Karoo is designed to work with or without a 3G SIM card.
The following companies allow the Karoo to work on their networks. While we do not officially endorse any of them, data-enabled SIM cards from any of them should enable 3G connectivity from your Karoo.
- FreedomPop - https://www.freedompop.com/
- Cricket Wireless - https://www.cricketwireless.com/
- Google Project Fi - https://fi.google.com/about/ (setup instructions)
For other cellular carriers, when their SIM is installed you may have to tweak the APN settings that are specific to the country and carrier. We recommend that you use the data from the following sites:
Here are the steps to edit the APN Settings on Karoo:
- On the Home screen, click on the "Settings" app.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page.
- Select "Cellular Data".
- Tap on "Access Point Names".
- From the list, select the APN that you would need to edit (or) Tap on the "+" icon to add an APN. (This would depend on your SIM provider.)
- Edit the Name and APN as needed.
- Click on the three dots to see the dropdown. Click "Save".
- Press and hold the power button for two seconds. Select "Reboot".
Your saved APN settings will be active after the reboot.
Comments
33 comments
Hi Nicholas Weikel, see the update above with APN settings
Telstra card in Australia works fine, but you'll need to set the APN. Check what your phone uses and select the same one.
Is freedompop in the UK compatible??
I can't seem to get a data connection although there is a signal strength bar so clearly something has happened.
I just picked up a verizon micro SIM card in the US and tried it in my Karoo. Available networks that show up are Tmobile and ATT. So it would appear the SIM card is recognized and interacts with the Karoo software. However the CDMA piece is missing I think. Any input from Hammerhead on when you might add this? It was one of the reasons I bought this thing. Thx
Three sim works fine in the UK. No need to enter any APN settings, just loaded automatically.
I've tested Telenor HU; Vodafone HU and T-mobile HU SIM Cards in Hungary. None of them worked at all. The "Cellular data" option in the Settings menu is disabled (grayed out), so I don't have the option to change the APN settings. It's like the SIM slot is not recognizing the SIM card at all. Can it be a hardware problem or that's normal, because of the carriers are not on the compatible service providers list?
I would like to use my Karoo on both of my bikes but the wheel sizes are different. Since I can only apply the wheel calibration number for one bike does that mean that speed and distance will be off when using on my other bike?
If you have a speed sensor on both bikes with different wheel sizes then yes I believe it will be off unless you adjust the wheel circumference setting for each time you swap over.
One potential work around would be to only connect the wheel sensor on one bike and then use GPS only as the distance calculation for the other bike.
Hi Anyone have any idea of a UK sim that will work in the Karoo while I'm traveling through France ?
Yup. A three pay as you go is fine and uses you UK allowance no extra charge. In fact I think pretty much all UK Sims roam for free now. Three works straight out of the box. As does ee. Have used both. No setup required just make mobile data and roaming is switched on.
Thanks Alastair and are you able to confirm it improves things, I take it with navigation?
Well its handy if you want to change route. Also I find that although you have maps and route stored it sometimes goes a bit weird if you reach the edge of what you have stored. With a Sim in it just updates on the fly and maps are completely stable. And of course your strava uploads are instantaneous. I prefer to run with a sim in all the time.
great my EE sim shall be installed and left on . thanks again. I'd really like to side load Komoot for my Charity solo ride through France in May but am not confident I can do all the technical bit as i'd like to have the audio cues it offers ,just incase I get distracted by the scenery !
Anybody in Italy using a SIM card?
Anyone used ID mobile with this ? I think it uses the three network so it should looking at comments
You may have to manually entire the ID moble APN in your sim settings. It's "ID", no username or password. Or it may already be in the database or autoload from the sim. You've just got to give it a go. I've had a few different sims in mine from around the world and it's always been fine. https://www.idmobile.co.uk/help-and-advice/get-your-settings
For anyone resident in Japan, the two cheapest options seem to be iijmio (which is listed in the Karoo's APN list) and Rakuten Mobile.
Rakuten Mobile has the advantage of English language support and a website where it's easy to use a normal credit card with an English name (iijmio is unfriendly in that respect).
A good guide to applying is here: http://tokushimajet.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/RakutenMobileGuide.pdf, except it seems that now you don't need your zairyu - at least I didn't.
I set up the APN entry:
APN name rmobile.jp
User name rm
Password 0000
Authentication method PAP or CHAP
Everything else was left as default.
Everything works fine :-)
Please add this one to the APN list in the Karoo
Ciao, I am using the Karoo with a wind sim card in italy without issues
I have made a video on how to use SIM card (3 Network in UK) with Karoo if anyone wants to check it out https://youtu.be/Z_pdK0Ch1nY
@john thanks for that, Free 3 SIM ordered!
I bought a Google Fi Sim card, but Google technical support says it's not compatible.
For anyone in the United States, Tello (https://tello.com/) offers data-only plans and the SIM card works with no fussing around. As soon as I inserted the SIM, it worked without having to change any settings, etc.
I also tried AT&T, but the Karoo 2 doesn't appear to be compatible with them. I spent hours on the phone with their tech people before we collectively gave up.
Hopefully this information is helpful to others.
I highly recommend 1pmobile to UK users. It worked straight away for me unlike the 3 mobile sim which I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to work with the K2.
https://www.1pmobile.com/index.taf?friend=N130239M
Jonathan, how much data do you typically use on a monthly basis for your K2? What data only plan did you choose?
Hey Gerry, I just checked and for the last month, I used ~20MB. The dashboard doesn’t show me a longer timeframe than that. I’m averaging ~24 hours per month, or ~1 MB per hour.
I ended up buying 1GB per month for $6/month from Tello. I wasn’t sure at the time how much data it would use, and it ended up being complete overkill.
Also, just FYI that I don’t have any apps sideloaded, so the only data I’m using is live tracking, rerouting during rides, and uploading to Strava after the ride is complete.
Hope this helps!
Hi Jonathan, on the Tello website it says that it cost $7.50/mo. for the first 6 months and $10/mo after that for the 1Gb plan. How did you get the $6/mo rate?
Hi Melvyn, use the "Build Your Own Plan" page (https://tello.com/buy/custom_plans) and select "1 GB" data and "No minutes". The price is "$4.50/mo first 6 mo", then "$6/mo going forward". You don't need any minutes or text messages with the plan, just data.
Ahh, I see, thank you Jonathan, looks like a good deal. I'm going for it.
Will they ship a SIM card automatically after I purchase the data plan or is that separate?
I put my order is and it was $2 for the SIM card, no biggie. Should arrive next week.
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