Will old SIM card work in new smart phone? 13 July 2021 at 11:32AM in Mobiles 10 replies 246 views

leapyear

My mum is looking to buy a new smartphone but wants to keep her old SIM card. The SIM card is around 12 years old and so is the brick of a mobile phone that was bought with it. She is with Tesco PAYG and wishes to stay with them. I told her that the sim should work in whichever unlocked smart phone she chooses (she only wants a cheap one). But I am doubting myself that I have told her correct information. Will the old SIM card work with a new smart phone?

eDicky

Maybe, maybe not - try it in yours. But it's also likely to be a mini SIM, most modern phone take a micro or nano SIM. Tesco Mobile can doubtless supply a new 'tri-SIM' compatible with any current model handset and transfer her number to it.

JJ_Egan

It will work if its the right size .
12 years old almost certainly wrong size . Ask TESCO PAYG for new size sim to fit the new phone .

James_Londoner

I bought a device from eBay to cut my old sim card down to size to fit into a modern phone. 

JJ_Egan

But networks will supply free of charge multi sized sims .No need to pay and risk a bad cut .

jazzy

The very old sim cards cannot be cut. I just had the same problem and I contacted Tesco Mobile through Facebook messages and they sent out a new sim card which only took a few days.

jnm21

eDicky said:

Maybe, maybe not - try it in yours. But it's also likely to be a mini SIM, most modern phone take a micro or nano SIM. Tesco Mobile can doubtless supply a new 'tri-SIM' compatible with any current model handset and transfer her number to it.

Thank you SOOO much for using the correct term mini-SIM - it annoys my happiness when people call it full size, which is actually credit card size (last used in the 90s)!

As for the suggestion about cutting the SIM, you cannot cut a mini/micro SIM down to nano easily, because there is a minor difference in the thickness.

leapyear

Thanks everyone! I will instruct my mum to contact Tesco for a new sim.

getmore4less

I would check her PAYG rates 12 year old set up could be really good or really bad.

Frozen_up_north

As an additional point, PAYG and smartphones are not often happy companions. When away from home (assuming you have broadband at home), a smartphone is either expensive to use or limited to basic calls and SMS texting if you have mobile data turned off.

PAYG can be expensive if you use more than very small amounts of data, the Giffgaff people are worth a look. They offer a kind of PAYG where you top up using monthly “goodybags” without a contract. Unlimited mins, texts and a good chunk of data for a similar cost to a long term (12 or 24 month) contract on a basis where you can chop/change any time. Without a “goodybag” the rate is 25p/min to make a call.

https://www.giffgaff.com/

jnm21

Indeed @Frozen_up_north GG would keep the same o2 signal.

Lebara is another option (I have several older relatives on them, including my mum who is a 'silver non-surfer' whom I got a smart phone primarily for internet banking). They give 50 to unlimited calls to 41 countries.

Where they are Vodafone based (personally much better, generally seem to be regarded as better), the OP may prefer Lyca who are similar but o2 based - I'm not familiar with them, but believe that they do 100GB for £12 which is excellent for a heavy data pay and go user.