I am thinking of buying an LG GS101 handset for a relative.
O2 have it but I think I have to take a free O2 pay/go sim.
Would this mean the phone is locked to that network, or would she be able to use her existing sim, with another provider, in the phone?
Thanks in advance for any advice.

Ask them, but it will most likely be locked depending on where you buy it from.

Who is the other provider? if it's giffgaff or Tesco they use O2 anyway.

Can you not get the LG on the network she wants to use it on?

Her existing provider provider is Virgin.
I can get it from Carphone Warehouse on various networks, but i wanted to keep her existing number by using her present sim.
Also CW only have it in black, but she prefers the silver on the O2 website.

Ah I see, well Virgin uses T-mobile, so potentially you could get a handset from t-mobile, or you could buy it from O2, but if you get it from O2 you'll obviously have to pay to have it unlocked before you can use it on Virgin.

Check O2's rules on unlocking, usually it costs about £20 I think and then you'll be able to put the old sim on the new phone once it's unlocked.

T-Mobile do that phone for £9.99, and the Virgin SIM would almost certainly go straight in and work.

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/pay-as-you-go/lg-gs101/

Thanks

Thanks, I'll try that

If it is locked to O2 it will be £15 to unlock, once you've had the phone 12months. See their website for details.

Wow 12 months! Tesco will do it straight away for £20 I didn't know that you had to wait 12 months with O2.

To the OP - best looking at buying one from a T-mobile store if they do the colour they want, you should simply just be able to put the Virgin sim in then.

Its strange that O2 make you wait 12 months, I realise that they have to make the subsidy back but would have thought it wouldn't take that long. Although, that LG phone is heavily subsidised.
Strangely, Tesco make you wait 12 months on certain tariffs/handsets.