28 5G to cover their Ofcom coverage obligation.

It's not designed for data throughput.

One source additionally says O2 doesn't permit 4G router usage, otherwise I was considering them due to their low latency in my area (apparently the lowest but not confirmed with my Virgin Mobile SIM).

I'm with Virgin Mobile which recently moved me onto the O2 network and I'm a little worried even to use my SIM as a backup option in case it puts my mobile number at risk, even temporarily.

mikeliuk said:

One source additionally says O2 doesn't permit 4G router usage, otherwise I was considering them due to their low latency in my area (apparently the lowest but not confirmed with my Virgin Mobile SIM).

I'm with Virgin Mobile which recently moved me onto the O2 network and I'm a little worried even to use my SIM as a backup option in case it puts my mobile number at risk, even temporarily.

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That might explain the poor performance with my router that is good enough to run the attached phone, but little else
Have you tried vodaphone? The Vodaphone staff that I've spoken to locally, pillocks.

It just grates me that because of bad attitudes by service providers I can't use the router's rj 11/ phone feature. Imagine at home haveing buildings insurance, and contents insurance from different companies

james smith said:

the internet speeds are deriseory at 50 meg download for 4 days and counting. No amount of using a different window makes a difference.
If I put a Three sim in, the speeds are at least 150 meg

O2 without checking deny throttleing

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You're comparing two different networks.

Throttling is an intent to reduce your speeds, 50 could be the top speed O2 can provide to your area given the backhaul and bandwidth.

Three clearly have more bandwidth/better backhaul to the mast giving much better speeds.

Three is also significantly less congested than O2 so it can in some places naturally be better than O2.

In summary, just because O2 is slower doesn't mean they're doing it on purpose. Vodafone may be quicker for you.

meritez said:

@james smith O2 are rolling out n28 5G to cover their Ofcom coverage obligation.

It's not designed for data throughput.

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It's not designed for anything if you're near other bands to be fair. N28 is shockingly slow. Switch down to 4G and tops out 100+ meg. So crap.

CarlO1460 said:

You're comparing two different networks.

Throttling is an intent to reduce your speeds, 50 could be the top speed O2 can provide to your area given the backhaul and bandwidth.

Three clearly have more bandwidth/better backhaul to the mast giving much better speeds.

Three is also significantly less congested than O2 so it can in some places naturally be better than O2.

In summary, just because O2 is slower doesn't mean they're doing it on purpose. Vodafone may be quicker for you.

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I believe that O2 throttles my speed because the same 4g router when it has an O2 sim, about 70 meg download at best. With Three over 200 meg download. That I see the servers are close to each other says the speed test. Have a good Christmas

james smith said:

I believe that O2 throttles my speed because the same 4g router when it has an O2 sim, about 70 meg download at best. With Three over 200 meg download. That I see the servers are close to each other says the speed test. Have a good Christmas

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It's not throttling as the two networks don't use the same bandwidth and sometimes backhaul so you're wrong.

The servers also aren't relevant to use to compare this.

I think you've a lot more to learn unfortunately before calling out networks for throttling.

Merry Christmas to you too.

CarlO1460 said:

You're comparing two different networks.

Throttling is an intent to reduce your speeds, 50 could be the top speed O2 can provide to your area given the backhaul and bandwidth.

Three clearly have more bandwidth/better backhaul to the mast giving much better speeds.

Three is also significantly less congested than O2 so it can in some places naturally be better than O2.

In summary, just because O2 is slower doesn't mean they're doing it on purpose. Vodafone may be quicker for you.

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I'd be interested in a Vodafone sim with close to 7gb of data plus text and calls unlimited. Better than £10 is my target. Many thanks, have a good Christmas

james smith said:

I'd be interested in a Vodafone sim with close to 7gb of data plus text and calls unlimited. Better than £10 is my target. Many thanks, have a good Christmas

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Vodafone £10 deal gives triple data if you follow the terms in the packs.

Voxi is £10 for 30gb at the moment which is also pretty competitive.

CarlO1460 said:

Vodafone £10 deal gives triple data if you follow the terms in the packs.

Voxi is £10 for 30gb at the moment which is also pretty competitive.

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Nothing wrong with Vodafone, but they are no cheaper than many. I'm going to try Gifgaff at £6 next, it will do to run my phone that is attached to a router.

I'm struggleing to find out why Vodafone are so late to the 5g party. They are very good about promoting 3g switch off, but not so good about 5g updates.

Tripple data is good

Many thanks, have a good Christmas

james smith said:

Nothing wrong with Vodafone, but they are no cheaper than many. I'm going to try Gifgaff at £6 next, it will do to run my phone that is attached to a router.

I'm struggleing to find out why Vodafone are so late to the 5g party. They are very good about promoting 3g switch off, but not so good about 5g updates.

Tripple data is good

Many thanks, have a good Christmas

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Vodafone aren't investing heavily as they are likely to buy Three and they'll then have their infrastructure.

Giffgaff uses O2 therefore will not give you better speed than O2 themselves.

You'd be wasting money as the same bandwidth and backhaul is used between them.

Lebara uses Vodafone, some cheap deals around, check their website.

1p mobile uses EE, 10gb for £10.

Smarty uses Three. 12gb for £8.

CarlO1460 said:

Vodafone aren't investing heavily as they are likely to buy Three and they'll then have their infrastructure.

Giffgaff uses O2 therefore will not give you better speed than O2 themselves.

You'd be wasting money as the same bandwidth and backhaul is used between them.

Lebara uses Vodafone, some cheap deals around, check their website.

1p mobile uses EE, 10gb for £10.

Smarty uses Three. 12gb for £8.

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ref 'Giffgaff uses O2 therefore will not give you better speed than O2 themselves.' I only use the sim for unlimited calls and text, so why pay O2 £10 when I can pay giffgaff £6?

james smith said:

ref 'Giffgaff uses O2 therefore will not give you better speed than O2 themselves.' I only use the sim for unlimited calls and text, so why pay O2 £10 when I can pay giffgaff £6?

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True. But Lyca mobile charges even less and they use O2.

If the priority is voice and on O2 then Sky are offering a 4Gb with free calls and texts for £6 (normally £8) with the added advantage that if used in a suitable device it supports 4g/WIFI Calling if needed during the contract.

While I still hope that my old VoLTE routers will spring into life I fear that with the demise of 3G next year most that are backwards compatible will simply drop to 2G with no data during a call (all ready for testing).

One of the benefits of O2 is 3G narrow band voice will last a little longer.