New to mobiles, what sim do I need?

novamation

I've never owned a mobile phone before, and I bought one for emergency use last Christmas, but got so confused over sim cards and contracts I put off dealing with it for a while, so now I have to ask advice.

My phone is a Samsung E1200 and it's sim free, I believe it's only 2g (?) so I can't use 3g or three?

I'm not likely to use it often, so I don't want any kind of contract. I've just looked at the ovivo website, am I right that I have to pay £15 for a freedom sim card and that will last for months to years if I only use it occasionally? Although, it says you have to choose a sim card for either a smartphone or a tablet, and my phone is neither. Can anyone help. please?

victor2

It takes a "mini-SIM", which is the most popular size.
You're mixing up 2g, 3g and three. 2g and 3g are connection technologies, while Three is a service provider. Basically don't worry about it.
You say your mobile is SIM free. That probably means it is not locked into any particular network like Vodafone, Orange etc. So you should be able to choose any of the popular services.
On Ovivo, their reference to Smartphone and tablet plans is essentially differentiating between voice and data use. You'll just need their smartphone plan. Their plans do look like very good deals and you may find you use the mobile more than your landline, just to use up your free minutes.

cookie365

victor2, novamation is not confusing Three with a technology.

As its name suggests, Three was built to use the (at the time) new 3G technology. It doesn't offer 2g services. More detail here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/61765

novamation

thanks guys:beer:

Can I ask also - with this phone, I don't think I have a phone number - does that come with the sim card? If so, is changing your number as easy as just getting a new sim?

Yeah, 150mins is probably more than I use the land-line for, I can't believe that you get that for £0, I should've looked into this sooner.

AndyPK

yeah the phone number is the sim.

DonnyDave

Pay as you go services invariably require a minimum usage, such as at least one call every so many days. The exact requirement varies by operator.

OVIVO's terms and conditions state:

5.4 We reserve the right to suspend the Service if your Account remains inactive for a consecutive period of 60 days. Should you make or receive a chargeable or non-chargeable call/text/data transfer during this period, your account will remain active.

5.5 Further, We reserve the right to terminate the Service if following suspension under clause 5.4, your account remains inactive for a further period of 120 days

5.6 Further, We reserve the right to delete your account and any credit remaining on your account, if following termination under clause 5.5, your account remains inactive for a further period of 180 days

Clause 5.4 says you need to make or receive at least one call every 60 days. The next two clauses are engaged if this does not happen.

For this reason, if you aren't likely to make or receive a call in any 60 day period, you might consider putting it in your diary to make an outgoing call to your landline, every 50 days, for example.


It is perhaps a good idea to know how to report the phone lost/stolen, should this happen. Providing that the SIM is registered to you, which I assume (because you have to buy it) it would automatically be so, then you should be able to report it as lost/stolen and they would issue you with a new SIM, possibly subject to a charge. This would allow you to retain the phone number.