FAQS

Q: Do I have to have a 3G handset

A: Yes, this new generation SIM only works in a 3G compatible unlocked mobile phone.

Q: Whose network does this work on?

A: The Three network, which is the most established and mature 3G network in the UK with the widest coverage reaching 98.5% of the population of the UK in 2010.

Q: How do I check whether I've got 3G coverage?

A: The quickest way is to send a text to 88588 with your postcode. Within a few minutes you'll get a reply telling you whether you have coverage or not. Alternatively send us an email admin@anvilmobile.co.uk with your postcode and we'll do it for you.

Q: Do you supply the handset?

A: We supply a selection of recommended phones with an anvil SIM pre-installed and ready to use or alternatively you can use an existing 3G unlocked phone.

Q: What is the Monthly Service Charge for?

A: This covers the line rental, provisioning and on-going activation of the SIM. It does not include usage.

Q: How do I pay for my usage?

A: The payment you make on this website is for SIMs and setup costs and covers the first month of the service charge and any features you select. You will need to download a Direct Debit Mandate form which you need to complete and send to us. Once your SIM is activated (which we can only do once we have received your Direct Debit Mandate) and you start using the number we will bill you on a monthly basis in arrears for your usage. The first ‘month’ may be slightly longer than a calendar month depending on the date you made your original purchase. You will only pay for calls made and received (see Tariffs for details). Payment will be automatic by direct debit. You will receive your bill prior to payment being taken from your bank account. If for any reason the payment is returned unpaid, we will pass on administrative costs incurred and for us to re-present to your bank. Any unpaid bills could mean that your SIM is deactivated - please see Terms and Conditions.

We are also able to take payment on a monthly basis from a Debit or Credit card. If you would prefer to pay this way rather than direct debit please contact us to set this up.

Q: I already have a 3 handset - will this new SIM work in that?

A: Yes the handset will work for voice and sms , however for Smart phones data use, the handset should be unlocked.

Q: Why am I being charged to receive calls?

A: Because the SIM works over a mobile network there are transit charges in place which the network operator.

Q: How soon will I know my number?

A: We aim to inform you of your number within 2 days of receipt of your Direct Debit Mandate. 
 

Q: Can I choose my own number?

A: If you contact us to tell us that you would like to select your number we will be able to offer you a range of numbers to choose from. Please enter the Area code request in the comments box at Checkout.

Q: If my handset breaks or stops working can you fix it?

A: If the fault is a hardware one (handset) it is up to you to get the handset repaired or replaced. You would need to contact the supplier of your phone. 

Q: What happens if I think there's a fault with my SIM?

A: Get in touch with us straight away and we will instigate a technical check. If it appears that the SIM has developed a fault, we will replace it free of charge. You will need to return the original SIM to us as soon as possible. The replacement SIM will have the same number(s) allocated to it as the original. There will be no charge for re-provisioning and activation if there is a fault.

Q: Will my SIM number with its area code be shown as the caller id?

A: Yes

Q: Does this work like a divert and will I have to pay divert to mobile charges?

A: No

Q: If I'm dialing another local number (same area code) will I have to dial the full code?

A: Yes, just like any other mobile, but you can obviously put regularly used numbers into your contact list. 

Q: If someone is calling me from the same area code will they need to dial the full number?

A: No, just the last 6 digits.

Q: How do I access my voicemail?

A: By dialing 500 and responding to the prompts. You can set up multiple responses for busy or unavailable. Voicemails can also be sent to an email address.

Q: Which email address will my voicemail messages be sent to?

A: The default email address is the one you used when you placed your order (i.e. when you registered with our website) or you can specify a different email address either in the comment box at Checkout or by emailing us the one you want us to use - admin@anvilmobile.co.uk 

Q: How do I listen to my voicemail message on my computer?

A: Open the email, click on the attachment and whichever music player your computer uses as default will open and you will be able to listen to the voicemail message.

Q: Can I send the voicemail message to someone else?

A: Yes, just treat it like any other file attachment.

Q: Does your site use and store cookies and information about me?

A: Our system uses PHP sessions so a cookie is used to store the session id only. This is stored for around half an hour only.

Q: How quickly will my service be activated?

A: From order to activation and provisioning should be completed within 7 business days (but we must have received your direct debit mandate instruction - without this your SIM will not be activated).

Q: What is different about an Anvil Data SIM compared to a SIM I can buy on-line as a consumer?

A: An Anvil SIM provides a business grade of mobile broadband with added security, reliability and a more consistent performance.  With an Anvil SIM no data is sent over the public internet, instead a secure tunnel (L2TP) is set up over a private internet connection. In addition, the gateway between the mobile network (Three UK) and the internet, called an APN, is private and is not shared with the consumer population.  The most important difference is that an Anvil SIM uses a fixed IP address. 

Q: Why is a fixed IP address important on a Data Sim?

A: Having a fixed IP address enables a user or device to make contact with devices housing the SIM or if the device is a router you can connect to any IP devices attached to the router. This enables remote management, diagnostics and monitoring of systems from a remote location. Examples of systems that you may want to manage remotely include servers, control systems and video cameras. A standard, off the shelf SIM has a dynamic IP address that changes for each internet session and consequently making a remote connection to the device is difficult or impossible.

Q: What kind of device can I use with an Anvil Data SIM?

A: Most 3G capable devices can be used.  The single most important feature for a device to work with an Anvil SIM is the ability to support CHAP as the authentication protocol. CHAP allows for the use of a unique user name and password which is needed to allow connections through our authentication servers. The only other feature that a device needs to work with an Anvil SIM is for a manual entry of the APN address. Some devices only allow the selection of an APN from a list of public APNs. If the options include “other” then you can usually manually enter the private APN address used by the Anvil service.

A mobile phone will not work with an Anvil fixed IP data SIM as the phone needs a SIM with a phone number rather than an IP address. Where a data service is required for a mobile phone, we can supply one of our Anvil voice SIMs as these support data services with a dynamic IP address. This works in the same way that a normal mobile phone SIM with a data plan and is attractive for low use data applications as the price is a few pence per megabyte. 

Q: Can I use a VoIP phone attached to a 3G router for voice calls?

A: Yes. Unlike most operators, Three UK support VoIP calls over their mobile network.

VoIP users sometimes experience an annoying speech delay during calls however, because Anvil’s service is a low latency, Layer 2 service,  it is ideal for VoIP calls and does not suffer from perceptible speech delay.

Q: What is the difference between Anvil’s fixed IP data SIM on the Three and the Vodafone network?

A: In our experience Three UK have the best 3G coverage in the UK and their network has been designed for data traffic. Some devices however, do not support 3G and the Vodafone SIM will support GPRS as well as 3G making it ideal for these situations. It is also the case that some areas of the country have GPRS coverage but not 3G from any operator so, again, the Vodafone fixed IP SIM card provides a solution.