Another tablet q...but very confused!

[Landoni112]

I want to get a tablet so I can show my work (I am an artist just starting out) to galleries/anyone who shows any interest .

I want one with wifi and 3g, so I can use it anywhere, but don't want to be stuck with a monthly data plan, as I really do believe I won't use it much outside my home & studio (both of which have wifi).

At the moment I don't have a smart phone, so no data allowance on my mobile contract. If I up-grade my mobile contract to include a data allowance, can I use the sim in my tablet (eg put the phones sim in my tablet only when I need it?)

If not, are there any sim-only geniune pay-as-you-go deals out there? eg with no monthly minimum top-up?

I am on a tight budget, and am tight as well , and don't really want another monthly bill to pay, esp as i really don't think I will use much 3g data with the tablet, only for emergencies with no wifi available.

Sorry for the long post!! Any help appreciated!!

Big problem I imagine would be that the 3G tablets have varying size SIMs (just as the newer smartphones have either the micro-SIM or nano-SIM rather than the mini-SIM {the one most common for the past 10 years}... full size SIM was the size of credit card, I had one in my {very} old Motorola on Orange in the 90s).

iPhone 5 uses nano-SIM, iPhone 4S {?} and some others use micro-SIM... and those are expensive phones... and I guess most 3G enabled tablets use similar {ie not the mini-SIM}

However - many tablets have 4 GB, 8 GB or more GB of data storage. Android tablets usually have a micro-SD reader in them (allowing even more to be used) and the "Gallery" app on an Android will go through images you have stored... So really, with a micro-SD card 'loaded' with your artwork, and the Gallery app set to display from a specific directory, you could showcase items from your chosen set of artwork wherever you go, subject to battery (not wi-fi or 3G).

There's a deal on Three for an Alcatel smartphone and tablet in case you think it worth getting both. Obviously might not be worth 18 quid a month (unlimited data on mobile phone, 1000 minutes for calls to mobiles/ landlines [handy for ringing galleries,, etc]) though at 13 quid they do 250 MB of data (I can use that in a few hours) and 300 minutes... (there's a one-off 9.99 charge for the bundle with the Wi-Fi only tablet)

see .uk/view/product/qlcatalog/threecatdevice/2617?priceplan=PAYMONTHLY

Three is also offering the 3G tablet at 13 and 18 pounds (plus 39.99), but it isn't very clear exactly what size SIM the tablet takes (nor whether it is locked to Three - but that seems highly likely).

The tablet can be bought as PAYG at 150 quid including 1 GB of data, however, I think the bundle might be better value, unless you have ages to go with your existing contract. I have seen people on Ebay selling pre-loaded 3 GB data SIMs and nano SIMs, which are valid for 90 days, so you may have a PAYG option (at better value than a tenner for 1 GB for only 30 days) but obviously depends on signal coverage too.

Google mi fi or mifi. It's a portable wi fi hot spot gadget that is the size of a pack of cards.

I'm not up to date with prices but was about £50 the last time I looked. I think giffgaff does basic data only payg plans.

Cheaper alternative to buying a 3g enabled tablet

I'm no help with all the technical stuff but if you want basic SIM only deal then you can't go wrong with Giffgaff.

You can have Data goodybags for higher usage or their basic standard rate.
20p for 20mb a day then 20p per mb after.
Top up as and when needed.

Credit would need be used at once every 6 months to keep the account active.

I have my iPad on samba mobile. It's free ! No really it is - mse recommended it.

You watch adverts ( or, ahem, run them with the sound off whilst doing something else... ) whilst on wifi to build credit. If you don't use data heavily it's great.

Thanks for all the replies everyone, not got my head round it all, will start googling all the info when I get home tonight. Thanks!

Another alternative is to use your phone as the 3G connection. So when I got my tablet, I also wanted occasional Internet access in it outside I wifi areas eg on the train etc. I already had an iPhone on an unlimited data paying monthly and didnt want another monthly bill like you. So you just pair the tablet and your phone using Bluetooth then set the phone up as a "personal hotspot" - this is called IP tethering, no idea if you can do it on phones other than I phones. Don't see why not. You would probably need to e on an inlimited data tariff though or be very careful with usage.

Got myself a samsung tablet wifi only, £100 secondhand from ebay, after chatting to the lovely nice man at John Lewis for ages and he mentioned tethering, so I think that the way I will go for the mo. Thanks for all the help.