Buying Nokia 6300 - very confused

Claremac

Hi, I am a newbie here and am amazed by all the tips and knowledge shared so freely. I hope that some of you experts can help me with choosing a new phone as I am very confused by all the terminology.

I have had for some time a PAYG Nokia 1100 which has been very reliable but I am thinking of moving into the 21st century and buying a new phone. I would like at least a 2 Mp camera and prefer Nokia so I am thinking about the 6300. So far, so good. My problems are with where to buy, on which network and the whole issue of unlocking.

I am currently using Orange. I was previously with Virgin, which I much preferred, but signal for Virgin in my house is poor. I am moving house, hopefully in the next few months (anyone want to buy a house?) and, if the signal is better would prefer to switch back to Virgin. I am planning to buy a new phone and use my current Sim so that I don't have to change my number. Where I am confused is how I go about it.

If I buy a new phone, it will have some credit on the Sim card so, presumably, any credit on the new Sim card will be lost unless I use it?

In any case, I plan to replace the Sim card with my current one so does that mean that I need to buy a phone on the Orange network? If so, can I change to Virgin in the future? Also, any tips on where to buy? Sorry for all the questions, but I've only needed to make phone calls and not worry about anything else before!

Thanks for any help.

thesaint

Claremac wrote: »

I am currently using Orange. I was previously with Virgin, which I much preferred, but signal for Virgin in my house is poor. I am moving house, hopefully in the next few months (anyone want to buy a house?) and, if the signal is better would prefer to switch back to Virgin. I am planning to buy a new phone and use my current Sim so that I don't have to change my number. Where I am confused is how I go about it.

If you are changing networks, and want to keep your number, you will need to 'Port' your old orange number to virgin.

Claremac wrote: »

If I buy a new phone, it will have some credit on the Sim card so, presumably, any credit on the new Sim card will be lost unless I use it?

You will be able to use any credit on the new sim card if this is the one on the phone. I am confused as to which sim you plan to use.

Claremac wrote: »

In any case, I plan to replace the Sim card with my current one so does that mean that I need to buy a phone on the Orange network? If so, can I change to Virgin in the future? Also, any tips on where to buy? Sorry for all the questions, but I've only needed to make phone calls and not worry about anything else before!

Thanks for any help.

If you are buying a phone now that you need to work on Orange, and later on on the Virgin network, you need to either:

Buy a 6300 on either Orange or Virgin and get it unlocked(Approx £30).

Buy a 6300 that is already unlocked (Carphone warehouse would be my 1st port of call).

or

Buy a 'Sim free' phone (Most expensive option).

You will need to do some research as to which works out cheapest. :A

Claremac

Thanks for the reply. I'm not surprised you're confused. I read my post back and so am I! I am planning to use my old Sim because I assume that that's the only way to keep my old number. Is that right? I suppose I can use up the credit on the new card by sticking it back in the new phone to make any calls I know are likely to be long.

Having a quick look at prices, I think it may be cheaper to buy an unlocked phone. If I do that, will I be able to just put my current Orange Sim card in it and it will work straightaway? Then later, when I move, I port it to Virgin. Thanks for the help through the maze.

thesaint

Claremac wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I'm not surprised you're confused. I read my post back and so am I! I am planning to use my old Sim because I assume that that's the only way to keep my old number. Is that right? I suppose I can use up the credit on the new card by sticking it back in the new phone to make any calls I know are likely to be long.

Having a quick look at prices, I think it may be cheaper to buy an unlocked phone. If I do that, will I be able to just put my current Orange Sim card in it and it will work straightaway? Then later, when I move, I port it to Virgin. Thanks for the help through the maze.

You use the new sim, you 'port' your number from Orange to whatever network you are leaving them for, this takes a few days to process.

If the phone you buy is unlocked to all networks, you will be able to use your Orange sim in it, and then your Virgin one.

I was looking at a 6300 for my uncle the other week, CPW was selling an unlocked one for £120(Inc £10 credit on T-Mobile).

Or a locked one through 'The link' was £75, but you would need to pay to unlock it to the Orange network.

shere1

thesaint wrote: »

You use the new sim, you 'port' your number from Orange to whatever network you are leaving them for, this takes a few days to process.

If the phone you buy is unlocked to all networks, you will be able to use your Orange sim in it, and then your Virgin one.

I was looking at a 6300 for my uncle the other week, CPW was selling an unlocked one for £120(Inc £10 credit on T-Mobile).

Or a locked one through 'The link' was £75, but you would need to pay to unlock it to the Orange network.

Get Car Phone Warehouse to price match The Link and get an unlocked one for £75.

The battery life on this phone is quite poor compared to the SE offerings like the (now dated) K750i.

thesaint

shere1 wrote: »

Get Car Phone Warehouse to price match The Link and get an unlocked one for £75.

The battery life on this phone is quite poor compared to the SE offerings like the (now dated) K750i.

I didn't know CPW pricematched, I ended up getting one locked to T-Mobile. :mad:

Old_Gold

Claremac can I suggest the following. Find out from orange if you can transfer credit from one orange number to another. If you can then get a new orange payg sim card. You should be able to get one free or maybe for a pound. Transfer your credit to the new sim card but make sure your original sim is still active. Buy your new phone with say a virgin sim with it (look at their site to see what deals they do).You will be allocated a number.Then port your original number to the new phone you will buy.
So what you will end up with is your new phone on virgin with your original number and your old 1100 as a spare with your orange credit intact.

richardjames73

The 6300 I bought from P4U was on tmobile, and branded (Theme, Ringtones etc), but no physical T-mobile branding, and the phone is not locked to the t-mobile network.

thesaint

Old_Gold wrote: »

Claremac can I suggest the following. Find out from orange if you can transfer credit from one orange number to another. If you can then get a new orange payg sim card. You should be able to get one free or maybe for a pound. Transfer your credit to the new sim card but make sure your original sim is still active. Buy your new phone with say a virgin sim with it (look at their site to see what deals they do).You will be allocated a number.Then port your original number to the new phone you will buy.
So what you will end up with is your new phone on virgin with your original number and your old 1100 as a spare with your orange credit intact.

But Claremac does not get reception on virgin until She/he moves house(which hasn't sold), so porting to Virgin is not a good idea as she/he won't be able to make/receive calls satisfactorily for months.

Old_Gold

thesaint wrote: »

But Claremac does not get reception on virgin until She/he moves house(which hasn't sold), so porting to Virgin is not a good idea as she/he won't be able to make/receive calls satisfactorily for months.

Absolutely and this applies to all Claremac has said therefore when the time is right the information is there.

thesaint

Old_Gold wrote: »

Absolutely and this applies to all Claremac has said therefore when the time is right the information is there.

I thought that claremac wanted a 6300 now and wanted to change to virgin sometime in the future.
I must've misread. :beer: