And another question

[hils]

So O2 are sending me a replacement SIMM card with my number and contract minutes/texts on it.

Where the hell do I go if I just want to buy a handset with no contract of any kind attached to it? Do I get a Pay As You Go handset and then just put my contract card in it?

I've been looking on ebay but I'm wary of getting something that expensive from there in case there's something wrong with it or it's stolen or something. I am naturally suspicious. Which is dumb because I sold my old 3GS on ebay and it's fine.

Argh! I don't know what to do!

Comments

[aurora-bee.livejournal.com]

I bought my phone in the Carphone Warehouse. Just the phone and kept my Sim :)

[isarae.livejournal.com]

As long as you get a phone that is not locked to a specific network, getting a pay as you go phone is fine. I don't actually know where there is here that you can just buy a handset...the safest option is to get a pay as you go phone that is already on the O2 network so you won't need to worry about if it's locked to a network or not.

Avoid Orange phones because they are definitely locked to the Orange network. The other networks I'm not actually sure. So if you go into Carphone Warehouse or something, just check with them that you'll be able to use the phone with your card.

[sweet-exile.livejournal.com]

Amazon have a good selection of sim free mobiles.

[josephine-64.livejournal.com]

When I last bought a phone for my daughter, Phones 4 U phones were all unlocked. I bought an Orange upgrade (because that was the best price for the model she wanted) and we took the phone home and put a Giff Gaff sim in it. No problems at all. Unless they've changed their policy, they're worth a try.

[scribblemoose]

Yep, Pay as You Go work fine, but make sure it's the right network, or no-network. If you're claiming in insurance it's probably best to buy new. Otherwise, I've bought phones from e-bay before and they've been great - just need to make sure the specs are right and it's not locked. Good luck!

[hobbituk.livejournal.com]

There are shops that unlock phones for you if you do get one on the wrong network...

I don't get phones on contracts because I don't use them enough (I top up less than £5 a month) and have always gone for pay as you go. It's cheaper to buy a PAYG phone than get a sim free one.

If you do go to carphone warehouse and get a PAYG phone, and happen to have an old phone you can trade in, you don't have to pay the standard top up fee they add to the cost of the new PAYG phones (usually around £10 - £20). You get the credit, but it's a pain.

[darkriderlj.livejournal.com]

I got a contract free phone from Carphone Warehouse and put my own SIM in it. The phones say which networks they are open to on the blurb. It worked well for me.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

I brought an unlocked phone from amazon recently, but I was clueless about what to do with it after that, so I just went in the phone shop and asked for help in setting it up as Pay As You Go and they did it all for me thankfully