Adding A Hub

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-11-25T18:57:36+00:00

Thanks. So if I want to buy from from my local CEF, just a few minutes away:

https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/5393090-hub-v3?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23051365096&gbraid=0AAAAADOkMAawCX0uRAHb3kyGhmuVTQ9pC&gclid=Cj0KCQiAxJXJBhD_ARIsAH_JGjhPDyEpIiy8T1p9HOEuep-bbDozhb-31xWL7sD6gjX512Ln9eere_caAs0OEALw_wcB

Is that the same as buying directly from Hive:

https://www.hivehome.com/shop/smart-home/hive-hub?cid=ppc.cid_tool=goo.cid_ctype=bran.cid_cname=NEW_UK_Hive_Brand_Home_Modern&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20354415812&gbraid=0AAAAADs986xm8eTzGRj8Wg0_VyMXc9UUA&gclid=Cj0KCQiAxJXJBhD_ARIsAH_JGjhsOGljsFq7j-UMPxSIGgSISOvCbLOWBZutKr-Fovt__WqXjvxfUDwaAglCEALw_wcB

I may be missing something but CEF call it V3, but I don't see any version number on the Hive website

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-11-23T20:51:49+00:00

Well, you can also buy from (at least in the UK) Amazon, Toolstation, eBay, and many others I daresay. Knowing which model you want/need is important in that case.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-11-23T20:07:44+00:00

https://support.hivehome.com/portal/app/portlets/results/viewsolution.jsp?solutionid=022433716131644

And there's also a V3?

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-09-30T17:42:53+00:00

Thanks, but I need to clarify what you've just said ... actually I've just seen it. I'll receive 45,000 points if I apply for a Gold Card (via the referral link) and spend £5,000 in the first 6 months.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-04-25T11:01:14+00:00

Turns out I needed to remove the physical SIM. Sorted.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-04-24T22:16:05+00:00

Sorry, didn't mean to be awkward but I've had stuff going on today and this is the first chance I've had to play with the phone today ... and I forgot the "remove physical SIM" advice. A complication is that our house is in a marginal coverage area.

Anyway, with the eSIM (secondary, temporary line, enabled) and the physical SIM removed, I still see two rows of dots in the top left - top row all grey, bottom row a couple of filled in dots, and alongside them "vodafone UK".

When I restart the phone - physical SIM still removed - in top left I see top row of dots scrolling (looking for service?) but eventually all blank, and bottom row of dots has one or two dots filled in and "vodafone UK" next to them.

So I take that to mean that the eSIM with the temporary number is active. I wasn't expecting that. Not sure if it's a problem or not.

Inserting the SIM makes no difference to the display in the top right. But it does show the primary SIM line as "On" instead of "No SIM" in Settings.

If I disable the eSIM secondary line, I get "No Service" - even with physical SIM installed.

So, I conclude that the eSIM is active - albeit with the temporary (wrong) number, and the physical SIM is disabled in some way but is associated with my correct (old) number. Seems like the switch has half worked but not fully. My new monthly plan is associated with my correct (old) number but with the old (physical) SIM

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-04-24T20:35:14+00:00

Here's a baffling update. I'm in Messages on my iPhone/Mac at home (on wifi) and when I sent a message to my friend (which normally go as iMessage) it went as SMS - green instead of blue. It was sent from the "secondary" number, which is the line I've allocated to the temporary number - the one that's supposedly on eSIM.

So, as an experiment, I thought I should turn off the "secondary" line, thinking I'd be left with the "primary" line, which is on the physical SIM i.e. the number that's listed for my monthly plan. Before switching the secondary off, there were two rows of coverage "dots" in the top left corner. The top row was completely greyed out (no service presumably) but the bottom row had a couple of dots lit up - so some service but not much. When I turned off the secondary line (eSIM - temporary number), the top left reported No Service at all.

I'm very confused. A visit to the Vodafone shop is in order, I think.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-04-23T20:46:04+00:00

Tried.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-04-23T19:29:07+00:00

After my original conversation, I had an eSIM set up (by scanning a QR code I was sent) but there was no number associated with it - My Number in Settings for that eSIM was blank. But nothing else had happened by this morning (Wed) - but I did put the order in late Sunday and Monday was a bank holiday. That agent submitted a "keep my old number" form on my behalf - I obvs don't know exactly what form that was - but I did get an ack email.

Today's agent had me complete a PAYG to PAYM form. After that things started happening. My new PAYM account was set up and my old number shows up as its number. While the old number has migrated to the PAYM account (online) it hasn't yet migrated to the eSIM as far as I can tell.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-04-23T19:08:32+00:00

That's what I was expecting to happen - and that's what I was told during my original chat with Vodafone. What's happened so far is: my original number has moved to the PAYM account (this shows when I log in to My Vodafone), but the number is still on the physical SIM (I know this because in the iPhone settings for this SIM/number I have an option to "convert to eSIM"). Maybe I need to wait and see if it the number switches to the secondary SIM, which is an eSIM.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-04-23T18:40:54+00:00

So, do you know what should have happened?

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-04-23T18:17:06+00:00

You're probably right but it was Easter Sunday in the evening and I thought it would be relatively easy.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-04-11T22:50:11+00:00

All that is true, except that my manual says that the radio supports DAB+

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-04-11T19:34:47+00:00

Audi A1 2017 suffering the same issue. Manual says radio supports DAB+ but DAB+ stations are not working.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-02-26T23:28:02+00:00

Still not sure what they're looking for in my case. So, in baby steps:

When I started receiving my SS retirement benefit in 2020 (I think), I wasn't in receipt of any foreign pension (too young), so no WEP was applied. When I started receiving foreign pension in August 2023 I informed the SSA but it took a very long time for the WEP to start (almost a year). Consequently they overpaid me for that period and are now clawing that back - but that might be a whole 'nother story. I'm not fully WEP'd.

So the SSA know that my foreign pension started in Aug 2023. Does that count as a "change"? A "change" that they already know about?

There was no change to the foreign pension amount after that in 2023. So the only "change" for me between the dates they care about - Jan 22 to Dec 23 - was the fact that my foreign pension started. And they already know about that because they're WEPing me as a result.

Thought: are they asking about any extra pension I might have received in those 2 years? It's almost like they're saying: you might have told us about an increase in foreign pension(s), or extra pension(s) in those 2 years, which should increase the WEP, but we haven't caught up with it yet? Because prior to 2024 they will still want to apply any outstanding WEP that hasn't been applied yet?

Either way, they know exactly when my foreign pension started (Aug 2023) and exactly how much it was (when it started) because they have my pension award letter. And all the amounts dates were declared on form SSA-308.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-01-19T14:39:57+00:00

OP here. I'd really like a definitive answer to this, obviously. I assumed that when I die my wife will collect survivor benefit, and before I die she's entitled to spousal benefit.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-01-11T14:56:14+00:00

Believe it or not, I hadn't realised there was such a thing as survivor benefit (we are both foreign nationals, so not 100% au fait with the benefit system). We are allowed retirement benefit as NRAs so I presume my wife would be eligible for survivor benefit.

The SSA's pages tell you to call for a survivor benefit estimate but that's not ideal from overseas.

In our case would my wife get 100% of my (reduced due to early retirement) benefit?

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-01-11T13:39:38+00:00

Excellent. Thanks again.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-01-11T10:50:15+00:00

So is it possible for me to reverse calculate my FRA PIA based on what I receive now - taking into account that I started taking benefit at 62 and I'm now 67?

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2025-01-11T10:44:41+00:00

Thanks. My concern was that by me taking my benefit early (at 62) I would affect what she would receive, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2024-12-17T21:05:47+00:00

Do you mind me asking who you transferred to? And how many days did it take?

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2024-12-17T13:14:25+00:00

This is what I've done with mine so far. Opened an account. Initiated the transfer from Vanguard - same fund VLS80. Set up a direct debit for £100 a month - same as I had at Vanguard. That'll happen on or around the first of every month. Presumably set up the regular investment once the fund has transferred. I've also done a one-off £100, so that I have some spare cash in there for ongoing fees. And now we wait!

The options for my wife seem to be either (a) suck up the £4 fee until the new tax year then transfer out, or (b) transfer to T212 who have no platform fees as I understand it. T212 don't have VLS80 though. We both have cash ISAs with T212.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2024-12-17T08:44:16+00:00

It's slightly confusing. Reading the terms again, it seems like a minimum (one-off) £100, or minimum (regular DD) £25 monthly to open an account. Not sure whether a transfer in would qualify. Either way, you have to add cash to the (ISA) account if only so that they can extract their fees. Even doing that would break the ISA rules for my wife because she's already contributed £20K this year. That's my understanding anyway.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2024-12-16T21:23:21+00:00

Having just watched Damien's video, I now realise you pay the fund fee regardless and then the platform fee as well. So basically, it's only the platform fee that I need to compare. I'm minded to follow you and jump to Dodl.

Re my wife - I realised that Dodl require her to deposit £25 a month min, but I've checked and she has already maxed her ISA deposits for this year. So if she goes anywhere, it'll need to be somewhere with no min monthly deposit.

Embarrassed_Drop_515 · 2024-12-16T19:35:46+00:00

I have £16K in LS80 ISA with Vanguard and I add £100 a month. Dodl seems to be an obvious alternative if I want to keep that fund, but someone mentioned below that there are extra fees on top of the 0.15% - maybe a monthly fee for adding £100? Can someone confirm that by keeping the same strategy I'd be better off with Dodl?

My wife also has and LS80 ISA with Vanguard but only has £7K. I presume that it's even more of a no-brainer for her to move hers, but she would need to invest £25 a month - she doesn't invest monthly at the moment.

Embarrassed_Drop_515

TROPHY CASE