One of the most exciting hacks that can be done Older Amazon Kindles that support 3G use it Global SIM card emergency capacity SSH.
That capability disappeared over the years as US telcos shut down their 3G networks.
But there’s a way to get a true global SIM for £22.99 (about $30): Here’s how we do it.
Meet RWG
RWG is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) based in Wales, specializing in IoT (internet of things) connectivity. The Internet of Things is an umbrella term for connected devices such as electric scooters or smart meters, many of which use data-only SIM cards.
What caught my attention was a program called 5 years SIM data only (opens in a new tab), which gives you 100MB per month for 60 months for a one-off price (£22.99). You can buy more than one, and RWG claims the SIM never expires – although you can’t carry over any unused data. Cheaper UK-only SIM cards for half the price.
100MB per month doesn’t sound like much these days. Netflix, even on the lowest setting, Consumes 170MB of data per hour (opens in a new tab) But if you just want to send text messages (not SMS) or small data packets (that’s what IoT is all about), then it’s a great solution. 1MB is enough to send about 10,000 Whatsapp messages (or about 8 minutes of voice calls in our rough tests), if that’s your thing. Videos and pictures consume a lot of data and should be avoided.
Global? Really?
In a brief conversation with the RWG Mobile support team, we were told that we can use the SIM in most parts of the world, with the exception of some countries (Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Venezuela and Yemen). Note that Russia and Cuba are absent from the list, while Venezuela is a surprising addition.
Since you can buy multiple SIM cards, you can technically buy two in your mobile device (there’s no limit to using it in your mobile device) cell phone or pill we were told) or at Mi-Fi/4G hotspot device and swap them (although this can get confusing).
Anyone – even those living outside the UK – can buy a SIM card, the only restriction is that it must be activated in the UK before traveling abroad. It does accept various international credit cards (JCB, Discover, Diners) but oddly, no Amex.
You also don’t have to register a SIM card, which means no extra charges if you go over the 100MB limit.
How to use the global SIM card?
The obvious answer is that you can use it as an emergency data SIM, but remember it will be useless in a feature phone because (a) it’s a 4G SIM (b) it can’t be used to make calls or send text messages information.
If you travel a lot, it will give you a temporary SIM card to book a cab or find directions, but remember it’s not a replacement for Wi-Fi if you can find it.
Global SIM cards can also be used for everything from GPS trackers to luggage tracking, just in case.
