"Sim Free"

Jason100Jason100 Posts: 17,222
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I have my eye on an iphone and i have just been told about these "sim free" phones. Can i just buy an iphone and transfer my current sim to the iphone?

I don't really fancy upgrading and paying £5 more for what i already have.

Comments

  • MustabusterMustabuster Posts: 5,973
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    Yes. Sim free is where you buy a stock phone up front with no contract. usually they don't have the operator branded software on them depending on where you get it from.
  • Jason100Jason100 Posts: 17,222
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    So will my current sim work in an iphone? I'm sure i've read that an iphone takes a slightly different model sim card?
  • psionicpsionic Posts: 20,188
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    Jason100 wrote: »
    So will my current sim work in an iphone? I'm sure i've read that an iphone takes a slightly different model sim card?

    You'll need a nano SIM for an iPhone 5 or a Micro SIM for a 4/4S. Your network can swap your SIM card for you. Usually for free.
  • wavejockglwwavejockglw Posts: 10,596
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    psionic wrote: »
    You'll need a nano SIM for an iPhone 5 or a Micro SIM for a 4/4S. Your network can swap your SIM card for you. Usually for free.

    Or you can get your SIM cut to size by many independent phone shops for about £2-£3 each.

    I got a SIM cutter which included two Micro SIM adaptors (handy if you want to reuse a cut SIM in a standard SIM slot) for £2.95 delivered from Amazon. Works a treat and I have converted 3 SIMs to micro without any problems. The cutter would be my recommendation as the most cost effective way to convert existing SIM cards.
  • whoever,heywhoever,hey Posts: 30,992
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    So it needs a SIM? Lol.
  • 12december198412december1984 Posts: 1,033
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    Whatever you do, do not buy it SIM Free from the Carphone Warehouse. Why? Because the first SIM inserted locks it to the network.

    Which is OK, unless you went abroad and wanted to use a local SIM or find a better deal on another network and wanted to swtich.
  • Thine WonkThine Wonk Posts: 17,190
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    Whatever you do, do not buy it SIM Free from the Carphone Warehouse. Why? Because the first SIM inserted locks it to the network.

    Which is OK, unless you went abroad and wanted to use a local SIM or find a better deal on another network and wanted to swtich.

    Really :confused:
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    Thine Wonk wrote: »
    Really :confused:

    He's right. A contract iPhone will lock to the first network sim card you put in. The phone can be unlocked by factory resetting it but then it resets and locks once you put in a different sim.

    An iPhone direct from Apple (not on contract) is 100% unlocked and will work with any sim.
  • BKMBKM Posts: 6,912
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    jabbamk1 wrote: »
    He's right. A contract iPhone will lock to the first network sim card you put in. The phone can be unlocked by factory resetting it but then it resets and locks once you put in a different sim.
    So this implies that CPW ones could be moved to other networks with some difficulty?? As iPhones download their lock information from Apple servers the setting for these handsets must be "lock to SIM"

    It's not "contract iPhones" btw! It's ONLY CPW ones. Ones supplied by Vodafone and other operators are locked to them from the outset!
  • Thine WonkThine Wonk Posts: 17,190
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    Wow, why this obsession with sim locking. I can understand it if you buy it from the network subsidised, but not if you buy it outright. That is so wrong really.
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    BKM wrote: »
    So this implies that CPW ones could be moved to other networks with some difficulty?? As iPhones download their lock information from Apple servers the setting for these handsets must be "lock to SIM"

    It's not "contract iPhones" btw! It's ONLY CPW ones. Ones supplied by Vodafone and other operators are locked to them from the outset!

    Ones that are already locked are locked. But if you buy one on contract from CPW or even apple direct it locks to the first sim.

    @Thine wonk- i have no idea.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 13,367
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    jabbamk1 wrote: »
    Ones that are already locked are locked. But if you buy one on contract from CPW or even apple direct it locks to the first sim.

    @Thine wonk- i have no idea.

    That's absolutely not true. If you buy it from Apple direct, it doesn't lock to the first SIM at all.
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    That's absolutely not true. If you buy it from Apple direct, it doesn't lock to the first SIM at all.

    Ah seems your right.

    I retract that last statement. Don't know why i thought Apple do it for contract phones.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 13,367
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    jabbamk1 wrote: »
    Ah seems your right.

    I retract that last statement. Don't know why i thought Apple do it for contract phones.

    I *think* contract phones from Apple are locked to the network in the same way as if you bought one from another retailer. But if you buy it SIM-free from Apple, it's unlocked and remains so.
  • BKMBKM Posts: 6,912
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    I *think* contract phones from Apple are locked to the network in the same way as if you bought one from another retailer. But if you buy it SIM-free from Apple, it's unlocked and remains so.
    It works differently for an iPhone from any other phone. Rather than handsets being factory locked they download their SIM lock from an Apple database - using their IMEI - on every factory reset. Contract phones get locked to their network, CPW ones get this funny "first lock" and ones bought from Apple are already marked as SIM-free in this database.

    When the networks unlock handsets they tell Apple who alter their database for that IMEI to the same as for ones they have sold. iTunes also checks to see if the phone needs updated from the database each time.
  • acoolwelshblokeacoolwelshbloke Posts: 3,185
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    If you buy an iPhone from Apple sim free it will work with any sim card as they are unlocked, if you purchase an iPhone from anywhere else it will either be supplied locked or will lock itself to the network of the first sim that is inserted.

    Order one from Apple if i was you unless you want to take a punt on eBay that is.
  • BKMBKM Posts: 6,912
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    If you buy an iPhone from Apple sim free it will work with any sim card as they are unlocked, if you purchase an iPhone from anywhere else it will either be supplied locked or will lock itself to the network of the first sim that is inserted.

    Order one from Apple if i was you unless you want to take a punt on eBay that is.
    Networks will unlock iPhones for typically between £0 and £20 but only for the registered owner. If you need it SIM free get it done BEFORE you buy it as it will be a lot harder later!
  • toyotacitytoyotacity Posts: 762
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    Sorry to bump even though it's been a few months since the last update

    If I buy a phone on contract from the apple store, is it locked to that network out of the box, does it come unlocked, or will it lock to the sim I first put in

    e.g buy it on tmobile, but put a 3sim in first will it lock to 3?

    Thanks
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