A crowdfunded mobile operator called Honest Mobile, which has some very interesting features (e.g. bills that go down), are preparing to launch a new ‘Smart Signal SIM‘ that will enable users to do something we haven’t seen before – the ability to boost coverage by harnessing all of Three UK, EE (BT), Vodafone and O2 (VMO2).
At present, Honest Mobile works much like any other Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) in that its service is based off Three UK’s national 4G and 5G network. Plans are typically priced from £12.15 per month for 4GB of data (inc. unlimited calls/texts) on a 12-month term (they also do 30-day terms) and rise to £22.50 per month for “unlimited data” (catch – speeds will drop to slow 3G levels after you’ve gobbled over 650GB).
On the surface, this might not seem terribly interesting, but Honest Mobile does a few key things differently. Firstly, rather than hiking prices each year, existing customers who remain loyal will instead see their bill reduce every month until it’s 30% off your original bill. Free EU roaming also continues to be included (20GB usage cap) and they appear to have more than one roaming partner in some countries.
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The operator will also try to help customers save money by recommending they downgrade to a cheaper plan if they consistently only use part of their usage allowance. But the feature that we are most interested in is their new Smart Signal SIM, which was actually tried before (2021). But it ended up being suspended while the operator focused on improving other areas and getting the technical side right (there were some connectivity issues with the original trial).
The good news is that they appear to be gearing up to re-launch their Smart Signal service sometime this “summer” (here). The idea is that if you ever find yourself in an area of no signal on Three UK’s network, then the operator’s special App will take over to automatically connect you via an alternative signal (roaming) from either EE, Vodafone or O2 (i.e. no need for multiple SIM cards).
We don’t currently know what the final product will look like and offer, although the beta doesn’t yet appear to support 5G, WiFi Calling or eSIMs and capped its data usage to 10GB per month. Apparently, the feature also costs an extra £5 to £10 per month, so for some people it might work out better to mix a couple of different SIM and eSIMs on your mobile, but that’s tedious.
UPDATE 19th April 2023
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So far as we can tell, the new approach to the Smart SIM will be different from the original beta a couple of years ago. As we understand it, this second attempt will be a data-only eSIM that can work – via the App – across all four networks. This can also work alongside your existing SIM, either via Honest Mobile or a rival operator (assuming your handset supports eSIMs).
I think the thing that is not really advertised and pushed is that its a data only sim, hence why they are saying its an additional sim/second sim. This isnt what it appears to say on the tin. It doesnt mean you can roam around the UK for voice and data, only data.
In the earlier beta, you could use it to both call and text, as well as use data. Not sure if that has changed.
But it’s not a data only sim simply because it supports wifi calling and 4G calling as well as offering unlimited calls and texts which would indicate that you can use it for calls and texts therefore you are very much wrong.
do you have WiFi calling?
Yes, WiFi calling is enabled on all SIMs so you can make calls and send messages over WiFi, even when you don’t have signal with Honest.
We don’t currently support WiFi calling abroad.
do you support 4G?
Yes, we support 4G data including 800MHz spectrum as well as VoLTE, which improves call quality and data whilst calling.
Taken from the investment website and a reply from one of the founders, confirming the Smart SIM is data only
Andrew Aitken, Team member at Honest Mobile, 07:50 on 05 Apr 2023
Hi Peter – no, the Smart SIM will be data only. We’re working on a way to deliver voice calls over the internet (like WhatsApp / Facetime but for a regular style call) but this is not in the first version. Andy
Sorry meant to copy the initial question as well
Peter Sharp, 07:44 on 05 Apr 2023
Can the smart SIM be used to make regular phone calls on other networks in the UK when the signal is patchy?
In that case, they seem to have changed it from the original beta, possibly to help get around some of the technical issues they faced.
I think, Smarty mobile, is very competitive .
Unlimited data will be capped to 650GB then restrict speed to 3G (but what happen if 3G no longer in uk)? I guess it will revert to 4G instead from 5G?
I assume capped at 3G speeds on 4G. Where I live EE gives me 250Mbps on 4G but using To The Moon Mobile (an EE MVNO) I could only get around 50Mbps and that was tested with the same device on the same band and mast.
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Fantastic concept. I’d love something like this where I would have much greater coverage for calls texts and data. The only thing stopping me is they don’t offer a reasonable bolt on for USA roaming which is a deal breaker for me unfortunately.
Robin, see my replies above and below, it is a data only sim, not for standard voice calls or texts. I was going to invest but having to have 2 sim cards one for voice/texts and another for data put me off.
Peter Sharp, 07:44 on 05 Apr 2023
Can the smart SIM be used to make regular phone calls on other networks in the UK when the signal is patchy?
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Andrew Aitken, Team member at Honest Mobile, 07:50 on 05 Apr 2023
Hi Peter – no, the Smart SIM will be data only. We’re working on a way to deliver voice calls over the internet (like WhatsApp / Facetime but for a regular style call) but this is not in the first version. Andy
Isn’t this the same as the Anywhere SIM?
Yep anywhere sim have been using this multi-roaming concept for donkeys years. Mark, your “will enable users to do something we haven’t seen before “ statement is clearly wrong.
Yes it’s not new. Mostly MVNOs that do this use a jersey telecom SIM (so, in effect, you’re always roaming).
AAISP did one too, but the costs were a little too high for everyday use.
Anywhere is more for the infrequent user who hardly uses their device eg 10p per MB,10p per min for calls and 5p per text, they also don’t offer prebundled sim only plans
Honest Mobile on the other hand do offer prebundled sim only packages eg 4GB, 10GB or unlimited data together with unlimited calls and texts and once the smart sim is launched, having data bundles as above makes it cheaper for frequent data users to use Honest Mobile than Anywhere.
Anywhere sim is also rather restricted with their roaming partners whereas Honest Mobile offer more variety eg Anywhere only offer you one operator in Austria where Honest Mobile offers three so you’re far more likely to get a data connection with Honest than Anywhere.
My burgular alarm came with a Tele2 sim that can roam to any available network in any country. I’m not seeing what’s new / revolutionary about this particular one.
Kay, not sure if you realise this but Tele2 haven’t operated in the UK for the last 18 years since they got sold to Carphone Warehouse and rebranded as TalkTalk in 2005.
My alarm system is from Ukraine. The company is called Ajax. I can promise you, then come with Tele 2 SIM cards or at least that’s what it says on the plastic card I popped it out of. I bought mine in 2020. It being a global sim, it doesn’t matter if Tele 2 doesn’t exist in the UK does it?
I bought an “Anywhere Sim” on pay as you go about a month ago and have done a little testing on it. I put it in an old phone and when selecting the network manually, it did allow me to select any of the 4 major UK networks and indeed got signal on them. There are a couple of downsides as mentioned by others, namely that there are no bundles, and you have to to keep topping the sim up with airtime otherwise one loses signal. I won’t be porting my second number to it due to having to keep topping up with airtime (i.e. extra unneccessary costs). I could see this as being useful for someone who goes into rural areas frequently for either business or leisure and wants to always have signal from one of the 4 major networks, however that same someone would need a dual physical sim Android phone. They could then use there Anywhere sim if there primary sim didn’t have signal.Anyone who wants to try can buy one here: https://anywheresim.com/shop/index
Actually, I suppose you could put your Anywhere sim in another phone, or if your single physical sim phone also supports esim, you could have your primary number on Esim and put your Anywhere Sim in the physical slot.
I have used esim.net before when I needed to travel and needed a EU sim in a hurry as I never had roaming on my current contract. Worked well on the Iphone
Same concept as OnStar system in Vauxhall (replaced with Opel/Vauxhall connect). In OnStar there was AT&T global sim card. I think any modern car having such a solution must have either esim or physical sim card of that type.
@Kay I believe you, Tele2 is the SIM card that a lot of parking systems use and also a lot of card readers use too. The Dojo GO at my workplace uses Tele2.
I use SIP2SIM from aa.net.uk which does a similar thing when connected to an andrews and arnold number.
How is A&A’s SIP2SIM product, which uses O2’s network, in any way similar to a SIM that can roam onto all UK networks?
@Dan A&A offer 3 different SIMs,
O2 UK only
O2 / EU roam
EU roam
https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/sip2sim/
@Jack Thanks – I’d seen the EU roaming version, but had incorrectly assumed that it was literally for that, not UK use.
SIP2SIM costs £20 per Gb for data, far too expensive when I can get 70Gb from Talkmobile for £9.99 per month on a 1 month contract with unlimited minutes and texts from Talkmobile.co.uk as a second SIM on a different network in my dual SIM phone.
Just get an eSIM or physical from Keepgo.com It does the same thing as they are proposing, ie. data only roaming in the UK.
I was invited about 2 months ago to become an investor. I am excited about this one.
I am very keen to look in to this as soon as possible. Getting fed up with having to have two SIMs just to get data in all the places I need it!
the Smart SIM will be data only
£12.15 per month for 4GB of data is hardly deal of the century! Its not hard to knock 30% off a bill over 12 months when you start off at 50% plus more expensive in the first place!
I too have used https://www.esim.net on my travels to Europe. It was quick and easy to install the eSIM and it worked very well.
The Smart SIM will be designed as a second SIM to failover to if your primary SIM has no signal roaming onto whatever network is available.
The interesting thing that they are proposing is that they will whitelist certain services only, to stop people watching iPlayer or YouTube. It’ll just be for things like messaging, mapping and so on.
Not sure how they’re going to market that to the masses.
Any news updates??
Do we have any updates or info or release date. It all gone very quiet.