Here's a question for any techies or mobile phone enthusiasts out there.

I've just had my contract renewed and have upgraded to a fancy schmancy Sony Ericsson model. My old model is the Nokia 3200. My girlfriend is keen on taking over the Nokia, but needs to use it Pay As You Go. Does anyone know if this is possible? Presumably we have to buy a pay as you go plan, or a SIM, or get it unblocked or something. I have no idea how this sort of thing works, so all advice is greatly appreciated.

You can get SIM only contracts, most of the high street stores do them. Do you know if the phone is locked to a particular provider? If it is then you can only use their SIM. You can get it unlocked of course....for a small fee. The 3 phones don't tend to like anyone else's SIMS....unless of course something has changed in the last few months.

I used to manage a carphone warehouse and if i were you i wouldn't buy a pay as you go sim card from any major retailer - you'll pay about £30.

It makes most sense, with PAYG call costs being more expensive, for her to be on the same network as you - assuming she calls u the most. However if she is a texter I'd recommend a genie simcard (via the O2 website) where you get so many free texts a month just for having credit on the phone.

The phone may well need unblocking- most likely if you were on vodafone or orange. Wherever you get it unblocked will most likely be able to sell u a sim card too. The BP garage on bramall lane is selling sims for £5 at the mo (why or how i don't know) but i doubt they'd unlock it for you.

How about just ringing the current provider and having it changed over to payg?

he's upgraded so he'll still have his account -

he's technically just got a spare handset.

A Nokia 3200 is easy to unlock, there are plenty of places you can download software to generate unlock codes, or do it online. Here's an example: http://www.unlockme.co.uk/dct4free.html has plenty of info.

Then get yourself a PAYG sim card. They are usually fairly cheap - eg Virgin sell them for £10 including £5 of credit. I got an Orange one recently when we were going on holiday (actually on honeymoon :)) somewhere with no other network coverage and it was a similar price. O2 often give them away so there's frequently people trying to sell them for a couple of quid on ebay :)

Orange are currently doing £1 sims at
http://shop.orange.co.uk/shop/show/offer/freetexts

Yeah, I saw that Orange offer - very good, especially if you can use it without paying the minimum £15 per month (you'd lose the free texts, obviously). Couldn't be bothered to read the T&Cs to check! :)

I f you got a pay as you go sim for the same netwrok you won't need to unblock the phone..
Also you don't need to unblock an o2 phone if you use a vodafone sim and vice versa I think..

Originally posted by bielby
I f you got a pay as you go sim for the same netwrok you won't need to unblock the phone..
Also you don't need to unblock an o2 phone if you use a vodafone sim and vice versa I think..


i think its tesco sims what work ok on 02 but im sure somebody can tell me if im wrong

I know for defo you can use a virgin sim in a t-mobile phone and vice-versa, if thats any help!:thumbsup:

and vigin have an offer on free sims! i got 4 if you want one. also got 4 free 02 sims! (when these offers are on i just sign up!)