Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: LFF64 on 20 August 2020, 18:24:50

Title: SIM card
Post by: LFF64 on 20 August 2020, 18:24:50
Hello people
I havent been on here for ages I havent even had a Vauxhall for the last vouple of years now currently running a Mercedes ML320 2007 as I am towing a caravan again
I need some advice and you guys have always been the best place to ask  :y
What I have is a Truma inet system in the caravan which allows control of the heating among other things.
It requires a mini sim to use it and works by sending texts to a phone so I need it to do that preferably pay you go and as it is going to be very low use not cost a lot per month
Any suggestions  please  :)   
Title: Re: SIM card
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 20 August 2020, 18:32:32
Any PAYG sim will suffice, and most can be bought readily for 99p.

If travelling abroad, then 3 would be my first suggestion as their roaming are rates are very good.  :y
Title: Re: SIM card
Post by: dave the builder on 20 August 2020, 19:59:46
O2 classic is a very cheap basic PAYG tariff with good coverage (important if using in a car tracker or similar)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/O2-Pay-As-You-Go-The-Classic-PAYG-Package-Standard-Micro-Nano-SIM-card-02/113262991137?hash=item1a5f001721:g:5PoAAOSwzUJbpVSh (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/O2-Pay-As-You-Go-The-Classic-PAYG-Package-Standard-Micro-Nano-SIM-card-02/113262991137?hash=item1a5f001721:g:5PoAAOSwzUJbpVSh)

3 pence a minute calls, 2 pence each texts & 1 pence per MB data  :y

top up a tenner every 6 months

Title: Re: SIM card
Post by: LFF64 on 20 August 2020, 20:03:08
Thanks guys I have been pointed in the direction of an M2M type sim which seems to be made for the application
Does anyone know much or anything about these  :)
Title: Re: SIM card
Post by: Kevin Wood on 20 August 2020, 21:15:10
Long time no see. :y

You could do with finding out what technologies (2G / 3G / 4G) the cellular module supports and on what bands because if it's more than a couple of years old it won't support all of them.

That will determine your choice of network operator. e.g. if it  only does 2G, then 3 will be no use whatsoever.
Title: Re: SIM card
Post by: Broomies Mate on 20 August 2020, 22:19:09

That will determine your choice of network operator. e.g. if it  only does 2G, then 3 will be no use whatsoever.

3 network is the shittest of the shittest you can get.  Avoid at all costs!
Title: Re: SIM card
Post by: YZ250 on 20 August 2020, 23:10:44
Truma iNET is 2G so you are looking at either M2M (roaming) or Giff Gaff/ O2. M2M appear to do reasonably priced payg for this type of set-up. It's SMS Sim you are after so you don't need a massive data package.

Martin, send Mrs LFF64 on ahead to turn the heating up so that the van is toasty warm by the time you get back to it, and then you won't need a Sim.  ;) :y
Title: Re: SIM card
Post by: Andy B on 20 August 2020, 23:47:53
we just leave the heating on but set to a slightly lower temp.  :y
Title: Re: SIM card
Post by: YZ250 on 21 August 2020, 06:17:21
we just leave the heating on but set to a slightly lower temp.  :y

That's what we did but I believe that with an iNET Box, it also allows those that store their vans away from home (in storage) to keep an eye on battery status etc.  You send an SMS to the van iNET Sim and it responds accordingly. Not sure what else it can do though.  :-\  It works on Bluetooth and SMS I believe. The Bluetooth bit puzzles me, because if you have to be in Bluetooth range, why not just pop in the van to do whatever you want it to do. Maybe I'm missing something there though.  :-\
My van was either on site with me in it, or sat in my drive plugged in anyway so battery not an issue. On site, I'd paid for my electric so it's fair to say the van was never cold.  :y
Title: Re: SIM card
Post by: LFF64 on 21 August 2020, 09:37:03
Hello  :)
Your joking she won't touch it
And you are correct it is Bluetooth and SMS  it can control the heating but it is also able to monitor the battery and gas cylinder levels , just a bit of a toy really .
I am looking at a M2M type card as these can apparently switch networks depending on where it is parked
Title: Re: SIM card
Post by: Andy B on 21 August 2020, 10:11:38
we just leave the heating on but set to a slightly lower temp.  :y

That's what we did but I believe that with an iNET Box, it also allows those that store their vans away from home (in storage) to keep an eye on battery status etc.  You send an SMS to the van iNET Sim and it responds accordingly. Not sure what else it can do though.  :-\  It works on Bluetooth and SMS I believe. The Bluetooth bit puzzles me, because if you have to be in Bluetooth range, why not just pop in the van to do whatever you want it to do. Maybe I'm missing something there though.  :-\
My van was either on site with me in it, or sat in my drive plugged in anyway so battery not an issue. On site, I'd paid for my electric so it's fair to say the van was never cold.  :y

Sounds like the Mercedes Me App .... it'll tell you what's in the fuel tank, tyre pressures (if you have a direct system), where you've parked it ......  ???
How did we manage when we had to just remember from the last time we used the car?  ;D ;D
Title: Re: SIM card
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 21 August 2020, 10:33:58
we just leave the heating on but set to a slightly lower temp.  :y

That's what we did but I believe that with an iNET Box, it also allows those that store their vans away from home (in storage) to keep an eye on battery status etc.  You send an SMS to the van iNET Sim and it responds accordingly. Not sure what else it can do though.  :-\  It works on Bluetooth and SMS I believe. The Bluetooth bit puzzles me, because if you have to be in Bluetooth range, why not just pop in the van to do whatever you want it to do. Maybe I'm missing something there though.  :-\
My van was either on site with me in it, or sat in my drive plugged in anyway so battery not an issue. On site, I'd paid for my electric so it's fair to say the van was never cold.  :y

It will have to monitor battery voltage as its thats module which will be the major source of battery drain
Title: Re: SIM card
Post by: YZ250 on 21 August 2020, 12:47:35
.........
just a bit of a toy really .

If it has a toy, it must work, that's the law.   ;D :y  Hope you get it sorted.  :y

It will have to monitor battery voltage as its thats module which will be the major source of battery drain

There's an irony in there somewhere.   ;D :y
Title: Re: SIM card
Post by: LFF64 on 21 August 2020, 15:08:17
The battery will be good it is connected to a roof mounted 100W  solar panel  :y
Title: Re: SIM card
Post by: henryd on 22 August 2020, 10:10:49

That will determine your choice of network operator. e.g. if it  only does 2G, then 3 will be no use whatsoever.

3 network is the shittest of the shittest you can get.  Avoid at all costs!

Really ?, I have been on it years and found it better that Voodoo phone and EE who I was previously with. perhaps its just down here in Cornwall ???
Title: Re: SIM card
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 22 August 2020, 11:16:45
No complaints here either, which is why I suggested them.

Obviously if there's a technical reason why it's not suitable, then that's one of those things...