Obtain a phone number for second hand smartphone

Pensioner_Dave

My daughter in law has given me her old Motorola Mobile smartphone as she has purchased a more up to date one. She naturally has retained her phone number. How do I obtain a new phone number for this phone and can I use it as a pay as you go with putting a £15 credit on it as I would only use the phone or texting in emergencies. The internet use on the smart phone will be very useful to me. I am not very technically minded and do not want to go into EE,,O2 or Tesco mobile and to be overcharged. Presumably I will need a new sim card and will need to go into a mobile phone shop to get one. Any help will be most welcome.

bengalknights

Just go to any corner shop and pick up a sim card with topup (3 network is pretty cheap for payg)

MovingForwards

Ask your daughter-in-law whether the phone is unlocked and can be used on any network or if it is locked. If locked you will need to get it unlocked or buy a SIM for her old network.

Sims can be picked up in supermarkets, newsagents etc.

One word of advice is to always switch off automatic updates and the mobile data as it will eat through your money. Any updates needed to software on the phone do it via WiFi.

Farway

OR if convenient, into ASDA, their SIM, buy at checkout, comes with a small amount of credit on already, then top up when shopping or use debit card & follow instructions that come with the SIM


Make sure your smartphone data is set to Wi Fi or your PAYG dosh will vanish rapidly if you are using it for internet as you say in your post

TadleyBaggie

First you need to know if the smartphone is locked to a network, if it is then you will (or rather your DiL) would need to ask the network to unlock it (unless you are happy to use the same network). The trouble with a lot of Pay As You Go SIMs is that often the credit will expire after a set period, so your £15 may just vanish if not used in a few months. You might be better with a 1 month rolling contract with someone like ID, my wife's SIM is through them and costs only £3.99 per month. Another possibility would be Giff Gaff, where you add a "goody bag" as and when you need more minutes/data etc. This can be setup to happen automatically when you run out so you are never without a connection.

Barney_Rubble_0403

Don't forget the correct size of sim card appropriate for your phone.

Pensioner_Dave

How do I ascertain what network the phone is on if it has not been unlocked. can you buy a sim with credit that rolls over indefinitely as £15 would last me ages unless I have a series of emergencies. The reason for being given this smartphone is I now live on my own as my wife has passed away. Previously I relied on my land land and old PC so I do have Wi Fi in the house. Finally when buy the sim card will it automatically give me a phone number

[Deleted User]

Pensioner_Dave wrote: »

How do I ascertain what network the phone is on if it has not been unlocked. can you buy a sim with credit that rolls over indefinitely as 315 would last me ages unless I have a series of emergencies. The reason for being given this smartphone is I now live on my own as my wife has passed away. Previously I relied on my land land and old PC so I do have Wi Fi in the house. Finally when buy the sim card will it automatically give me a phone number

As above in a few different posts, ask your daughter in law on which network it's locked (if it is locked). You can only use the main carrier and anybody who uses their network if it is locked.

All SIMs come with their own number.

Just in case it wasn't clear previously, if you use it for internet use away from WiFi then it will come off your credit and it will burn through £15 in no time. You can of course use any internet hotspots such as at many supermarkets etc.

Mister_G

O2 Classic PAYG or Three's 321 PAYG only require £10 top up. This will last forever. All you have to do is make one chargeable call or text every six months.

The wife has one and just rings home from it every 6 months.

You can get the free SIMs online.

As others have said, you will need to make sure it is unlocked (unless it's already on the O2 or Three networks.

One other thing to consider is which network gives the best coverage where you are.

BH246

As a matter if someone did not know on what network a smartphone was connected is there a way to find out. How can you unlock a smartphone from a network. I have just got a second hand one and I do know it is on EE submit is not a issue to me but would like to know what would have happened if I had not know the network. Thank you.

Chris1447

Could you not just go into an O2 shop and tell them you wanta sim card new phone number and a Pay as go classic with a £15 subscription. Surely they would unlock it for you free and see which network it was on and transfer it to O2. I am on the O2 clsssic and you only have to make one phone call every 6 months then you will not lose any of your credit. Make sure you turn the roaming otherwise your credit will disappear very very quickly.