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

[taimatsu]

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?

Comments

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

My understanding is that Vodafone should be able to give you a SIM with a temporary number, and then when you get your PAC from Orange and give it to Vodafone the number can be transferred.

I'm not sure on the unlocking.

[james-r.livejournal.com]

Carphone Warehouse should have something to drop your old SIM into, read off the contacts, and drop them onto the new Vodafone SIM. I'm pretty sure they should do this for free.

[thinkstoomuch.livejournal.com]

Do be aware that there is a fair chance that if your broken phone is somewhat modern, it may be on the default setting to save contacts to the phone, not the SIM. My last two or three phones did this. Not much you can do about it: if you're desperate you can buy a replacement screen and get someone to fit it (me), or find someone with the exact same phone and memorise the key presses needed to transfer from phone to sim memory.

Re unlocking, there is nothing dodgy about market unlocking places. It's completely legal and risk free. Hell, you can see central Reading police station from the market. Cost is £5 if you ask them nicely. But as I say, there may be nothing on the SIM. Hopefully you know someone with an unlocked phone who can check your SIM in advance.

Vodafone have always sent me a new phone the day after I ordered it (twice). They courier them. Might be different on PAYG I suppose. Your number is not really "in" the SIM, so there's no reason why any messing about has to happen.

According to <a href="http://www.bestmobiledeal.co.uk/info/4-keeping-your-number.aspx>this guide</a>, old company is legally bound to give you a PAC code within 2 days. They also note that Voda require you to tell them the PAC when you buy from them (which is lame, apparently other companies don't). Then it's a 7-10 day wait. So, you have 12 days max without a new phone. You can last that long without a phone! Be strong! The old phone will work as much as it does until the PAC is transferred. It sounds like because of the Voda oddness, you should check with phone buying places to ensure you really can painlessly do a PAC transfer should you buy a temp Voda phone. Though, if you're considering getting a contract soon, it would make a lot more sense to just get it now, you won't have to pay for a handset at all.

[thinkstoomuch.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about those :) You can buy them for around £20.

There's also a Voda shop in the Oracle, they can probably do this for free once you have a Voda phone.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

You may be able to unlock it and swap the SIMs yourself -- I've done this with Nokia phones, where you just have to type in a code. Motorola looks a bit more involved (http://www.wikihow.com/Unlock-Motorola-Phones-with-Windows) but still very do-able.

[taimatsu]

I'm deliberately getting a PAYG before a handset, as I don't know how much usage I have per month, because my Orange plan is so extortionately expensive. I will spend a few months on Vodafone PAYG and see what amount I'm paying, and then look at contracts as appropriate.

I will go to the Vodafone shop, I think. And try to call Orange today.

[thinkstoomuch.livejournal.com]

That makes more sense to me then, estimating usage in order to know which contract is best is a pain. A lot of phones have a meter for minutes used and texts sent, but I suppose you can't check your old one for that :P

I was super tired yesterday, I was probably just being dense :)

[baratron.livejournal.com]

Would you like a free Nokia 8330 that's locked to Orange? I'm about to give my mum my old phone, which means that her phone (my old old phone ;) ) will be available. She recently bought a new battery for it because it was being crap, so that should work.

Also, I still have that large rucksack for you! Do you still want it? If so, I might have to consider attempting to post it to you, unless you're going to be at Brighton BiFest.

[taimatsu]

Phone: I'm going to go and buy myself a very cheap phone which will tide me over till I sort out the one I really want (and it will be a spare thereafter), so while your offer is appreciated I don't think I'll need to take you up on it.

Rucksack: yes, I would like it still! If you would like to post it I can reimburse you the cost (via bank transfer perhaps?). I'd like to come to London soonish but realistically it's not going to happen for at least a month or so. If it's all too much hassle do dispose of it elsewhere. Thank you :)