Table of Contents
- First thing's first...
- 1. My data isn't working...
- 2. I'm having issues making phone calls or text messages...
- 3. "No Service"
- 4. "No SIM"
- 5. I keep getting messages telling me to top-up
- 6. I'm overseas and I've run out of data, how do I top-up?
- I've tried everything and it's still not working
- Contacting us
- Money Back Guarantee
Europe & UK 12GB 30 day Troubleshooting guide
Updated
by Supriti
- First thing's first...
- 1. My data isn't working...
- 2. I'm having issues making phone calls or text messages...
- 3. "No Service"
- 4. "No SIM"
- 5. I keep getting messages telling me to top-up
- 6. I'm overseas and I've run out of data, how do I top-up?
- I've tried everything and it's still not working
- Contacting us
- Money Back Guarantee

SIM cards are technical products, as is your phone - sometimes things don't work out the way they're supposed to! π€·π½ββοΈ
But no need to stress! Here are common issues that can pop up and how you can quickly resolve them:
First thing's first...
- Make sure that you're in one of the 71 countries that the SIM works in! π
- Make sure you have Data Roaming turned on and you've restarted your phone.
1. My data isn't working...
- Check that you have Data Roaming & Mobile Data turned on in your Settings.
- Make sure that you have changed your APN settings to match the following:
Name: 3
APN: three.co.uk
User name: [leave this field blank]
Password: [leave this field blank]
MMSC: http://mms.um.three.co.uk:10021/mmsc
MMS proxy: mms.three.co.uk
MMS port: 8799
APN type: internet + mms - Restart your phone
- If it's still not working, try the SIM on another phone to see if it'll work there.
2. I'm having issues making phone calls or text messages...
This SIM only comes with:
- Calls & texts to UK landlines & mobiles whilst in the UK
- Calls & texts to European + UK numbers whilst in other European countries
It does not come with calls or texts when you're outside of Europe or the UK. It'll be data-only!
If you try to make a call outside these parameters, you will receive a message telling you to top-up. You can ignore it.
- Check that you have the country code in front of the number you're trying to call.
If you're trying to call an Italian number, use +39 in front of the number like this +39 06 444 0364
If you're trying to call a UK number, use +44 in front of the number like this +44 71 23 456 7891
You can find a list of country codes here: https://countrycode.org/
- If it's still not working, then you will need to manually switch network providers through your settings
Apple
Settings > Mobile > Network Selection > Disable Automatic > Wait for networks to pop up and select another one > Restart your phone
Android
Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks > Network Operators > Search networks manually > Wait for networks to pop up and select another one > Restart your phone
Note: May differ depending on your device - If these instructions don't match, explore your settings until your find Network Selection or Network Operators
Which one do I choose?
Try any of them and if one doesn't work, try another one!
3. "No Service"
I've just put my SIM in my phone and it says No Service....
If you've inserted the SIM into your phone and you didn't get a 'Welcome' text message or it says 'No Service', you will have to manually select a network through your settings.
Apple
Settings > Mobile > Network Selection > Disable Automatic > Wait for networks to pop up and select one
Android
Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks > Network Operators > Search networks manually > Wait for networks to pop up and select one
If it doesn't connect, you might need to click on one a couple of times and then restart your phone.
Note: May differ depending on your device - If these instructions don't match, explore your settings until your find Network Selection or Network Operators
Which one do I choose?
Try any of them, and if it doesn't work, try another one!
It's still not working...
Try the SIM in another phone if you can, and see if it'll activate.
My SIM was working great but suddenly it says No Service...
Sometimes ThreeUK, the network provider, can block your SIM due to "security reasons." β
This is incredibly frustrating and inconvenient for you as a customer, and for us as a business, because there is nothing we can do to control this. π‘
From what we've noticed, this happens when you make lots of long phone calls to businesses or airports.
In order to get your SIM working again, you will need to contact ThreeUK here: https://three.co.uk/support/Contact-Us#something-else
Click the Live Chat button and fill out your details. You will need your Three number and a UK postcode - you can use CB3 9DS
They may ask for the last 6 digits of your SIM number which can be found on the back of your SIM packaging. They may ask for your last top up in which case you'll need to tell them that you've got the Pay As You Go Β£20 top-up.
They will also need a UK address for verification and you can use 5 West Rd, Cambridge, CB3 9DS.
4. "No SIM"
- Take the SIM out and put it back into your phone and restart
- Try the SIM in another phone
- If it's saying No SIM in 2 different phones, then contact us!
5. I keep getting messages telling me to top-up
If your data, calls & texts are working, just ignore the messages telling you to top up!
If your data, calls or texts aren't working, follow the troubleshooting steps above!
- My data isn't working
- I'm having issues with calls or texts
Also, you make sure you check your balance to see your expiry and data balance! π
6. I'm overseas and I've run out of data, how do I top-up?
This SIM is 'non-rechargeable' because the only ways to top-up are:
- By physically going into a ThreeUK store in the UK
- Online with a UK credit card and address
If you have access to these methods, then you can top-up!
If you don't and you need to access more data, we recommend you grab a SIM locally π
I've tried everything and it's still not working
Contacting ThreeUK
Sometimes even if you do everything right, the SIM still doesn't work! SIM cards and mobile phones are technical products so it's impossible for everything to work perfectly all the time. π€·π½ββοΈ
If you still need help, the best step is to contact ThreeUK here: https://three.co.uk/support/Contact-Us#something-else
Click the Live Chat button and fill out your details. You will need your Three number and a UK postcode - you can use CB3 9DS
They may ask for:
- The last 6 digits of your SIM number, which can be found on the back of your SIM packaging.
- Your last top up, in which case you'll need to tell them that you've got the Pay As You Go Β£20 top-up.
- A UK address for verification, and you can use 5 West Rd, Cambridge, CB3 9DS.
Contacting us
Still need help? ππ½ββοΈ
These instructions and guides are based on our most frequently asked questions. If your question isn't answered, just contact us and we'll be happy to have a chat.
Our mission is for you to have smooth sailing on your travels and not be fussing around with your SIM card!
In order to get your SIM working as quickly as possible, we're going to need you to work with us. π€
Please answer the following questions when contacting us:
- Which SIM have you bought?
- Where are you located?
- When did you activate and what happened when you activated?
- What troubleshooting steps have you tried?
- Please send through a screenshot of your Mobile Network settings and your APN settings with the WiFi turned off and your mobile data turned on so we can see what's going on.
- Any other details that might help us help you!
You can contact us a hello@simsdirect.com.au π©
Money Back Guarantee
These SIMs aren't perfect and neither are we!
There is always the possibility of manufacturing issues or network problems that canβt be resolved. π
This is why we have a money back guarantee available for all of our customers to protect against faulty SIMs and poor experiences.
It is extremely important to us that our customers are looked after, and we are here to support you as much as possible. We wouldn't be able to do this without you!
In order to claim your Money Back Guarantee, you'll need to contact us and we'll try to troubleshoot the issue with you. If we can't get it sorted, we'd be more than happy to give you a refund.
