Purchasing an unlocked Android phone

I am me123 · 12-12-2019 12:26am #1

Hi.

Apologies if I have posted a similar thread before.

I am looking to purchase a new Android phone as a Christmas gift. The person for whom I am buying for previously purchased their current phone (a regular Nokia) from Tesco, and are with Tesco Mobile.

Just wondering if I was to purchase an unlocked Android phone, could the existing SIM card for the Nokia just simply be inserted into the new Android for immediate use?

I'm not very tech savvy so please bear with me.

Thanks all.

scudzilla · 12-12-2019 12:28am

I am me123 wrote: »

Hi.

Apologies if I have posted a similar thread before.

I am looking to purchase a new Android phone as a Christmas gift. The person for whom I am buying for previously purchased their current phone (a regular Nokia) from Tesco, and are with Tesco Mobile.

Just wondering if I was to purchase an unlocked Android phone, could the existing SIM card for the Nokia just simply be inserted into the new Android for immediate use?

I'm not very tech savvy so please bear with me.

Thanks all.

Yep, unlocked means you can use any sim in it

I am me123 · 12-12-2019 12:30am

scudzilla wrote: »

Yep, unlocked means you can use any sim in it

Thank you.

12-12-2019 9:42pm

the only issue could be if the sim card is an old one that it may well be of a fixed size (one of the older bigger sizes). there are 3 main sizes but most/all modern phones now take sim cards of the nano size

you can cut an older one down yourself of course with a scissors but you do risking screwing it up (particularly if going from the old mini to nano)

12-12-2019 9:57pm

so if you need to do this to avoid going back to tescomobile to get a new sim card and then getting the number transferred over to the new sim you can cut it as I said.

if you follow a good guide it's actually fine to do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv0P4-YG6-E

T-Bird · 12-12-2019 10:42pm

glasso wrote: »

so if you need to do this to avoid going back to tescomobile to get a new sim card and then getting the number transferred over to the new sim you can cut it as I said.

if you follow a good guide it's actually fine to do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv0P4-YG6-E

I thought that all sim cards were 3 in 1 now?

12-12-2019 10:49pm

T-Bird wrote: »

I thought that all sim cards were 3 in 1 now?

the OP mentions "regular nokia" (more likely to take the full-size old sim card) from tesco so there is a decent chance that this is an old sim card without the cutouts for all three options that they now come with.

I am me123 · 13-12-2019 6:58pm

If it helps here is the phone in question

13-12-2019 7:39pm

that informs nothing tbh

what size is the sim card inside and does the sim card have the option to push out smaller sizes out of the original big size?

like this.

I am me123 · 22-12-2019 10:40pm

Thanks.

Sorry for the delay in replying.

Just wondering if I was to take my existing SIM to a phone shop, could they adjust my existing SIM to make it a Nano SIM size?

Or failing that, can they just activate the existing phone number on standard sized sim, and activate it on new Nano SIM?

uchimata83 · 22-12-2019 10:44pm

If sim was purchased at the same time as that phone, it's likely to be pre cut - just judging by the age of the phone and when it became standard.

uchimata83 · 22-12-2019 10:45pm

I am me123 wrote: »

Thanks.

Sorry for the delay in replying.

Just wondering if I was to take my existing SIM to a phone shop, could they adjust my existing SIM to make it a Nano SIM size?

Or failing that, can they just activate the existing phone number on standard sized sim, and activate it on new Nano SIM?

In my experience, they can't cut to nano, but can cut to micro. You won't be able to do a Sim swap on the phone unless you are the registered owner

I am me123 · 22-12-2019 11:49pm

uchimata83 wrote: »

In my experience, they can't cut to nano, but can cut to micro. You won't be able to do a Sim swap on the phone unless you are the registered owner

Cheers for the info. ðŸ˜Š

I am me123 · 29-12-2019 11:22pm

Thanks guys!

Everything worked out great switching over to new phone!

Many thanks.

Just in case I forgot 'Merry Christmas guys!

:D:D

Purchasing an unlocked Android phone

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