Geek help! Kopete/MSN problems

Argh! Okay, for a while now Kopete (the Debian multi-protocol IM client) has been refusing to talk to MSN. Since many of my friends use MSN, this is seriously pissing me off. I have no idea how to find out what is wrong. I can see my contacts' online status (I don't know if they can see me) but when I try to message them the message cannot be sent properly and my MSN connection usually drops. Sometimes my MSN ID will not connect at all.

Can anyone offer help or suggestions?

(Edited to add: Suggestions which are equivalent to 'just use this other thing instead' are not ideal unless you genuinely know of a better integrated multi-IM client for Debian.)

Return of the Revenge of the Bride of the Son of the Phone Saga!

Okay, i am writing this down in short easy words of few syllables so I understand what I am doing. I find phones really really hard to get my head round.

I think I have a plan for replacing my phone. I need a reality check.

My existing Motorola flip-phone with Orange SIM is broken. I need a new one urgently as by now it is hardly usable. I intend to move to a Vodafone PAYG plan and possibly to a contract in a couple of months' time. I want to keep my number.

To keep my number, I need to call Orange and request a PAC (code number). When they give it me, I call Vodafone, and they will send me a SIM with my number on it. However, this process may take a while. I really need a phone soon.

If I buy a handset by itself, it will be very expensive. But, if I buy a handset with a Vodafone SIM, I can replace the free one with the proper one when it arrives. This should work, yes? However, I would also like to put my Orange SIM in the phone, to read off numbers and so on. Can I get Carphone Warehouse to unlock it if I buy from there, or have I got to go to a dodgy high-street cheapy place?

Advice?