Use Tablet as a phone?

Fiddly

Can anyone help with some advice. I want to buy a tablet that I can also put my sim on and use as a phone, and use the internet.

I've seen, and bought, cheap ones on ebay but returned it as kept crashing Happy to spend more as long as it will do the job.

Any help would be appreciated, many thanks

Neil_Jones

Why not just buy a SIM-Free Android smartphone?

The cheaper smartphones are Android based, the same as the tablets and do 9/10 of the things the tablet will do + make phone calls.

Here's a 5.5" screen, unlocked for just £65 with good reviews.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unlocked-Smartphone-Android-Cellphone-SIM-Free-x/dp/B01C5HIW3M

JJ_Egan

Plenty of tablet phones about .
But you look foolish answering a call on a ten inch tablet .

Size and budget are keys .

almillar

Plenty of tablet phones about .

Hmm, not sure - there are some but they're quite specialised. Just because a tablet takes a SIM, doesn't mean it can be used as a phone - Fiddly you'll need to have a look around. And 7" is your limit unless a manufacturer has been particularly mad!

paddyrg

Pretty much by definition you want a phablet, and they top out around 6" for usability's sake (over that size, they get horrible to hold up to your ear!)

That said, if you get a tablet with a Data SIM you can use skype, maybe whatsapp, etc?

Mr_Toad

My tablet, a Galaxy Note 10.1 can be used as a phone. In reality a tablet with a SIM card is just a huge phone anyway.

I've had it a few years now but the newer Tab 3 models still have this feature.

I move my SIM card from my phone to the tablet when I'm on my boat so that I can access the internet and still make and receive calls and text messages.

I can do all this from my phone but, out of habit, I tend to put my phone in my pocket, not good, and expensive, if you go in the water, whereas the tablet stays safe in the boat. The tablet is lighter and more convenient than a laptop and better than a smart phone with a larger screen and keyboard.

As for the holding it up to your ear, I agree, not good but I use it on speaker or with the earphones that came with it.

wongataa

Mr_Toad wrote: »

In reality a tablet with a SIM card is just a huge phone anyway.

Not necessarily. Just because a tablet has a SIM slot for a data sim doesn't mean it has the voice call bits as well. An iPad with a SIM slot can't be used as a phone for example.

poppellerant

If you're very lucky, you might be able to pick up a Native Union POP Bluetooth Phone Headset from your Poundland shop like I did recently - and it works very well.

I'd probably ditch the idea of buying a tablet that can take a SIM and just use Skype with a headset like what I've linked you to.

Robisere

Recently bought my first Smartphone after using an old "Steam Age" Samsung. This is what I bought: https://www.wileyfox.com/swift/

I took it to EE as that was my Samsung supplier and they changed the SIM card for me, set me up with PAYG. I am very happy with it, it uses an improved form of Android called cyanogen. And it's British: the only British-made Smartphone. I can make calls, texts, use internet etc. I love it.