Changing to handset not offered by my supplier

Mrs_Simpkin

Hope someone can help with this, I am not very knowledgeable about mobiles. I have a PAYG phone from Vodafone, it is old and useless. I want to replace it with a 'Which' Best Buy Samsung - I only need a very basic phone. Vodafone don't have this model. Can I buy the Samsung and continue with my Vodafone PAYG, I would like to keep my existing number. If so, how do I go about it? Do I need to buy an unlocked phone (I have to admit I am not really sure what this involves!).

Cycrow

yes any phone will work on any network as long as its unlocked.
The only exception is with older blackberries, which require a blackberry tarrif, or blackberry add-on

so you either need to buy the unlocked version of the phone you want, or buy another networks version and get it unlocked yourself.

a network locked phone can be cheaper, but u'll need to pay to get it unlocked

macman

Google the Samsung model you want + 'SIM free'.

Mrs_Simpkin

Thanks for the help. It is getting clearer! When I get the new unlocked mobile do I just change over the sim card?

grumbler

Yes.
Check CPW - they often have good deals for PAYG upgrades.
What Samsung is it?

stef73

+1 for try CPW when my contract phone got wet i bought a PAYG phone from CPW it was £70 (with £10 top up so total was £80) on payg, the same phone was £130 sim free.

cookie365

Mrs_Simpkin wrote: »

Thanks for the help. It is getting clearer! When I get the new unlocked mobile do I just change over the sim card?

One thing to bear in mind is that some current phones take micro sims or nano sims. The sim in your old phone might be a standard sized sim.

What model of phone do you have, and what model are you thinking of getting?

If they take different sized sims, you can either get the sim cut down at a phone shop (electrically they're the same) for about a fiver, or you can phone Vodafone and ask them to send you a replacement sim of the correct size.

Mrs_Simpkin

I have a Vodafone Sagem and want to change to a Samsung Monte Slide (E2550).

Thanks for everyone's help.

grumbler

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/mobile-phones/brands/samsung/e2550/

cookie365

Well, you haven't said what model your Sagem is, but the E2550 takes a standard sized sim, so on the assumption that the Sagem isn't so old it takes credit card sized sims, you should just be able to pop the existing sim into the E2550.

As long as the E2550 is not locked to another network.