Travelling to USA without a smartphone

mike004

I'll have a think about maybe getting a second-hand smart phone.

If I buy a refurbished unlocked smart phone such as this:

https://www.musicmagpie.co.uk/store/products/samsung-galaxy-a5-2017-32gb-blue-mist-unlocked-2ac7e29c-3a8c-4d45-bc7c-656f4e09597e

Could I use the SIM from my old Tesco mobile PAYG mobile phone? Thereby keeping

my phone number and staying on PAYG.

TheShape

mike004 said:

I'll have a think about maybe getting a second-hand smart phone.

If I buy a refurbished unlocked smart phone such as this:

https://www.musicmagpie.co.uk/store/products/samsung-galaxy-a5-2017-32gb-blue-mist-unlocked-2ac7e29c-3a8c-4d45-bc7c-656f4e09597e

Could I use the SIM from my old Tesco mobile PAYG mobile phone? Thereby keeping

my phone number and staying on PAYG.

You should be able to use a sim from any Network in an unlocked phone.  However, you will need to check that your SIM will physically fit the new phone and potentially have to order a new SIM from your Network. The phone in your link takes a Nano SIM.  Your SIM may not be the correct size.

p00hsticks

TheShape said:

mike004 said:

I'll have a think about maybe getting a second-hand smart phone.

If I buy a refurbished unlocked smart phone such as this:

https://www.musicmagpie.co.uk/store/products/samsung-galaxy-a5-2017-32gb-blue-mist-unlocked-2ac7e29c-3a8c-4d45-bc7c-656f4e09597e

Could I use the SIM from my old Tesco mobile PAYG mobile phone? Thereby keeping

my phone number and staying on PAYG.

You should be able to use a sim from any Network in an unlocked phone.  However, you will need to check that your SIM will physically fit the new phone and potentially have to order a new SIM from your Network. The phone in your link takes a Nano SIM.  Your SIM may not be the correct size.

If the new phone doesn't take the same size SIM as your existing one, you can go into the phone department in Tesco and they'll be able to  transfer the data over from the old SIM to a new one with the same number for the new phone - take both phones in and they'll do it for you (from my recollection ther is a potential phone outage of a couple of hours while the switch takes place.

mike004

If I bought from a phone shop such as CeX, would they be able to do the SIM swap from micro-SIM to nano-SIM?

It's a bit of a hike to the nearest Tesco superstore.

Sandtree

Tigsteroonie said:

emmajones1976 said:

3) maybe its time to accept that the fast pace of modern life is leaving you behind, so bite the bullet and get a new phone?

So people can only travel to the US if they have a smartphone with a data bundle? Hmmmm.

We've already discussed the magic of wifi

78% of the UK have smartphones and percentage is much higher in the under 65s. Depending on what you consider the drivers are for people having a non-smart phone (about 17%) or no mobile (5%) you would probably find a disproportate percentage of those travelling have one. That obviously isnt to say all do, I went without a smartphone for 6 years but Covid caused the backtrack

mike004

Sandtree said:

Tigsteroonie said:

emmajones1976 said:

3) maybe its time to accept that the fast pace of modern life is leaving you behind, so bite the bullet and get a new phone?

So people can only travel to the US if they have a smartphone with a data bundle? Hmmmm.

We've already discussed the magic of wifi

78% of the UK have smartphones and percentage is much higher in the under 65s. Depending on what you consider the drivers are for people having a non-smart phone (about 17%) or no mobile (5%) you would probably find a disproportate percentage of those travelling have one

I normally prefer to travel light, with no electronics, cables or chargers.

Faster through airport security, quicker to pack my bags, and no worries about damage/loss/theft of my gear.

CKhalvashi

mike004 said:

If I bought from a phone shop such as CeX, would they be able to do the SIM swap from micro-SIM to nano-SIM?

It's a bit of a hike to the nearest Tesco superstore.

Tesco should be able to post you one.

When I changed from a micro to a nano-sim phone, EE posted me one out and activated it when I called them. One died over an hour as the other came on line.

Edit: Check your existing SIM doesn't break down into a smaller one, my old one was pre-nano being a thing, but the new one had options to break down into 3-4 pieces. I bought a Ukrainian Vodafone SIM earlier this year when travelling on business and this broke down into several sizes also, so I'd assume it's almost universal.

Sandtree

mike004 said:

Sandtree said:

Tigsteroonie said:

emmajones1976 said:

3) maybe its time to accept that the fast pace of modern life is leaving you behind, so bite the bullet and get a new phone?

So people can only travel to the US if they have a smartphone with a data bundle? Hmmmm.

We've already discussed the magic of wifi

78% of the UK have smartphones and percentage is much higher in the under 65s. Depending on what you consider the drivers are for people having a non-smart phone (about 17%) or no mobile (5%) you would probably find a disproportate percentage of those travelling have one

I normally prefer to travel light, with no electronics, cables or chargers.

Faster through airport security, quicker to pack my bags, and no worries about damage/loss/theft of my gear.

A nice theory, which is part of the reason why I went with a non-smart phone whos battery lasted 2 weeks, but unfortunately with work, family (inc aging parents) many of us cannot just go off grid... plus I've solved the last 3 cancelled flights whilst away by virtue of receiving the text message and being able to phone the booking agent to get a new flight - dread to think the cost if that call had to be from the hotel's phone etc.

Penelopa.Pitstop

So many posts, but no one mentioned, that you don't need to create account and don't need to receive any text message, to fill in PLF. You can fill in form as a guest.

First question is:
"Do you have a passenger locator form account?" Choose "No" and go to next page, scroll down and there you have: "Do you want to create an account?", choose "No" and problem solved.

sammyjammy

mike004 said:

I'll have a think about maybe getting a second-hand smart phone.

If I buy a refurbished unlocked smart phone such as this:

https://www.musicmagpie.co.uk/store/products/samsung-galaxy-a5-2017-32gb-blue-mist-unlocked-2ac7e29c-3a8c-4d45-bc7c-656f4e09597e

Could I use the SIM from my old Tesco mobile PAYG mobile phone? Thereby keeping

my phone number and staying on PAYG.

have a look at giffgaff, they sell refurbished phones, I wouldn't buy anything from music magpie and the like personally.