Why is it so difficult to get a 4G SIM Data Card activated on 4G?

[crunchieeagle]

I am a Managing Director of a specialist 4G mobile broadband supplier in Devon and Somerset and Dorset and just lately Cornwall, and an approved supplier of the Government Better Broadband scheme and Connecting Devon and Somerset Scheme for people with poor landline speeds.

.

Our target customers are businesses, home consumers, park home areas, in rural areas (outside of the FTTC network) and park homes.

We have lots of customers that can use 4G with our systems and get signals on a good line of sight for upto 10-15 miles away from a 4G mast. Most of the best infrastructure in the South West is Vodafone and EE. We use unlocked 4G routers and high gain 4G antennas

We have in the past tried many times to get customers on Vodafone, 4G, on monthly contracts either a year or a 30 day rolling contract but alot of problems always arise,  because the current situation is not working.

The sales or technical department don’t seem to understand what we do. They just seem to think 4G sim only cards are for phones and tablets. We use a TP Link MR200 which works with a 4G Vodafone SIM card beautifully (sets up the APN settings automatically) which is attached through low loss gain cables to our powerful 4G antennas. It should be just plug and play.

But

1. The cards often arrive not activated
2. There are no instructions or telephone number given to activate it
3. Some customers if they have been activated. have been activated on 3G only, even though they are purchasing a 4G sim
4. We have had customers not capped. Even though you can stop the allowance in the router to stop you going over your allowance, most customers don’t know how to do this or have the time to learn, so we are disappointed to find some customer being charged money without knowing they have gone over their allowance, and don’t know that the SIM Card has to be asked to be “capped”

We do about 30-40 installs a month on both EE and Vodafone. We give alot of business to Vodafone and all we get are headaches. Our customers have even been told by the sales team or technical team that our equipment does not work or not fit for purpose. 

I don't know why Vodafone even sell 4G data only Sim Cards, when they dont know what they can be used for, not just tablets!

I am a Managing Director  of a specialist 4G mobile broadband supplier in Devon and Somerset and Dorset and just lately Cornwall, and an approved supplier of the Government Better Broadband scheme and Connecting Devon and Somerset Scheme for people with poor landline speeds.

.

Our target customers are businesses, home consumers, park home areas, in rural areas (outside of the FTTC network) and park homes.

We have lots of customers that can use 4G with our systems and get signals on a good line of sight for upto 10-15 miles away from a 4G mast. Most of the best infrastructure in the South West is Vodafone and EE. We use unlocked 4G routers and high gain 4G antennas

We have in the past tried many times to get customers on Vodafone, 4G, on monthly contracts either a year or a 30 day rolling contract but alot of problems always arise,  because the current situation is not working.

The sales or technical department don’t seem to understand what we do. They just seem to think 4G sim only cards are for phones and tablets. We use a TP Link MR200 which works with a 4G Vodafone SIM card beautifully (sets up the APN settings automatically) which is attached through low loss gain cables to our powerful 4G antennas. It should be just plug and play.

But

1. The cards often arrive not activated
2. There are no instructions or telephone number given to activate it
3. Some customers if they have been activated. have been activated on 3G only, even though they are purchasing a 4G sim
4. We have had customers not capped. Even though you can stop the allowance in the router to stop you going over your allowance, most customers don’t know how to do this or have the time to learn, so we are disappointed to find some customer being charged money without knowing they have gone over their allowance, and don’t know that the SIM Card has to be asked to be “capped”

We do about 30-40 installs a month on both EE and Vodafone. We give alot of business to Vodafone and all we get are headaches. Our customers have even been told by the sales team or technical team that our equipment does not work or not fit for purpose. 

I don't know why Vodafone even sell 4G data only Sim Cards, when they dont know what they can be used for, not just tablets!

[crunchieeagle]

I am a Managing Director  of a specialist 4G mobile broadband supplier in Devon and Somerset and Dorset and just lately Cornwall, and an approved supplier of the Government Better Broadband scheme and Connecting Devon and Somerset Scheme for people with poor landline speeds.

.

Our target customers are businesses, home consumers, park home areas, in rural areas (outside of the FTTC network) and park homes.

We have lots of customers that can use 4G with our systems and get signals on a good line of sight for upto 10-15 miles away from a 4G mast. Most of the best infrastructure in the South West is Vodafone and EE. We use unlocked 4G routers and high gain 4G antennas

We have in the past tried many times to get customers on Vodafone, 4G, on monthly contracts either a year or a 30 day rolling contract but alot of problems always arise,  because the current situation is not working.

The sales or technical department don’t seem to understand what we do. They just seem to think 4G sim only cards are for phones and tablets. We use a TP Link MR200 which works with a 4G Vodafone SIM card beautifully (sets up the APN settings automatically) which is attached through low loss gain cables to our powerful 4G antennas. It should be just plug and play.

But

1. The cards often arrive not activated
2. There are no instructions or telephone number given to activate it
3. Some customers if they have been activated. have been activated on 3G only, even though they are purchasing a 4G sim
4. We have had customers not capped. Even though you can stop the allowance in the router to stop you going over your allowance, most customers don’t know how to do this or have the time to learn, so we are disappointed to find some customer being charged money without knowing they have gone over their allowance, and don’t know that the SIM Card has to be asked to be “capped”

We do about 30-40 installs a month on both EE and Vodafone. We give alot of business to Vodafone and all we get are headaches. Our customers have even been told by the sales team or technical team that our equipment does not work or not fit for purpose. 

I don't know why Vodafone even sell 4G data only Sim Cards, when they dont know what they can be used for, not just tablets!

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi @crunchieeagle

There are official Vodafone Teams who read all posts and engage where they can. 

Please give them a little time to catch up with your thread. 

[Colleen]

@crunchieeagle Thanks for getting in touch and for your feedback. 

I'll pass your comments on to help us improve our services in the future. 

Please feel free to pass the following information on to your customers: 

• Activating a SIM - If you've purchased a new SIM, this would already be activated. Although Pay monthly can take up to 12 hours and Pay as you go would need to topped up first. 
• Whether the customer gets a 3G or 4G service, would depend on the coverage in their area. It's best to look at our Network Status Checker first. 
• If eligible, a data cap can be added through the customers My Vodafone app or online account. 

[crunchieeagle]

Thanks Coleen for your answer.

The trouble is we use High gain 4G LTE antennas, (not repeaters) which go on the outside of a house (about a size of a burglar alarm) which can (on a good line of sight) boost a 4G signal from up to 10 miles away from a mast. Like this one. Some of our antennas have 24 DBi Gain. 

http://poynting.tech/product/xpol-2/

We work out where the 4g signal is coming from (where the mast is), and which network provider is providing the signal and what strength it is by using a LTE analyser

So people can get 4G internet into their house by attaching the antenna to a 4G router like this one, which we install.

http://www.tp-link.fi/products/details/cat-4691_Archer-MR200.html

So people can get high-speed broadband into their home where landline Broadband are very slow.

So ALL 4G sim NEED TO BE ACTIVATED AS 4G! 3G doesn't give fast enough speeds. We do not install people/businesses who cannot receive a decent 4G signal/speed.

Also customers are just receiving a piece of paper with their sim card number on it, and order number. No account or 4G card phone number, and SIM cards sent through the post are not activated and when they get activated they are activated only on 3G and NOT 4G, even though all our customers will be in 4G areas. EE sent out 4G cards as requested but why do vodafone only activate them on 3G and not 4G and they are being sold as 4G Sim Cards?

I hope this make sense.

Thanks

[pipcoo]

Hi there

            Did you get a solution to this ? I`ve just received my 4g data sim and as you say it came in a plain envelope with a delivery note and nothing else. I intend to use it in a 4g router but have put it in my phone for now and it is showing as connected to 3g only although I`m in a 4g area. I`m wondering does it take time to register on the 4g network or is there something else I should do ?  Many thanks for any help.

[crunchieeagle]

I haven't pipcoo. Still waiting.............

[pipcoo]

I`ve posted a question in the network queries forum so will let you know if I get a solution.

[pipcoo]

After reading other threads on this board about the problems people are having with Sims not working or being charged for going over the data limit because the data cap does not work, I am inclined to just cancel my contract and stick with EE.

[crunchieeagle]

You do have a grace period where you can just cancel.

I have to sell vodafone sim cards, because sometimes people cannot pick up 4G EE. I would like to work with vodafone to sort this problem out, but have tried for 3 months, and thought, i will try these boards, to see if i can get an answer. Not having much luck here either.