Why is my mobile data disabled on my Asus Fonepad?

[AC Question]

Mobile Data Disabled on Asus Fonepad

Hi there. I have an issue with my Asus Fonepad on the Three network here in the UK. I bought a phone sim card for it when I first got the device back in early summer. For the first month or so it worked fine but one morning woke to find that I could no longer access mobile data. A phonecall to Three informed me that they considered that Fonepad to be a tablet and not a phone and that, therefore, they only offered a mobile broadband sim card for this product. The cheeky devils! It's a phone I protested! But to no avail.

Subequently I bought another phone with a slightly smaller screen but unfortunately I didn't keep it as the signal strength was not strong enough inside for data access at home. I swapped the sim card back into the Fonepad only to then discover though that I could access mobile data again and it's mostly been fine since. (I've made a point of maintaining the signal connection rather than switching the device of at night.) Last week however the Fonepad crashed so I had to reboot only to find.......you guessed it......I could no longer access mobile data any more and I was receiving the same message again 'Please sign in to network.'

I'd like to keep the Fonepad/Three phone sim card combination. It's a great 2 in 1 phone and tablet device but, also as I cannot get landline broadband where I live, with unlimited tethering with Three's one plan, I can tether to my other devices as well.

So after all that, I'd like to ask is there potentially an easy way to somehow trick the Fonepad into accessing mobile data again? I currently don't have access to another unlocked phone to try the sim card swap that inadvertently seemed to solve the issue last time. Would appreciate any suggestions. Many thanks.

 

[ajmalsherif]

Hi, i hope you have been able to sort out mobile date for your asus fone pad?
I have developed a similar problem after restoring to facrtory settings
Best regards
Ajmal

 

[Rukbat]

The IMEI gives away what the device is (it has to be transmitted to connect to the network) and if the carrier won't offer voice service to that device, the only thing you can do is switch to a carrier that does (and that gives you coverage where you need it - don't switch to a carrier that gives you everything but service, which some people never check before signing up). You can't "trick" the carrier into giving you something it doesn't give you.