I'm currently on contract with O2. If I get a new phone through them,
I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract. Is it possible to get
a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it more
complicated than that.

TIA

Adrian
--
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replace "bulleid" with "adrian" - all mail to bulleid is rejected
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On 07/03/2024 at 14:02, Adrian wrote:
> I'm currently on contract with O2. If I get a new phone through them,
> I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract. Is it possible to get
> a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it more
> complicated than that.
>
> TIA
>
> Adrian

You can buy a phone outright from wherever you like and as long as it is
an unlocked device, you can put your current sim straight into it.

--
Wilf

On 07/03/2024 14:02, Adrian wrote:
> I'm currently on contract with O2.  If I get a new phone through them,
> I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract.  Is it possible to get
> a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it more
> complicated than that.
>
It's many years since I've bought a phone through my service provider.
My last one I bought directly from Nokia, but I've also purchased them
on Amazon.
Just make sure they are not 'locked' to a particular provider.

S Viemeister <firstname@lastname.oc.ku> wrote:
> On 07/03/2024 14:02, Adrian wrote:
> > I'm currently on contract with O2.  If I get a new phone through them,
> > I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract.  Is it possible to get
> > a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it more
> > complicated than that.
> >
> It's many years since I've bought a phone through my service provider.
> My last one I bought directly from Nokia, but I've also purchased them
> on Amazon.
> Just make sure they are not 'locked' to a particular provider.

As of 17 December 2021 it's been forbidden to sell new locked phones in the
UK, so that's not a problem any more. Older phones may be locked, but it's
now fairly easy to get them unlocked for a small fee.

(this may not apply if the phone is imported from abroad)

Theo

On Thu, 7 Mar 2024 14:16:00 +0000, Wilf <wilf21@is.invalid> wrote:

>On 07/03/2024 at 14:02, Adrian wrote:
>> I'm currently on contract with O2. If I get a new phone through them,
>> I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract. Is it possible to get
>> a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it more
>> complicated than that.
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Adrian
>
>You can buy a phone outright from wherever you like and as long as it is
>an unlocked device, you can put your current sim straight into it.

Technically maybe, but how much will this cost? Surely OP needs to
shop around and find a SIM only contract that meets his needs (quite
possibly from O2)?

On Thu 07/03/2024 17:56, Scott wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Mar 2024 14:16:00 +0000, Wilf <wilf21@is.invalid> wrote:
>
>> On 07/03/2024 at 14:02, Adrian wrote:
>>> I'm currently on contract with O2. If I get a new phone through them,
>>> I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract. Is it possible to get
>>> a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it more
>>> complicated than that.
>>>
>>> TIA
>>>
>>> Adrian
>>
>> You can buy a phone outright from wherever you like and as long as it is
>> an unlocked device, you can put your current sim straight into it.
>
> Technically maybe, but how much will this cost? Surely OP needs to
> shop around and find a SIM only contract that meets his needs (quite
> possibly from O2)?

For a SIM only contract (although bundles are better and easier to
manage than contracts) look at what GiffGaff has to offer. GG is owned
by Telefonica (the Spanish PTT) and runs on the O2 network. The good bit
is that you manage you entire account on line and can change it ad-hoc
as you wish. Also you get free GG-GG calls for 3 months after any form
of top-up.

No wonder GG have consistently been listed as the best SIM only
provider. For interest, if you go down that route find someone (like me)
who is a GG user and get your SIM through them, then you both get £5
credit on your accounts. You can of course transfer your old number to
the new SIM and GG do it as they say they will when they say they will.

In message <rwuMISLLkc6lFw5F@ku.gro.lloiff>, Adrian
<bulleid@ku.gro.lioff> writes
>I'm currently on contract with O2. If I get a new phone through them,
>I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract. Is it possible to
>get a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it
>more complicated than that.
>

Thanks for the updates, my apologies for not making individual replies.

The next step is to find out if I need a new phone. I'd be interested
in thoughts on this particular conundrum.

Samsung Galaxy A5 (yes I know, out of the ark). A couple of weeks ago
the battery failed. The thing would barely stay up long enough to do
anything, if it would boot at all. New battery fitted, but since then
(fairly sure not before), it has been acting very strange. If I'm at
the front of the house (the side nearest my local mast), I can sometimes
make calls. However, I only seem to be able to get SMS between ~0100 -
0800. If I'm away from home (e.g. using a different mast), it is
business as usual. O2 are looking into it, but I don't know when they
will get back to me.

Adrian
--
To Reply :
replace "bulleid" with "adrian" - all mail to bulleid is rejected
Sorry for the rigmarole, If I want spam, I'll go to the shops
Every time someone says "I don't believe in trolls", another one dies.

Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Mar 2024 14:16:00 +0000, Wilf <wilf21@is.invalid> wrote:
>
>> On 07/03/2024 at 14:02, Adrian wrote:
>>> I'm currently on contract with O2. If I get a new phone through them,
>>> I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract. Is it possible to get
>>> a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it more
>>> complicated than that.
>>>
>>> TIA
>>>
>>> Adrian
>>
>> You can buy a phone outright from wherever you like and as long as it is
>> an unlocked device, you can put your current sim straight into it.
>
> Technically maybe, but how much will this cost? Surely OP needs to
> shop around and find a SIM only contract that meets his needs (quite
> possibly from O2)?

OP already has a SIM. If they're happy with their contract then there's no
need to shop around.

Adrian <bulleid@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
> In message <rwuMISLLkc6lFw5F@ku.gro.lloiff>, Adrian
> <bulleid@ku.gro.lioff> writes
>> I'm currently on contract with O2. If I get a new phone through them,
>> I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract. Is it possible to
>> get a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it
>> more complicated than that.
>>
>
> Thanks for the updates, my apologies for not making individual replies.
>
> The next step is to find out if I need a new phone. I'd be interested
> in thoughts on this particular conundrum.
>
> Samsung Galaxy A5 (yes I know, out of the ark). A couple of weeks ago
> the battery failed.

The other thing to consider is the size of the SIM. Modern phones mostly
take nano SIMs where older phone will have mini or micro SIMs. You can -
carefully - cut your existing one down to size with a cutter or you can ask
O2 to give you new microSIM.

> The thing would barely stay up long enough to do
> anything, if it would boot at all. New battery fitted, but since then
> (fairly sure not before), it has been acting very strange. If I'm at
> the front of the house (the side nearest my local mast), I can sometimes
> make calls. However, I only seem to be able to get SMS between ~0100 -
> 0800. If I'm away from home (e.g. using a different mast), it is
> business as usual. O2 are looking into it, but I don't know when they
> will get back to me.
>
> Adrian

In message <usd2v9$16vjr$1@dont-email.me>, Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com>
writes
>> Samsung Galaxy A5 (yes I know, out of the ark). A couple of weeks ago
>> the battery failed.
>
>The other thing to consider is the size of the SIM. Modern phones mostly
>take nano SIMs where older phone will have mini or micro SIMs. You can -
>carefully - cut your existing one down to size with a cutter or you can ask
>O2 to give you new microSIM.
>

As an attempt to fix the problem below, O2 have already given me a new
micro SIM (which is what my existing phone uses).

>> The thing would barely stay up long enough to do
>> anything, if it would boot at all. New battery fitted, but since then
>> (fairly sure not before), it has been acting very strange. If I'm at
>> the front of the house (the side nearest my local mast), I can sometimes
>> make calls. However, I only seem to be able to get SMS between ~0100 -
>> 0800. If I'm away from home (e.g. using a different mast), it is
>> business as usual. O2 are looking into it, but I don't know when they
>> will get back to me.
>>

Adrian
--
To Reply :
replace "bulleid" with "adrian" - all mail to bulleid is rejected
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Adrian <bulleid@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
> In message <rwuMISLLkc6lFw5F@ku.gro.lloiff>, Adrian
> <bulleid@ku.gro.lioff> writes
> >I'm currently on contract with O2. If I get a new phone through them,
> >I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract. Is it possible to
> >get a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it
> >more complicated than that.
> >
>
> Thanks for the updates, my apologies for not making individual replies.
>
> The next step is to find out if I need a new phone. I'd be interested
> in thoughts on this particular conundrum.
>
> Samsung Galaxy A5 (yes I know, out of the ark). A couple of weeks ago
> the battery failed. The thing would barely stay up long enough to do
> anything, if it would boot at all. New battery fitted, but since then
> (fairly sure not before), it has been acting very strange. If I'm at
> the front of the house (the side nearest my local mast), I can sometimes
> make calls. However, I only seem to be able to get SMS between ~0100 -
> 0800. If I'm away from home (e.g. using a different mast), it is
> business as usual. O2 are looking into it, but I don't know when they
> will get back to me.

Do you have another phone you can put your SIM in to try?

The A5 supports LTE, but I suppose it could be due to switching off of a 3G
mast or refarming spectrum to 4G/5G. O2 say they are doing some small
switchoff trials in 2024 but not turning it off properly until 2025.

Do you have 5G signal locally? If so, a 5G phone could be a way around any
issues with 4G.

Theo

On 07/03/2024 at 17:56, Scott wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Mar 2024 14:16:00 +0000, Wilf <wilf21@is.invalid> wrote:
>
>> On 07/03/2024 at 14:02, Adrian wrote:
>>> I'm currently on contract with O2. If I get a new phone through them,
>>> I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract. Is it possible to get
>>> a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it more
>>> complicated than that.
>>>
>>> TIA
>>>
>>> Adrian
>>
>> You can buy a phone outright from wherever you like and as long as it is
>> an unlocked device, you can put your current sim straight into it.
>
> Technically maybe, but how much will this cost? Surely OP needs to
> shop around and find a SIM only contract that meets his needs (quite
> possibly from O2)?

Yes of course, in such a phone he can use his current sim or any other
one he chooses to obtain.

--
Wilf

On 07/03/2024 at 18:14, Woody wrote:
> On Thu 07/03/2024 17:56, Scott wrote:
>> On Thu, 7 Mar 2024 14:16:00 +0000, Wilf <wilf21@is.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>> On 07/03/2024 at 14:02, Adrian wrote:
>>>> I'm currently on contract with O2. If I get a new phone through them,
>>>> I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract. Is it possible to get
>>>> a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it more
>>>> complicated than that.
>>>>
>>>> TIA
>>>>
>>>> Adrian
>>>
>>> You can buy a phone outright from wherever you like and as long as it is
>>> an unlocked device, you can put your current sim straight into it.
>>
>> Technically maybe, but how much will this cost? Surely OP needs to
>> shop around and find a SIM only contract that meets his needs (quite
>> possibly from O2)?
>
> For a SIM only contract (although bundles are better and easier to
> manage than contracts) look at what GiffGaff has to offer. GG is owned
> by Telefonica (the Spanish PTT) and runs on the O2 network. The good bit
> is that you manage you entire account on line and can change it ad-hoc
> as you wish. Also you get free GG-GG calls for 3 months after any form
> of top-up.
>
> No wonder GG have consistently been listed as the best SIM only
> provider. For interest, if you go down that route find someone (like me)
> who is a GG user and get your SIM through them, then you both get £5
> credit on your accounts. You can of course transfer your old number to
> the new SIM and GG do it as they say they will when they say they will.
>

I've heard that GiffGaff doesn't offer wifi calling. Is that correct?

--
Wilf

Wilf <wilf21@is.invalid> Wrote in message:

> I've heard that GiffGaff doesn't offer wifi calling. Is that correct?

Yes
--
Remove numerics from my email address.

On Thu 07/03/2024 21:34, Theo wrote:
> Adrian <bulleid@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
>> In message <rwuMISLLkc6lFw5F@ku.gro.lloiff>, Adrian
>> <bulleid@ku.gro.lioff> writes
>>> I'm currently on contract with O2. If I get a new phone through them,
>>> I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract. Is it possible to
>>> get a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it
>>> more complicated than that.
>>>
>>
>> Thanks for the updates, my apologies for not making individual replies.
>>
>> The next step is to find out if I need a new phone. I'd be interested
>> in thoughts on this particular conundrum.
>>
>> Samsung Galaxy A5 (yes I know, out of the ark). A couple of weeks ago
>> the battery failed. The thing would barely stay up long enough to do
>> anything, if it would boot at all. New battery fitted, but since then
>> (fairly sure not before), it has been acting very strange. If I'm at
>> the front of the house (the side nearest my local mast), I can sometimes
>> make calls. However, I only seem to be able to get SMS between ~0100 -
>> 0800. If I'm away from home (e.g. using a different mast), it is
>> business as usual. O2 are looking into it, but I don't know when they
>> will get back to me.
>
> Do you have another phone you can put your SIM in to try?
>
> The A5 supports LTE, but I suppose it could be due to switching off of a 3G
> mast or refarming spectrum to 4G/5G. O2 say they are doing some small
> switchoff trials in 2024 but not turning it off properly until 2025.
>
> Do you have 5G signal locally? If so, a 5G phone could be a way around any
> issues with 4G.
>

If the OP doesn't go for the very latest in phones (Android?) then the
governing criteria will be to choose a phone that either has a fairly
recent version of Android or that can be updated. In that respect
Google/Android is very like M$ who stop you using older versions of
Windows by blocking the use of certain files. I wrote some software for
BBC Basic a long time ago, and then converted it to run in DOS and
subsequently Windoze. Windows - that was originally W3.11 IIRC. I
compiled the file so that it would run standalone, which it did up to
and including W7. However whilst it did run in the earlier version of
W10, M$ have made changes and it will no longer run. Fortunately I still
have a W98SE machine but it is a desktop, and a copy of Virtual PC for
my W10 box.
IME you can usually only update Android to the next version up to that
supplied, but after a while you find that apps won't work because the
app has been written for a later version of Android and that is very
annoying. I would like to run Google Msg on my Huawei but it will not
run in Android 8.
My Huawei P8Lite (2017) came with Android 7 and updated to 8. I bought a
Moto G8PWR which came with Android 10 which automatically updated to 11,
but even that is now having problems.
Caveat Emptor?

In message <asD*6YOEz@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>, Theo
<theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> writes
>Do you have another phone you can put your SIM in to try?
>

Unfortunately not.

>The A5 supports LTE, but I suppose it could be due to switching off of a 3G
>mast or refarming spectrum to 4G/5G. O2 say they are doing some small
>switchoff trials in 2024 but not turning it off properly until 2025.
>
>Do you have 5G signal locally? If so, a 5G phone could be a way around any
>issues with 4G.
>

No.

The thing that confuses me is that it isn't a consistent thing. The
SMSs that arrive in the middle of the night, that have been sent 12
hours earlier (e.g. 2FA codes) suggest that it isn't as simple as a
phone fault or a transmitter fault. I was out of the area for the day
one day last week, and SMS and phone calls were working fine, in a
variety of places.

I've just had yet another look at the O2 status site, and it now tells
me that there is a problem with a nearby phone mast, but I should expect
good 2/3/4G coverage (presumably when the mast is behaving).

Adrian
--
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replace "bulleid" with "adrian" - all mail to bulleid is rejected
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On 07/03/2024 14:02, Adrian wrote:
> I'm currently on contract with O2.  If I get a new phone through them,
> I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract.  Is it possible to get
> a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it more
> complicated than that.

I usually buy a refurb from giffgaff. then just swap sim.

>
> TIA
>
> Adrian
Dave

Adrian <bulleid@ku.gro.lioff> Wrote in message:

> I'm currently on contract with O2. If I get a new phone through them,
> I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract. Is it possible to get
> a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it more
> complicated than that.
>
> TIA
>
> Adrian

CeX is reliable for secondhand phones. Not as cheap as ebay, but
you can take them back if they don't work, and if you choose a
common one they'll be able to swap it for another.

And you can sell them your old one. Buy/sell prices on their website.

Our high street has two CeX-alike shops now.
--
Remove numerics from my email address.

On Fri 08/03/2024 07:41, Dave Royal wrote:
> Adrian <bulleid@ku.gro.lioff> Wrote in message:
>
>> I'm currently on contract with O2. If I get a new phone through them,
>> I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract. Is it possible to get
>> a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it more
>> complicated than that.
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Adrian
>
> CeX is reliable for secondhand phones. Not as cheap as ebay, but
> you can take them back if they don't work, and if you choose a
> common one they'll be able to swap it for another.
>
> And you can sell them your old one. Buy/sell prices on their website.
>
> Our high street has two CeX-alike shops now.

What is more you get a 2 year warranty on most things that you buy from
them.

Dave Royal <dave@dave123royal.com> wrote:
> Wilf <wilf21@is.invalid> Wrote in message:
>
>> I've heard that GiffGaff doesn't offer wifi calling. Is that correct?
>
> Yes

And uses o2 which in many locations is overloaded. Many of my work
colleagues are complaining and are looking to move. Moving VM’s customer
base over to o2 seems to have been the last straw. In my view EE and
Vodafone are now the only two viable networks. 3 lacks rural coverage, and
even suburban coverage where I live.

Adrian <bulleid@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
> In message <asD*6YOEz@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>, Theo
> <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> writes
>> Do you have another phone you can put your SIM in to try?
>>
>
> Unfortunately not.
>
>> The A5 supports LTE, but I suppose it could be due to switching off of a 3G
>> mast or refarming spectrum to 4G/5G. O2 say they are doing some small
>> switchoff trials in 2024 but not turning it off properly until 2025.
>>
>> Do you have 5G signal locally? If so, a 5G phone could be a way around any
>> issues with 4G.
>>
>
> No.
>
> The thing that confuses me is that it isn't a consistent thing. The
> SMSs that arrive in the middle of the night, that have been sent 12
> hours earlier (e.g. 2FA codes) suggest that it isn't as simple as a
> phone fault or a transmitter fault. I was out of the area for the day
> one day last week, and SMS and phone calls were working fine, in a
> variety of places.
>
> I've just had yet another look at the O2 status site, and it now tells
> me that there is a problem with a nearby phone mast, but I should expect
> good 2/3/4G coverage (presumably when the mast is behaving).
>
> Adrian

Around 18 months ago we had trouble with our local cell site, not working
properly for both Vodafone and o2 customers. The symptoms were full signal
strength but both voice and data wouldn’t move over the link. This only
affected 4G. Took months for them to sort out. Try forcing your phone to 3G
only (if you still have 3G) or 2G and see if texts then arrive.

Dave Royal <dave@dave123royal.com> wrote:
> Adrian <bulleid@ku.gro.lioff> Wrote in message:
>
> > I'm currently on contract with O2. If I get a new phone through them,
> > I'll end up with a new (more expensive) contract. Is it possible to get
> > a new phone elsewhere, and then just swap the SIM card, or is it more
> > complicated than that.
> >
> > TIA
> >
> > Adrian
>
> CeX is reliable for secondhand phones. Not as cheap as ebay, but
> you can take them back if they don't work, and if you choose a
> common one they'll be able to swap it for another.
>
> And you can sell them your old one. Buy/sell prices on their website.
>
> Our high street has two CeX-alike shops now.

The usual refurb suspects:

CeX
Music Magpie
Backmarket (a marketplace where various independent shops sell their stock)
Clove
Giffgaff
ebay (specific refurb retailers eg cheapest_electrical)

A bit like buying a used car from a dealer, you usually get some kind of
warranty - the details vary between retailers.

If you're after a specific phone, https://www.hotukdeals.com/ phone section
is often a good place to start looking for deals.

Theo

On 22:37 7 Mar 2024, Woody said:
>
> [SNIP]
>
> If the OP doesn't go for the very latest in phones (Android?) then the
> governing criteria will be to choose a phone that either has a fairly
> recent version of Android or that can be updated.
>
> In that respect Google/Android is very like M$ who stop you using
> older versions of Windows by blocking the use of certain files. I
> wrote some software for BBC Basic a long time ago, and then converted
> it to run in DOS and subsequently Windoze. Windows - that was
> originally W3.11 IIRC. I compiled the file so that it would run
> standalone, which it did up to and including W7. However whilst it did
> run in the earlier version of W10, M$ have made changes and it will no
> longer run. Fortunately I still have a W98SE machine but it is a
> desktop, and a copy of Virtual PC for my W10 box.
>
> IME you can usually only update Android to the next version up to that
> supplied, but after a while you find that apps won't work because the
> app has been written for a later version of Android and that is very
> annoying. I would like to run Google Msg on my Huawei but it will not
> run in Android 8.
>
> My Huawei P8Lite (2017) came with Android 7 and updated to 8. I bought
> a Moto G8PWR which came with Android 10 which automatically updated to
> 11, but even that is now having problems.
>
> Caveat Emptor?

Some manufacturers are better at providing Android updates than others, as
this table shows.

<https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/10h8wix/android_update_policy_by
_manufacturer_for_their/>

https://shorturl.at/btY01

Pamela <pamela.private.mailbox@gmail.com> wrote:
> Some manufacturers are better at providing Android updates than others, as
> this table shows.
>
> <https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/10h8wix/android_update_policy_by
> _manufacturer_for_their/>
>
> https://shorturl.at/btY01

That's somewhat out of date. For recent phones:

Google: 7 years OS and security updates
Fairphone 5: 10 years[*]
Samsung: 'up to' 7 years OS & security (varies by model)

I haven't been following what other brands are offering. Also to note this
list is for current 'flagships' - if you buy a budget or older model it may
be worse.

[*] This is a bit specious because Fairphone don't ship some upstream
updates rapidly or at all, and their chip will go out of manufacturer
support after 5 years. So more like '10 years best effort' rather than '10
years all updates immediately'.

Theo

Woody <harrogate3@ntlworld.com> Wrote in message:
>
> If the OP doesn't go for the very latest in phones (Android?) then the
> governing criteria will be to choose a phone that either has a fairly
> recent version of Android or that can be updated.

And size. All quality Android phones are too big IMO. At lease
Apple's iPhone SE is a reasonable size.
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