Cheapest PAYG Phone (merged threads)

Lord_Gardener

Thanks to you both, gone for the e350 - it's what she wants! Have used discounts to bring it in at ~ £77.

Jude123

Hi I hope sopmeone can help, I want a new phone that I can transfer my old SIm card to. I just use phone for emergenciy calls and a few texts. I don't need a camera or any other fancy extras. So if anyone knows of any god deals )with Quidco cashback if poss) then let me know.

Thanks in advance!

-1-

Sim-free phones don't tend to be cheap.

The prices of the handsets are usually high to compensate for not having you on a contract for 12 months minimum.

You best bet would be to get a cheap PAYG phone (tesco are usually cheap), or try and get a second hand model of ebay.

scaldyflash

Jude123 wrote:

Hi I hope sopmeone can help, I want a new phone that I can transfer my old SIm card to. I just use phone for emergenciy calls and a few texts. I don't need a camera or any other fancy extras. So if anyone knows of any god deals )with Quidco cashback if poss) then let me know.

Thanks in advance!

Sorry hit the thanks button by mistake :embarasse

I would suggest getting the deal I did (see above) or one similar. Even if your sim doesn't work in the handset (which you will be paid for taking) you can get it unlocked, usually for about £5 or less. If it's a Nokia as it was in my case then it can be unlocked for free. HTH

scaldyflash

Jude123

Sorry to ask such a basic question but what do you actually mean by unlocking, are all phones 'locked', how do you actually unlock a phone.

Thanks in advance

ilikewatchingtv

Jude123 wrote:

Sorry to ask such a basic question but what do you actually mean by unlocking, are all phones 'locked', how do you actually unlock a phone.

Many mobile networks "lock" handsets so that they can only be used on the network they were originally on when first sold, - this helps protect the investment that the network made when it originally subsidised the cost of the handset.
Almost all handsets can be unlocked to allow them to accept a sim card from a different network, however this is done in different ways according to the make/model of handset.
i.e. most Nokia handsets apart from the latest models can be unlocked simply by calculating a code based on the network provider and IMEI, however a lot of other handsets may need to be unlocked using specialist software and leads to help them interface with a PC.

medic1978

Jude123 wrote:

Sorry to ask such a basic question but what do you actually mean by unlocking, are all phones 'locked', how do you actually unlock a phone.

Thanks in advance

Networks provide mobile phones locked so that they may be used on that particular network only. Before you can use an orange phone on say for example tmobile it needs to be unlocked. This is because networks subsidise the price of the phone especially contract ones.

However, phones can be unlocked very cheaply and sometimes for free (especially nokia ones)

Hope that helps

PS the post above wasnt there when i posted this! bit odd, question already answered

Edinburghlass_2

oopsie I've merged your queston with a few previous threads regarding PAYG mobiles. Please read back the way but bear in mind that some of the offers may well be out of date

penyekz

I'm also looking for a cheapish (around £60) mobile. Preferable nokia and with a camera for me mum-in-law. Needs to be easily unlocked as we are bringing it out of the UK. What are the latest deals?

postingalwaysposting

penyekz wrote:

I'm also looking for a cheapish (around £60) mobile. Preferable nokia and with a camera for me mum-in-law. Needs to be easily unlocked as we are bringing it out of the UK. What are the latest deals?

hi penyekz i have just got this one http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10001&catalogId=5101&langId=-1&searchTerms=k300i&go.x=0&go.y=0, the only down side it is doesnt have bluetooth and and it isnt a nokia, great for the price though