Tesco on 02

carlbhoy

hi all, i've just read a post on here saying tesco mobile is run on the O2 network,if so does this mean i can put a tesco sim card in my phone that is locked to O2 and it will work ok?

thegoodman

Firstly, a phone can be locked to either a base network or to a!specific network.

If a phone is locked to a specific network (Tesco Mobile for example), then a SIM card from another network (Like giffgaff or even O2) will NOT work, even if it still uses the same base network (O2, in the case of Tesco)... This is because more often than not, Tesco (or other networks) double lock the phones, so it will be locked to O2 as the base network then locked again on top of that to the specific network (Tesco).

However they do double lock 90% of the time so DO NOT take any chances if you are not prepared to get it unlocked!

grumbler

Tesco sim card will work in a handset locked to O2. Full stop.
However, O2 often don't lock their handsets.

And what chances? Free tesco sims are easily available to check in case of doubt: https://www.tescomobile-freesim.co.uk/Default.aspx

Techhead_2

grumbler wrote: »

What are all these "!"s?

Tesco sim card will work in a handset locked to O2. Full stop.
However, O2 often don't lock their handsets.

What chances? Free tesco sims are easily available to check in case of doubt: https://www.tescomobile-freesim.co.uk/Default.aspx

Not true. A Tesco SIM will not always work in a handset locked to O2. There are a variety of different locks which can be applied. If the handset is locked to a specific service provider then a SIM from a different service provider will not work; even if it is an MVNO of the first.

So it all depends on how the handset is locked. O2 have phones which are locked in several ways or are unlocked. The only way to tell is try or ask.

(The same situation applies to T-Mobile and Virgin)

Incidentally, there are other locks which can be applied although rarely used in this country, eg to PAYG

thegoodman

Techhead wrote: »

Not true. A Tesco SIM will not always work in a handset locked to O2. There are a variety of different locks which can be applied. If the handset is locked to a specific service provider then a SIM from a different service provider will not work; even if it is an MVNO of the first.

So it all depends on how the handset is locked. O2 have phones which are locked in several ways or are unlocked. The only way to tell is try or ask.

(The same situation applies to T-Mobile and Virgin)

Incidentally, there are other locks which can be applied although rarely used in this country, eg to PAYG

You are correct. Not all O2 locked phones will work with tesco mobile.

grumbler

I know that theoretically they can be locked differently, but it is hard to believe that in practice O2 do this differently and I have not heard a single story so far about Tesco sim not working in O2 handset.

Buzby

My Tesco SIM didn't work in an O2 iPhone - a minor inconvenience, but Giff Gaff ones did. I believe it all boils down to the fulfillment house or manufacturer coding the handsets prior to sale. You'll never be causght out by saying it might work.... but no guarantees.

split_second

if you buy from o2 shop/o2 website/o2 network specific from the majority of 3rd party retailers will be locked to o2. only exceptions i believe are buying from cpw or directly from apple.

tesco mobile i believe lock all their handsets

thegoodman

grumbler wrote: »

Tesco sim card will work in a handset locked to O2. Full stop.
However, O2 often don't lock their handsets.

And what chances? Free tesco sims are easily available to check in case of doubt: https://www.tescomobile-freesim.co.uk/Default.aspx

Please check before you write. Your post sound like you know this 100% which is not correct.
Is it right to mislead people?

grumbler

thegoodman wrote: »

Please check before you write. Your post sound like you know this 100% which is not correct.
Is it right to mislead people?

Fine. Yesterday was the first time I've seen some not very reliable report proving me wrong.
Surely, when telling other people off, you can prove with facts that "they do double lock 90% of the time", i.e. that in 90% of cases tesco sims don't work in O2 phones.