Quick carphone warehouse unlocked advice plse

sillygoose

am I correct in understanding all Carphone warehouse PAYG phones are unlocked?, so say I want one to use on O2 (or Giffgaff) there is no point
buying one listed as on O2 at £114.99 Plus £10 top-up rather than just getting the same phone on EE £109.99 Plus £10 top-up?

Basically isn't it just an unlocked handset with either an O2 or an EE sim? As I already have a sim I will be binning whatever is in the box anyway.

Thanks

grumbler

In one word, yes.
Don't forget to check TCB and Quidco as well as e2save/osps/mobiles.co.uk

sillygoose

Many thanks. Good tip there, looks like TCB will cut a fiver off.

jenniewb

Yes BUT; I got a phone from the CPW back in Janurary. I was with 02 and wanted to move to Giff Gaff (same network but CPW don't offer Giff Gaff as an option).


When I made my purchase I was asked for my o2 phone number which had to have been valid and in use (topped up) for something like 3 months of more and this had to be verified before they would sell me the handset- even though it was a PAYG handset, wasn't that expensive and I was paying in one go (ie not a monthly payment).


I was able to use my O2 number and get the handset but had I not had this I'm not sure how I'd have made the purchase.


What was odd though was that when the handset arrived it had a new O2 sim sent with it with a new O2 number. I've no idea why they did this when they made such a fuss over me already being with O2!


I was able to use Quidco and get £5 off but the handset I got was about £5 cheaper with other PAYG suppliers had I gotten a sim with those providers though I didn't have a working number with those.

grumbler

Discounted prices at CPW are for PAYG upgrades if you qualify for it, and normally the price difference is bigger than £5, not to mentions that no compulsory topup is needed.
They just made an error when sent you a new SIM.

gingerphone

worth mentioning that if you goto their store and say you are putting in another sim they will refuse to sell you the phone .

I had a lovely tan tastic lady tell me that I am now refused service and if she knew my name she would bar me from purchase at all stores!

Simply as I said I stated I wanted to buy a pay-as-you-go and then put in my own sim, even though Id have to of bought credit for the sim provided with the phone..

JOY

grumbler

I'd have to have bought

The lady told you bu11shit, although they can refuse selling without any reason. However, what was the point in telling her about your plans?

gingerphone

i dont know i got same response from 2 stores. I just wanted to ask if phone would work with another sim but apparently saying you own another sim (shock horror) bans you from a purchase?

I was after a £50 smartphone to last me a few weeks while I wait for my pre-ordered phone

(sigh)

will simply buy from argos instead.

grumbler

Was it CPW? I don't think that they really care. What they need is just to sell you a PAYG SIM with the compulsory topup.
Regardless, if it's CPW, there is no point in asking. All their phones are generic and not locked except very rare network-branded/exclusive models (iPhones require caution too). Buy online and don't forget about TCB/Quidco. And, if you have an active PAYG SIM, check if you qualify for a cheaper "PAYG upgrade".

sillygoose

Just in case of this issue I didn't mention putting another SIM in and just accepted the new one from the nice lady who said we would get some welcome texts, no we wont unless it jumps out the bin into the phone..

It is bizarre though, you can walk out with a box with an unlocked, unbranded Samsung J5 for £128 (incl top up) and a pointless O2 SIM your going to bin instantly.

Or walk out with the same box but no SIM for £159 sold as SIM free.

You can look at it two ways, either O2 is being mugged by you for subsidising a phone and gaining no business. Or the people buying a 'SIM free' phone in the belief they need to are being mugged for more money by CPW. Take you pick!

(By the way O2 at least retain me as the phone was to replace a broken one on Giffgaff.)

sillygoose

gingerphone wrote: »

i dont know i got same response from 2 stores. I just wanted to ask if phone would work with another sim but apparently saying you own another sim (shock horror) bans you from a purchase?

I was after a £50 smartphone to last me a few weeks while I wait for my pre-ordered phone

(sigh)

will simply buy from argos instead.

Unless you gave your name to them go to another CPW or get anyone to pop in your local and buy one for you just ask them to 'play along' with the game!