Switching to O2 and still using Sim in phone??

Elaneyse

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask - there are a hell of a lot of boards here!
Anyway, I currently have no phone, and a friend of mine loaned me a Nokia she bought from Vodafone but no longer uses. When I put my O2 sim into it, the phone asked me for a code to unlock it. My friend and I have been trying to get it unlocked for three weeks now with no succes - Vodies not co-operating!
My friend suggested I just buy a Vodafone simcard, pop it into the phone, then ring O2 and ask to switch to them.
Is this a possible option? Or would the phone then reject the simcard once it becomes O2?

Davy

Welcome to boards.

Firstly what phone is it? Where have you tried to get it unlocked?

An o2 phone wont work without an unlock code from vodafone. The phone can be unlocked from shops that provide that service for between €10 to €30.

Why do you want to use the o2 sim? Would a vodafone sim not suit to better, you could ring your friend or text anytime for €20 a month.


Read this if you want some more info:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=59805187&postcount=30

Jev/N

Think the Mobiles & PDAs forum might be better for this.

AFAIK if you were using it with a Vodafone SIM card and switch to O2, you can keep your Vodafone number but not the SIM card, thus you end up at square one.

Your friend should be able to get an unlocking code if he/she has spent enough on credit with Vodafone, somewhere around €130 if I remember correctly?

Elaneyse

Ok firstly, the reason I want to stick with O2 is because Vodafone simply have no reception in the area that I live. I have to drive ten minutes in the town direction from my house just to pick up messages and any missed calls.

It's a Nokia. Not sure what type, buy my friend said it is one of the cheap ones - it only cost her €49.
They told her that they needed to go through some sort of motion to get this code and it would take time. She has rung them every day for the past three weeks and they say they are still on it. It can't be done in a Vodafone store, or so the clerk told me.

My mother has a Vodafone phone which her O2 simcard (changed to Vodafone) works fine in. I just didn't know if the same thing would work reversed.

Del2005

Elaneyse wrote: »

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask - there are a hell of a lot of boards here!
Anyway, I currently have no phone, and a friend of mine loaned me a Nokia she bought from Vodafone but no longer uses. When I put my O2 sim into it, the phone asked me for a code to unlock it. My friend and I have been trying to get it unlocked for three weeks now with no succes - Vodies not co-operating!
My friend suggested I just buy a Vodafone simcard, pop it into the phone, then ring O2 and ask to switch to them.
Is this a possible option? Or would the phone then reject the simcard once it becomes O2?

You can bring most mobile phones into some shops in town and they'll unlock it for ~€20. Vodafone won't give out the unlock code unless you've spent €120 in the last 6 months. Do a search of the Mobiles & PDAs site, there are some unlocking threads there.

The phone is locked to vodafone so even if you get a voda SIM and then swap to O2, O2 will give you a new SIM with the same number.

Is there a reason why you don't port your O2 number over to Vodafone, would be quickest way to get phone working?

Elaneyse

Is there a reason why you don't port your O2 number over to Vodafone, would be quickest way to get phone working?

Again, Vodafone coverage is useless in my area. O2 is the only company that has ever been able to supply me with more than a bar of reception. And for the record, that has been tested in the past week.

It's a nightmare, really.

Davy

Elaneyse wrote: »

Is there a reason why you don't port your O2 number over to Vodafone, would be quickest way to get phone working?

You can port your o2 number to vodafone yes, BUT you will then be on vodafone and you wont have coverage as you said.

Best way forward is to get the phone unlocked in a shop, do you know any in your area?

If you get the model of the phone, if its an old one, it could be done for free. To find what model it is, press *#0000# into the phone.

Elaneyse

It is a Nokia 2630
V 05.61.
Does that mean anything to anyone?

No, there is only one place that does phone unlocking in my area, and they keep the phone for a week. I'm not willing to hand the phone over like that, especially when it is not mine.

Davy

Elaneyse wrote: »

It is a Nokia 2630
V 05.61.
Does that mean anything to anyone?

No, there is only one place that does phone unlocking in my area, and they keep the phone for a week. I'm not willing to hand the phone over like that, especially when it is not mine.

It cant be unlocked using a code calculator. It has to be done in a shop, or via your network.

Your mothers phone must have been unlocked, phones can come unlocked from networks when you buy them.

If you don't want to give it to your local place, can you travel else where, or you could purchase your own phone for €59 from o2.

Elaneyse

Could have been I guess. I just know that the simcard is the white O2 one, and her number is still the same with the 086 prefix, but she is running on the Vodafone network. I thought if i put a Vodafone sim in the phone and ported the number to O2, that it would work, but obviously not.

Guess I'm saving up for the new phone, then. But thanks for the advice.

dudara

Moved to Mobiles & PDAs

dudara