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Sim card PAYG
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 Posted: Sunday Apr 3rd, 2016 03:20 am
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mikegriff
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Hi Chiu


In the UK if you don't use your Pay As You Go sim card for about 3 Months the card is cancelled by the operator.

So if your Comfort system is working well, there is a distinct possibility of the card being cancelled.

If Like myself I only use the GSM module to inform me of fault or actual Alarms there is a likely chance that I would forget the 3 month limit, and then No GSM dial out.

Would it be possible for a text message every first of the month (selectable in set up) 


Thanks in advance
Mike



 Posted: Sunday Apr 3rd, 2016 11:22 am
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slychiu
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Yes you can use Time Programs
Create a new Time Program

select a Day of week eg Monday and a time to send your sms eg 12 PM
Remember to Enable the time program

Click on Response Name, select New and create a new Response for the time program



If Day = 1 Then
    AlarmUser CMSTest
End If


This means If Day of month = 1 then do alarm CMS Test

Go to Security Types > Alarm Types > CMS test to select which phone to send the sms to

I prefer to send an SMS every day or when the system is armed and disarmed



 Posted: Saturday Apr 9th, 2016 02:36 pm
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mikegriff
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Thanks you again Chiu :-)



 Posted: Sunday Apr 10th, 2016 09:18 am
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Swiss-Toni
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You dont seem to have this problem with GiffGaff payg sim cards and they do keep you infomed by email of the status of your account. Also to send a text it cost only 5p as of 10/04/2016
I always recomend them on any installations that I have done and use it on my own system (admittedly a message is sent frequently for side gate being openend when alarm is on Armed/Night mode without activating alarm)

Last edited on Sunday Apr 10th, 2016 09:19 am by Swiss-Toni



 Posted: Sunday Apr 10th, 2016 04:48 pm
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juwi_uk
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I had a Vodafone PAYG and that definitely pulled the plug after a while of non-use.  Thing with this is then the number is disabled and you cant get it reactivated.

In the end I'm now on a £5 a month contract with Virgin Media for this now though who knows maybe I should go to GiffGaff if that doesn't disable and save myself £60 a year!

Ju

 

 

Last edited on Sunday Apr 10th, 2016 04:56 pm by juwi_uk



 Posted: Thursday May 19th, 2016 03:35 am
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tman
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Swiss-Toni wrote: You dont seem to have this problem with GiffGaff payg sim cardsGiffGaff inactivity period is 6 months without topping up, making a call or sending a SMS. As you mentioned, they're good about emailing you anyway so you get ample warning. It might be easier to just do a time program to send a SMS every 6 months though.



 Posted: Tuesday Nov 16th, 2021 11:50 am
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ptdoyle
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Hi, I have a system I purchased some time ago, but just installing now and I wondered if there was an update on this topic since 2016.
I have a UCM/GSM2, I live in a rural area with patchy 3G/4G connection but a decent Vodafone signal. GiffGaff not a great option as they use O2 and in general monthly plans for Vodafone SIMs seem to be based on 4G/5G. I see its possible to have Comfort send regular texts to avoid cut-off, but how do you manage a pay as you go SIM - i.e. how do you know when it needs to be topped up?



 Posted: Wednesday Nov 17th, 2021 12:23 am
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slychiu
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Unfortunately for PAYG, there is no standard way to know that the simcard is running out of money. ie the module cannot interrogate the network or the card. Normally there is a voice message after evenry call which tells you the balance, which is not helpful. So you will have to top up regularly. Are you sire there is still a 2G network? as the UM/GS,2 will not work with 3G



 Posted: Saturday Nov 20th, 2021 03:55 pm
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ptdoyle
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Ok, thanks Chiu. I better check if there is still a 2G network, though ultimately it sounds like I'll need to upgrade the UCM/GSM and go to a monthly plan, if that's the only way to see what balance is on the SIM card.



 Posted: Monday Nov 22nd, 2021 09:57 pm
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Dils
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Use one of these

https://www.quicksafe.co.uk/sim-for-alarm-systems-c32/pay-as-you-go-security-sim-p303



 Posted: Tuesday Nov 23rd, 2021 01:28 am
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slychiu
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Interesting. I wonder of the main difference is the low balance alert motification to mobile and email.  ow do they ensure coverage in all areas?



 Posted: Tuesday Nov 23rd, 2021 11:36 am
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ptdoyle
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Thanks a lot Dils - it looks perfect if it has (to Chiu's point) coverage in all areas. But they offer a 100% refund if there is no coverage so it seems worth a try.



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