T-Mobile Sim in a Virgin phone

stuartmck · 22-01-2009, 09:22

Does anyone know if Virgin are still piggybacking on T-Mobiles network?

I broke my T-Mobile phone & have purchased a cheap Nokia 1208 on Virgin PAYG to use until mine gets repaired.

I was under the impression that the T-Mobile sim card should work in the Virgin phone as they use the same network, but i'm just getting a message saying 'Sim not valid'.

I've used virgin sims in a t-mobile phone before without problems and assumed (probaby mistakenly) that it'd work just as well the other way round.

If it won't work, do I need to pay to get the phone unlocked (which would probably cost as much as the phone has), or can I get a code from somewhere to unlock it for free?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Fred Smith · 22-01-2009, 09:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by stuartmck

Does anyone know if Virgin are still piggybacking on T-Mobiles network?

Yes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stuartmck

I broke my T-Mobile phone & have purchased a cheap Nokia 1208 on Virgin PAYG to use until mine gets repaired.

I was under the impression that the T-Mobile sim card should work in the Virgin phone as they use the same network, but i'm just getting a message saying 'Sim not valid'.

I've used virgin sims in a t-mobile phone before without problems and assumed (probaby mistakenly) that it'd work just as well the other way round.

They used to work both ways, but both networks have seperate ID's and most phones nowadays recognise T-Mobile and Virgin as seperate networks so it no longer works on newer phones, from last few years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stuartmck

If it won't work, do I need to pay to get the phone unlocked (which would probably cost as much as the phone has), or can I get a code from somewhere to unlock it for free?

A search reveals no codes, needs a hardware unlock.

stuartmck · 22-01-2009, 10:25

Thanks Fred.

trinity28 · 22-01-2009, 10:57

i have just brought a t mobile phone and my virgin sim works fine in it but my husband has a virgin phone and the t mobile sim does not work in it i wonder if it is because my husbands virgin phone is a contract phone

22-01-2009, 09:22	#1
stuartmck Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bewdley, UK Posts: 236	T-Mobile Sim in a Virgin phone Does anyone know if Virgin are still piggybacking on T-Mobiles network? I broke my T-Mobile phone & have purchased a cheap Nokia 1208 on Virgin PAYG to use until mine gets repaired. I was under the impression that the T-Mobile sim card should work in the Virgin phone as they use the same network, but i'm just getting a message saying 'Sim not valid'. I've used virgin sims in a t-mobile phone before without problems and assumed (probaby mistakenly) that it'd work just as well the other way round. If it won't work, do I need to pay to get the phone unlocked (which would probably cost as much as the phone has), or can I get a code from somewhere to unlock it for free? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Last edited by stuartmck : 22-01-2009 at 09:23. Reason: correcting typo

22-01-2009, 09:38	#2
Fred Smith Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Reading Posts: 2,758	Quote: Originally Posted by stuartmck Does anyone know if Virgin are still piggybacking on T-Mobiles network? Yes. Quote: Originally Posted by stuartmck I broke my T-Mobile phone & have purchased a cheap Nokia 1208 on Virgin PAYG to use until mine gets repaired. I was under the impression that the T-Mobile sim card should work in the Virgin phone as they use the same network, but i'm just getting a message saying 'Sim not valid'. I've used virgin sims in a t-mobile phone before without problems and assumed (probaby mistakenly) that it'd work just as well the other way round. They used to work both ways, but both networks have seperate ID's and most phones nowadays recognise T-Mobile and Virgin as seperate networks so it no longer works on newer phones, from last few years. Quote: Originally Posted by stuartmck If it won't work, do I need to pay to get the phone unlocked (which would probably cost as much as the phone has), or can I get a code from somewhere to unlock it for free? A search reveals no codes, needs a hardware unlock.

22-01-2009, 10:25	#3
stuartmck Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bewdley, UK Posts: 236	Thanks Fred.

22-01-2009, 10:57	#4
trinity28 Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 5,494	i have just brought a t mobile phone and my virgin sim works fine in it but my husband has a virgin phone and the t mobile sim does not work in it i wonder if it is because my husbands virgin phone is a contract phone

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T-Mobile Sim in a Virgin phone