Pixel 9a

mjp

Trying to get a sim from 48.ie but they looking for a one time activation fee of €12.99 to activate sim. is there a way of avoiding this payment

NotShero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124019625#Comment_124019625

You don't pay anything to order the free SIM and you should only have to pay the activation fee when you buy a plan. The SIM should have a new number and receive texts without paying for a plan.

Mixupat

Could I switch to Vodafone for one month and switch again after that?

NotShero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124020058#Comment_124020058

Yes you could do that, might be easier to get a SIM from Lyca or 48 though.

Rael

Quick question. I'd like to get this phone for my mother but she isn't eligible as she's already a Vodafone PAYG customer. I was already able to get one for myself as I was a Three customer.

I've got a 48 sim and I have the option of porting her existing number over or getting a new one assigned. Could I then use her current number (previously Vodafone, now 48) to order the phone from Vodafone?

If not, it's not a big thing to get her a new number as only about 10 people have her current one anyway.

NotShero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124020170#Comment_124020170

Just use the spare 48 SIM with the new number for porting to get through the ordering process online. Once the phone arrives, just pop in your mother's Vodafone SIM.

Muahahaha

got a new 48 sim in the post just there. Do I have to actually activate it and set up an account for it to receive the 4 digit code by SMS from Vodafone? Or will just inserting the 48 Sim make it able to receive that SMS?

SteM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124020265#Comment_124020265

Just put the 48 SIM into your current phone to get the 4 digit verification code from Vodafone. Once you have the verification code you don't need the SIM anymore.

Rael

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124020183#Comment_124020183

That's brilliant, was able to use the 48 number to order the phone just as you described. Thanks so much for your help!

mjp

What's the lead time on delivery of sims from 48. Ordered one this morning and said 3-6 days. Afraid they could run out of stock over weekend

pfftdetail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124019201#Comment_124019201

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124019213#Comment_124019213

Welcome to a mid-range budget Android phone in 2025, it's been a few years.. lol.. I don't blame you for not upgrading if you don't really use your phone that often but you were really missing out. The new mid-range Android phones are basically the old flagships at this stage. You really get a lot for the money you pay these days.

Wait till you try the high-end flagships from Samsung like the 25 Ultra or the Fold7, they are great phones, amazing hardware and performance and overall experience, however is it worth 1000+ euro more than a Pixel 9a? Hell no!

I think the average person can get given a Pixel 9a and be happy for years to come, it's all you really need in a phone. I'm personally an iPhone guy and Apple forces people to spend X amount of money for certain features so I can't buy the cheapest iPhone and call it a day, even though the cheapest iPhone could probably do 99% of the things I need.

pfftdetail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124020755#Comment_124020755

Next-day delivery, pretty sure they have a warehouse with thousands of SIM cards sitting in boxes so I don't think you have anything to worry about.

SteM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124020760#Comment_124020760

Wasn't next day for me, 5 days for delivery when I ordered my sim from 48.

I'm pretty sure the OP was worried about Vodafone running out of the Pixel 9a stock for €199, not 48 running out of sim cards!

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124020755#Comment_124020755

mine arrived 3 days after ordering it

FastFullBack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124020755#Comment_124020755

Lyca esim at €9.75 worked fine for me last night. Ordered place with no issues and got dpd notification today

bohsfan

For anyone waiting on a confirmation email or delivery...

I only received the confirmation email with an order number. Didn't get a mail on dispatch.

Checked the number on the DPD website. Turns out it failed delivery a couple of times. DPD had the burner number I used for the order as my contact so I never received the delivery text! Hopefully tomorrow!

Rightplace2016

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124021135#Comment_124021135

I had similar issue. Vodafone never used eircode so dpd held package but were using my burner number . The email went into junk so lost a few days. Vodafone dispatch part was very quick to start with .

Muahahaha

feeling a bit dumb here but where do you find the new 48 mobile number to put into VF website for the port? Have looked all over the 48 envelope & package and it is not on the sim card, all that has is a PIN and PUK. Cant see a new mobile number anywhere on the packaging

Basq

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124021622#Comment_124021622

You sign in to 48.ie, activate the SIM using activation code and click "Get a new number" and you'll get an 089 number to input on VF.

https://48.ie/activate-sim

Muahahaha

ah cheers Basq thanks. I am clearly not very smart.

Basq

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124021669#Comment_124021669

No worries. It's not the most intuitive tbh.

jasonb

Well now, this is a very tempting offer! As a newbie to this process, am I right in thinking that these are the steps…

1. Get a free SIM somewhere (a 48 SIM in Dealz sounds handy to me, is it free there?)
2. Activate the 48 SIM online for free to get its phone number
3. Use that phone number to order the handset on Vodafone's website. Put the 48 SIM into another phone to receive the 4 digit code to Port.
4. When the new phone arrives, put in any SIM you want to use from now on

Is that all correct? Do I need to cancel the Phone Number with 48, and do I need to cancel the Ported Number with VF?

Thanks!

artvanderlay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124021622#Comment_124021622

Like you, my 48 sim didn't have an activation code (only pin and PUK) but there is a way around it. Follow these instructions here:

https://community.48.ie/t5/The-Newsroom/Important-Update-Missing-Activation-Codes/td-p/70943

It worked for me. Now hopefully Vodafone actually send me the phone! :)

artvanderlay

..

artvanderlay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124022080#Comment_124022080

Yep, that's pretty much it. You don't need to cancel the number ported from 48 to Vodafone. Just forget about it. Put your usual sim into the new phone (they're unlocked.)

Rael

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124020755#Comment_124020755

Ordered one on Sunday and arrived yesterday morning.

jasonb

Well, that was quick! I decided to walk over to the local Dealz to get a 48 Sim (for €1, but quicker than waiting for it to be shipped) and as I was walking past a Vodafone store on the way, I asked them about the deal. They said they could do it there and then and that they had the Black ones in stock.

So I got the 48 sim, activated it online, put it into my phone, and went to the Vodafone shop. They ported me over, I waited for about 10 mins for the porting to happen, and once it did I went back in and got the handset.

Two things… They insisted that I had to buy €20 credit with the deal, and while I knew I didn't need to do that with the deal online, I thought the extra €20 was well worth having the phone in my hand today, and €221 in total for a brand new Pixel 9a is still a great deal.

Secondly, they asked me my phone number numerous times, and kept accidentally mistyping it so they'd have to ask again. I've no idea if they were just having a bad day, or maybe checking to see how well I knew the number (and therefore how new was the number to me). It was an easy number to memorise so I had no problem answering their questions again and again.

Anyhow, what a bargain, I only spotted this thread last night and now I have my new phone. Thanks to everyone for contributing to this thread, just reading back a few pages answered nearly all my questions. Thanks!

Dancor

I've tried to order one of these phones and got a contract summery but then an unsuccesful payment message when trying to place the order.

I can see €199 in progress in the bank though.

Spoke to customer support who can't see any transaction on their side.

Anyone have a similier experiance and get the €199 reverted?

Basq

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124023317#Comment_124023317

Yeah, same thing happened me yesterday and I reordered using Revolut.

Can see the €199 Pending on Bank Account but reckon it'll drop off.

Will keep an eye

artvanderlay

Well that was surprisingly easy! Ordered yesterday using a 48 sim, got an email confirmation straight away, and it arrived this morning. Fair play Vodafone!