Can I buy any phone?

kissmekate_2

Hi

Probably an very silly question...

My phone is broken and I need a new one. I have a tmobile pay as go number that I dont want to change as its my business one.

So can I go and buy any mobile and just change the sim card over??

Thanks from a very non-techy person
Kissmekate

TerryC_2

You can buy phone that is meant for T-Mobile or any unlocked phone which you can get from Carphonewarehouse or eBay. Hope this helps.

almillar

Since you say you're not technical, we should stick to the official answer - No. Only O2 provide the iPhone. You can get it on contract or PAYG with them (can you maybe port a PAYG number if it's just the number you want to keep and not the network?).
Unofficially, it's possible to unlock (or 'jailbreak' an iPhone, but it's technical, and next time the software is updated, it's likely you'll have to do it again, which really isn't ideal for a phone.
HTH

Mandark

The best bet may be is to get a pay as you go upgrade from a T-Mobile store. They'll stick your sim card in the new phone, deactivate the sim card that came with the new phone (so think whether you want an extra sim card or not), without you having to pay the £10/20 extra airtime that is normally required for a payg phone these days. They might well give you an extra fiver of airtime for buying the new phone too. Check T Mobile website for available phones.

Alternatively, as Terry says, you can buy a sim free phone but these are more expensive as there is no network discount. Check CPW website.

Hope that helps.

AndysDad

almillar wrote: »

Since you say you're not technical, we should stick to the official answer - No. Only O2 provide the iPhone. You can get it on contract or PAYG with them (can you maybe port a PAYG number if it's just the number you want to keep and not the network?).
Unofficially, it's possible to unlock (or 'jailbreak' an iPhone, but it's technical, and next time the software is updated, it's likely you'll have to do it again, which really isn't ideal for a phone.
HTH

Where does the OP say she has an iphone

Merlinexcalibur

Hope I don't get into trouble for this as I am new to MSE, and don't want to post anything that isn't allowed.

But, at one time I purchased all my phone sim free/unlocked from a company called Expansys. Just a suggestion, because they stock all the latest phones ahead of their UK release; sometimes. Got them from there because I was fed up of being tied into a contract, waiting out the 11th month before I could switch phones (back then anyway) and have been on PAYG since. Okay, there are disadvantage such as topping up but ... with the sky high prices of contract ppm phones it could save you in the long run. And you can have a new phone whenever you like.

Mandark

No problem with mentioning Expansys Merlin. I would have mentioned them myself except I got the impression that the OP being a non techie person would probably buy from a store. Phones 4U are worth checking as well for sim free phones. But if you want the latest and greatest then sim free comes at a (sometimes extremely high) cost.

Merlinexcalibur

Well, only mentioned them really for future reference. Most of the sim free prices on some phones (currently available not the pre-sale/UK release ones) are roughly the same as in store such as Carphone Warehouse. But, you can still change the sim card over ie plug and play.

almillar

Sorry about that, ignore my ramblings. I'm so used to seeing people asking about iPhones. My fingers seem to be ahead of my eyes!

kissmekate_2

Many Thanks everyone!

will have a trawl around to find one...


Thanks again
kissmekate