O2 Classic 123 (activated in Nov 22) deactivated after no regular top up

flaneurs_lobster

pepsi1234 said:

Just came across this thread. For anyone looking for a classic O2 sim it is still available - I have just got one before Christmas and setup and all ok jsut had to wait 24 hours to topup after activation.

Many sellers on eBay at ~£1.30 incl. postage.

alanjones60

When i bought a spare a few weeks ago off ebay, it was 20p and free postage, and they sent 2.

Shame iv got no use for the spare

flaneurs_lobster

alanjones60 said:

When i bought a spare a few weeks ago off ebay, it was 20p and free postage, and they sent 2.

Shame iv got no use for the spare

I've had that - put the thing in your basket and leave it there? Seller pretty much paying you to take them away.

PHK

pepsi1234 said:

Just came across this thread. For anyone looking for a classic O2 sim it is still available - I have just got one before Christmas and setup and all ok jsut had to wait 24 hours to topup after activation.

O2 themselves dont give out the Classic SIM but they do still issue it through partners - apparently as other PAYG sims dont support 2G, so for things like some trackers/basic phones that are 2G only they still produce the Classic SIM and have some partners that have it - info from seller after I messaged to confirm it was as shown - and it was what I received.

I got mine on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/O2-Classic-Pay-you-PAYG/dp/B091P3TP77/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3TDCMNMSBRBQB&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.yu2X3agBgsxtIriRB1D0jCSXIkmXAExyQjKbeoxz1NP0zBtOMYRO0Z6sGor1JX3UVy09Q02J0pnjnPIFkBjgUfSjmRXlZQHaq-J90Q-t1lT-_gZkuS-WF9ubKPttNBDIOLFBw7-AdDXgz4wgAcL9SfJ4vz_w0d6MSwHuBIwldRo-seuN4KA8IhnVbIwzi7QIPJ7TZkX5yboA6-KeQXdtGlUJ-w56-ZCrMEeeKLDaNfc.JR0gaFkUR4AfFJy_1WqZN2AlMehEOpG4qnBnQ_wWo68&dib_tag=se&keywords=classic+sim+card&qid=1768208673&sprefix=Classic+sim,aps,102&sr=8-4

You are right that these SIMs are only available through third party sellers but they are new old stock and no longer produced. 

They are effectively being given away on eBay (less than 50p for two)

Your statement about 2G is not quite right. Since 2024, O2 have been migrating customers away from 2G. It is being reserved for emergency calls and M2M or IoT use until switch off by the early 2030s.

Business customers were all migrated by July last year, from last October roaming was turned off on 2G and O2 estimate the last consumer will have been  migrated by the end of 2026. So I would not recommend a 2G only phone. As of 2024 O2 had 1% of customers using 2G

(EE's switch off is May 2029 [0.1% 2G customers as of 2023] , but I don't think Vodafone have given a timescale yet - but having said that they have a lower percentage of 2G only customers than O2 - O2 had the highest percentage)

ScratchyCat

For info, i got an O2 classic payg sim off ebay and activated in july 25 ( for 20p and got sent 2). It has been showing IMS not registered since activated.  I noticed just before Christmas this status has changed and now showing the IMS as registered.
Only have a 4g phone, but it isn't showing any WiFi calling as yet.
Obviously something automatically happened at O2s end to show ims as being registered.
This is only a spare sim currently, that I got when rwg were doing funny things. If o2 give me wifi like indicated then I might port my main number over.

Another thing i note though, I cant login at all via there app or web page to check my account, even though I created the ID password process thingy.

flaneurs_lobster

ScratchyCat said:

Another thing i note though, I cant login at all via there app or web page to check my account, even though I created the ID password process thingy.

I can't access the details of either of my 2 Classics on the app (a PAYM is fine). Seems to have broken about the same time as the VoIP change.

Still see what little detail is available via MyO2 online.

gwapenut

The classic Sims don't roam properly in many European countries where 3g has switched off. O2 don't currently support 4g on PAYG and have not yet announced their migration plans for when 3g is completely removed in the UK. This manifests as texts being received but no (or unreliable) outbound texts and no calls in or out.

alanjones60

On my classic sim, i now have 4g 5g wificalling since 3g turn off in my area, west mids

Phones4Chris

I've got 2 O2 Classic PAYG sims. My main one was ported from Asda mobile back in Aug.2019 not topped up in the last 18-24 months or more, still working fine. Just making chargeable texts every 6 months and very occasionally a call. The 2nd one was SIM swapped in June 2023 due to the original being lost by the other half! That's not been topped up either and still works, again chargeable texts sent every 6 months.