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What does 'SIM free' mean?
Hezzawithkids
Posts: 3,018 Forumite
in Mobiles
Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere but I've just ordered a 'SIM free' phone from Amazon and need some clarification on what that means. According to Amazon it means
"The product will come fully sealed with a UK plug/plug adapter inside the box. It will have a manufacturer’s warranty that is valid in the UK. It will not have a network logo or have previously been locked to any network. It will be the manufacturer’s specification for the UK; e.g. it will have a UK keyboard/touchscreen keyboard."
So is the phone unlocked completely or will it lock to the network for the first SIM I use in it? I can't believe its truly unlocked as it seems too cheap.
"The product will come fully sealed with a UK plug/plug adapter inside the box. It will have a manufacturer’s warranty that is valid in the UK. It will not have a network logo or have previously been locked to any network. It will be the manufacturer’s specification for the UK; e.g. it will have a UK keyboard/touchscreen keyboard."
So is the phone unlocked completely or will it lock to the network for the first SIM I use in it? I can't believe its truly unlocked as it seems too cheap.
£2 Savers Club 2016 #21 £14/£250
£2 Savers Club 2015 #8 £250£200 :j
Proud to be an OU graduate :j :j
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain
£2 Savers Club 2015 #8 £250£200 :j
Proud to be an OU graduate :j :j
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain
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Comments
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Means it's not locked to any network and comes unbranded ie if it was a Vodafone phone it would have Vodafone software on it and you would get the Vodafone logo when you switch it on.
You can use any network and any sim card0 -
The former unless it's iPhone.Hezzawithkids wrote: »...
So is the phone unlocked completely or will it lock to the network for the first SIM I use in it?
Not sure if it's iPhone.0 -
It means you can use any sim inside it from any network unless its a iphone from carphone warehouse0
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It's an HTC phone not iPhone. Thanks for the replies!
£2 Savers Club 2016 #21 £14/£250
£2 Savers Club 2015 #8 £250£200 :j
Proud to be an OU graduate :j :j
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain0 -
"PAYG" phones (ie phones usually locked to a particular network and often with network software on them ("bloatware")) are often cheaper than the equivalent sim free phone.
You can often unlock PAYG phones yourself or if you can't you can get unlock codes for around £5 from ebay.
You can also remove the bloatware and install new custom roms (operating systems) if you follow instructions on various developer forums.
But if you don't wish to do this or don't feel confident, then sim only is the better choice.0 -
The former unless it's iPhone.
Not sure if it's iPhone.
Also true for iPhone unless you buy it from the CarphoneWarehouse, they are the only bunch who twist the definition on the "sim free" iPhone they sell and lock it to the first sim you insert.
Buy a sim free iPhone from Apple and it will be unlocked to all simcards and networks.====0
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