SIM free phones

WAKEYLASS · 24-10-2007, 21:39

Hi guys, my knowledge of mobile phone technology is very basic, so please bear with me as I try and explain the situation.

My 10 year old son wants a Sony Ericsson W850i for Christmas as he wants one like his cousins and likes the look of this.

At present, he has my old motorola with a O2 pay as you go genie SIM card.

The cheapest W850i is been sold by carphone warehouse at £109 if bought with a £10 airtime voucher. It comes with an Orange Sim card.

My son wants to keep his old phone number and the O2 genie SIM card works well for him.

Will I be able to buy this new phone and just switch the SIM cards over or will I need to have the phone unlocked? I could buy a W850i SIM free phone, but this will cost me £170.

Thank you for reading

chyllyphylly · 24-10-2007, 21:43

best bet is to get the orange one then get it unlocked

WAKEYLASS · 24-10-2007, 21:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by chyllyphylly

best bet is to get the orange one then get it unlocked

Thanks for your help chllyphylly , I had a feeling that's what I needed to do, but I didn't want to find myself with a phone that was rendered useless unless it had the Orange Sim card.

chyllyphylly · 24-10-2007, 21:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by WAKEYLASS

Thanks for your help chllyphylly , I had a feeling that's what I needed to do, but I didn't want to find myself with a phone that was rendered useless unless it had the Orange Sim card.

no probs, next time you're in town, just pop into the market and ask them if they unlock them

but be aware this may void any warranty

WAKEYLASS · 24-10-2007, 22:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by chyllyphylly

no probs, next time you're in town, just pop into the market and ask them if they unlock them

but be aware this may void any warranty

Heck, I forgot about the warranty!! I felt the O2 genie was a better option for a 10 year old to have as it gives him alot of texts to play about with. I suppose I will have to chance it with the warranty.

25-10-2007, 11:20

If you buy from the Carphone Warehouse on any network the phone should be unlocked already. Thats what I always do as most of their phones are sim free and they just give you a new sim with it. So I just buy it on the cheapest network and put my sim in.

lizd · 29-10-2007, 19:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryanwilliams479;

If you buy from the Carphone Warehouse on any network the phone should be unlocked already. Thats what I always do as most of their phones are sim free and they just give you a new sim with it. So I just buy it on the cheapest network and put my sim in.

Quite by chance, after trawling through practically the whole of DS and Googling like it's going out of fashion, I seem to have had my question answered.
I've been looking to buy a Samsung D900 or D900i from Carphone Warehouse but the cheapest version isn't on Orange, which I use and in any case, when I go to visit family abroad, I need to be able to use a foreign sim card.
I've been trying to find out whether either can be unlocked, whether I can do it for free (as I've done with my Nokias, courtesy of links on this site), or whether I have to take it either to the market or somewhere else.
If the above is correct, my problem may well be solved. Or does anyone know something else that I need to know???

29-10-2007, 20:32

Every sing'e phone ive bought from there has been unlocked. Best thing to do is just go in there and ask is the phone already opened to all networks.

lizd · 29-10-2007, 20:45

Thanks for that -mind you, I WAS going to be bone idle and order it online but maybe best to go into a shop hey!

iSix · 29-10-2007, 20:47

The only thing is, it'll probably have a crappy orange logo on it and it'll have crippled orange software (can be removed with reflashing), which the simfree one won't.

29-10-2007, 21:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by iSix

The only thing is, it'll probably have a crappy orange logo on it and it'll have crippled orange software (can be removed with reflashing), which the simfree one won't.

Exactly I was bought a W810i recently as an early birthday present and its locked and branded with T-Mobile software. If I had got it myself I would've gone to CPW cos im nto a fan of branding phones.

lizd · 30-10-2007, 20:28

Thanks all. Went to CPW shop and, yes, you're right. Bought the Samsung D900i on T Mobile, put my Orange card in and away we go! Absolutely correct. Buy from there and save all the hassle of trying to unlock!
Not too sure about the phone though. As a Nokia user, it takes a fair bit of getting used to and the ledge at the bottom of the keyboard is a pain if you have long finger nails - or maybe that makes it easier as I find I have to use my nail rather than my finger. Menu system to send a text message is a bit tedious too but it's early days and I guess I'll get used to it. I hope!
Oh, and there's no branding visible on it either.

24-10-2007, 21:39	#1
WAKEYLASS Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Wakefield Posts: 5,338	SIM free phones Hi guys, my knowledge of mobile phone technology is very basic, so please bear with me as I try and explain the situation. My 10 year old son wants a Sony Ericsson W850i for Christmas as he wants one like his cousins and likes the look of this. At present, he has my old motorola with a O2 pay as you go genie SIM card. The cheapest W850i is been sold by carphone warehouse at £109 if bought with a £10 airtime voucher. It comes with an Orange Sim card. My son wants to keep his old phone number and the O2 genie SIM card works well for him. Will I be able to buy this new phone and just switch the SIM cards over or will I need to have the phone unlocked? I could buy a W850i SIM free phone, but this will cost me £170. Thank you for reading

24-10-2007, 21:43	#2
chyllyphylly Forum Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 845	best bet is to get the orange one then get it unlocked

24-10-2007, 21:46	#3
WAKEYLASS Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Wakefield Posts: 5,338	Quote: Originally Posted by chyllyphylly best bet is to get the orange one then get it unlocked Thanks for your help chllyphylly , I had a feeling that's what I needed to do, but I didn't want to find myself with a phone that was rendered useless unless it had the Orange Sim card.

24-10-2007, 21:52	#4
chyllyphylly Forum Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 845	Quote: Originally Posted by WAKEYLASS Thanks for your help chllyphylly , I had a feeling that's what I needed to do, but I didn't want to find myself with a phone that was rendered useless unless it had the Orange Sim card. no probs, next time you're in town, just pop into the market and ask them if they unlock them but be aware this may void any warranty

24-10-2007, 22:07	#5
WAKEYLASS Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Wakefield Posts: 5,338	Quote: Originally Posted by chyllyphylly no probs, next time you're in town, just pop into the market and ask them if they unlock them but be aware this may void any warranty Heck, I forgot about the warranty!! I felt the O2 genie was a better option for a 10 year old to have as it gives him alot of texts to play about with. I suppose I will have to chance it with the warranty.

25-10-2007, 11:20	#6
RYPW Posts: n/a	If you buy from the Carphone Warehouse on any network the phone should be unlocked already. Thats what I always do as most of their phones are sim free and they just give you a new sim with it. So I just buy it on the cheapest network and put my sim in.

29-10-2007, 19:40	#7
lizd Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 44	Quote: Originally Posted by ryanwilliams479; If you buy from the Carphone Warehouse on any network the phone should be unlocked already. Thats what I always do as most of their phones are sim free and they just give you a new sim with it. So I just buy it on the cheapest network and put my sim in. Quite by chance, after trawling through practically the whole of DS and Googling like it's going out of fashion, I seem to have had my question answered. I've been looking to buy a Samsung D900 or D900i from Carphone Warehouse but the cheapest version isn't on Orange, which I use and in any case, when I go to visit family abroad, I need to be able to use a foreign sim card. I've been trying to find out whether either can be unlocked, whether I can do it for free (as I've done with my Nokias, courtesy of links on this site), or whether I have to take it either to the market or somewhere else. If the above is correct, my problem may well be solved. Or does anyone know something else that I need to know???

29-10-2007, 20:32	#8
RYPW Posts: n/a	Every sing'e phone ive bought from there has been unlocked. Best thing to do is just go in there and ask is the phone already opened to all networks.

29-10-2007, 20:45	#9
lizd Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 44	Thanks for that -mind you, I WAS going to be bone idle and order it online but maybe best to go into a shop hey!

29-10-2007, 20:47	#10
iSix Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: London Posts: 1,252	The only thing is, it'll probably have a crappy orange logo on it and it'll have crippled orange software (can be removed with reflashing), which the simfree one won't.

29-10-2007, 21:32	#11
RYPW Posts: n/a	Quote: Originally Posted by iSix The only thing is, it'll probably have a crappy orange logo on it and it'll have crippled orange software (can be removed with reflashing), which the simfree one won't. Exactly I was bought a W810i recently as an early birthday present and its locked and branded with T-Mobile software. If I had got it myself I would've gone to CPW cos im nto a fan of branding phones.

30-10-2007, 20:28	#12
lizd Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 44	Thanks all. Went to CPW shop and, yes, you're right. Bought the Samsung D900i on T Mobile, put my Orange card in and away we go! Absolutely correct. Buy from there and save all the hassle of trying to unlock! Not too sure about the phone though. As a Nokia user, it takes a fair bit of getting used to and the ledge at the bottom of the keyboard is a pain if you have long finger nails - or maybe that makes it easier as I find I have to use my nail rather than my finger. Menu system to send a text message is a bit tedious too but it's early days and I guess I'll get used to it. I hope! Oh, and there's no branding visible on it either.

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