SIM card, help needed!

[Howardh]

I want to buy a sim-free phone from Argos. If I buy a sim-free one, will I simply be able to remove my current sim card (Tesco PAYG) and put it in the new one and the number/data will simply be transferred over - or will I have to contact my provider to do that? Also would the new phone already have a number even though there's no card?

Thanks!

 

[dgl]

should be automatic, as everything is tied to the sim and the data/voicemail settings usually come from the mobile network.
One tip I will say if you want an unlocked phone is that it's sometimes cheaper to go to Carphone Warehouse and buy one on PAYG and just sink the cost of the minimum top up as all their phones (excluding network branded ones) are unlocked but are still at the network subsidised price. So buy it on the cheapest network and put your own sim in.

 

[Howardh]

should be automatic, as everything is tied to the sim and the data/voicemail settings usually come from the mobile network.
One tip I will say if you want an unlocked phone is that it's sometimes cheaper to go to Carphone Warehouse and buy one on PAYG and just sink the cost of the minimum top up as all their phones (excluding network branded ones) are unlocked but are still at the network subsidised price. So buy it on the cheapest network and put your own sim in.

Thanks - I've noticed one issue an that my new phone would only take a nano-sim so my old phone's won't fit; so if I go down the sim-free route I will have to contact my current provider to switch everything over, and if I want to transfer back to my old phone I would need an adapter.

 

[ainsworth74]

One tip I will say if you want an unlocked phone is that it's sometimes cheaper to go to Carphone Warehouse and buy one on PAYG and just sink the cost of the minimum top up as all their phones (excluding network branded ones) are unlocked but are still at the network subsidised price.

I could be wrong but aren't all phones sold after a certain date (I can't recall it right now but at some point in the last few years) required to be unlocked now by default whether or not they're network branded?

 

[cactustwirly]

Thanks - I've noticed one issue an that my new phone would only take a nano-sim so my old phone's won't fit; so if I go down the sim-free route I will have to contact my current provider to switch everything over, and if I want to transfer back to my old phone I would need an adapter.

They should send you a new SIM in the post, your number can then be transferred over to the new SIM

 

[Howardh]

They should send you a new SIM in the post, your number can then be transferred over to the new SIM

I take it that when inserted I would have to ring them to swap the number over?

 

[DaleCooper]

Thanks - I've noticed one issue an that my new phone would only take a nano-sim so my old phone's won't fit; so if I go down the sim-free route I will have to contact my current provider to switch everything over, and if I want to transfer back to my old phone I would need an adapter.

I had to do that, I just went into the O2 shop and they created a new sim there and then and gave me an adaptor.

 

[cactustwirly]

I take it that when inserted I would have to ring them to swap the number over?

I think so, it might also be a good opportunity to switch providers to get a better deal?
Plusnet mobile do some really good SIM only plans

 

[thenorthern]

Yes all you will need to do is put your old sim card in your new phone and your number will stay the same as the details of your mobile number are on the sim card not the phone. Modern androids and iPhones also store contact info on their database which is syncd to your new phone when you log in.

 

[ainsworth74]

When I had to get my mum's SIM swapped over from a traditional large SIM to a Nano sized SIM I just went online to her provider, ordered a new SIM and installed it into the phone. The SIM already had her number allocated to it and there was no need to do anything else. I believe the old SIM was deactivated as soon the new SIM went active as far as I'm aware.

 

[headshot119]

Any decent phone shop can cut down the large sim to whatever size required and give you the remainder as an adapter.

 

[plugwash]

Just make sure you keep a record of the numbers printed on the sim before cutting it as you may well need them when speaking to the provider in future.

 

[Howardh]

Thanks for all the advice! I'm with Tesco PAYG and very happy with the service, when I put £10 in I get another £20 free to use within a month, and that gives me plenty of calls and data and I don't have to top up every month - eg. £10 lasts 2 months and gives me all the calls and data I need.

 

[James H]

When I needed a nano SIM I bought a cutter on eBay to cut it down to size myself.

Cost was less than the bus/tube fare to go to my network's nearest shop for a SIM swap.

And the cutter has come in useful since then doing the same thing for family members as they have upgraded their phones

 

[ainsworth74]

Cost was less than the bus/tube fare to go to my network's nearest shop for a SIM swap.

Three just put one in the post for my mum...

 

[causton]

I cut mine myself with scissors and it worked for a long while! Only needed to replace it as the old one technically wasn't in my name, as I'd had the SIM since before I was 18, and a new cheaper contract was a good opportunity to get a new SIM!



Possibly not one to try at home though...

 

[tsr]

My Giffgaff SIM cards were perforated so I could just pop out the size of card which was needed. Quite surprised that not all networks do this, to be honest.

 

[najaB]

My Giffgaff SIM cards were perforated so I could just pop out the size of card which was needed. Quite surprised that not all networks do this, to be honest.

Most do now. But possibly not when @Howardh got his if he's had his old phone for a while.

 

[Howardh]

Most do now. But possibly not when @Howardh got his if he's had his old phone for a while.

Over five years.

Anyhow, decided when I get round to it to get an unlocked and sim-free Motorola or Samsung from Argos and then give Tesco a shout to send a new card and shift stuff over. Don't think I can carry my texts over - I've kept all the ones from around my dad's death so need to transfer those onto PC. Another day.

 

[mmh]

Over five years.

Anyhow, decided when I get round to it to get an unlocked and sim-free Motorola or Samsung from Argos and then give Tesco a shout to send a new card and shift stuff over. Don't think I can carry my texts over - I've kept all the ones from around my dad's death so need to transfer those onto PC. Another day.

These days your texts will be on the phone, not the SIM. The operator won't have them, so yeah you'll need to copy them before getting rid of the phone. Sorry to hear you have texts you need to keep - I know from experience what that's like, sadly the modern technology world hasn't quite worked out how to deal with people dying.

Don't blame you for staying with Tesco, it's excellent value, and suits me down to the ground.

 

[EM2]

Don't think I can carry my texts over - I've kept all the ones from around my dad's death so need to transfer those onto PC. Another day.

If you're on Android there's a very good app called SMS Backup & Restore, which will upload a backup of all your calls and texts to Google Drive or similar storage location, and you can then restore them to your new phone.