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[David + 4,981]

My Nokia has given up the ghost, sadly. I've been looking about and a friend suggested, thankfully, that I look at buying my handset outright and change the plan I am on to a SIM only deal. EE have confirmed that this - on the face of it at least - seems the best route for me.

I have sort of come down on staying with EE (I am on Orange and have been since I took out my first phone) and taking a SIM only package at £16 for 2gb of data, unlimited calls and texts, or £12.99 for 500mb of data, 500 minutes of calls and unlimited texts.

A free handset and x-amount per month made no sense to me, after a while I'd have bought the flipping phone through their contract prices anyway.

Here's the question.

If I buy a phone, I happen to know it will be 'unlocked'. But what isn't clear is if it comes with its own, empty/blank SIM. A nano, I think, if that means anything. Now, if I buy the phone independently from EE (let's for argument's sake say I got one from the internet, or someone left me a brand new handset in their will, or left it on my doorstep as a gift), but take it to them, will they supply me a new nano SIM with the deal I want, or do I have to buy their phone? The implication was I could just take a handset in and they 'would do the rest'. Does that mean they would go out the back, find a nano SIM and set me up with my same number etc but on the new plan?

[IanW + 1,916]

If you buy the phone separately for example you will need to get a SIM from EE with your number assigned to it etc.

I think the new SIM's from EE are what they call a combination SIM, where you have all 3 sizes of SIM and you just pop out the size you need.

They would then activate the SIM with your number on the plan you want etc.

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[David + 4,981]

Right, so I have a phone in hand (from whatever source, even an iPhone or Blackberry, say), march into EE and say 'I want a new plan on this contract on this number [which I have existing from Orange/EE] on this phone [dumps phone on counter]' and they do it there and then, I walk out?

[IanW + 1,916]

Yes but the new SIM might not be active for a couple of hours.

Go into store and say i want to move my contract on 07xxx xxx xxx from its current plan to this plan, and I need a mini/micro/nano sim to use it in this phone.

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[David + 4,981]

Ah no that's fair enough Ian, I understand any SIM might have to wait a while, but the principle is I don't have to take out their phone on their contract, I can buy my own, walk in and choose the contract I do want and that's that.

Thanks

Looks like I could have a smartphone soon then...

[IanW + 1,916]

Ah no that's fair enough Ian, I understand any SIM might have to wait a while, but the principle is I don't have to take out their phone on their contract, I can buy my own, walk in and choose the contract I do want and that's that.

Thanks

Looks like I could have a smartphone soon then...

Sometimes it is worth having a look at the offers on contact, the way I look at it, is I would be taking out a 12 month SIM only contact anyway I may as well spread the cost of the phone over that term interest free anyway!

Just do your comparisons and go in there knowing exactly what you want.

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[Techie1 + 2,024]

Yeah, for the more expensive phones it is probably slightly cheaper going for a normal contract with the phone included.

Then switch to a sim only once the contract has ended.

If you do want sim only, you may find that a 1 month sim only contract is more expensive per month than a 12 month sim only contract.

Also, have you checked to see if you can get any discounts - e.g. Bluelight card, Vodafone Employee advantage, fed, social club etc?

[Sir Penguin 648]

Some spliffing deals for iPhones through the fed!

[IanW + 1,916]

Just to give you an idea David from the EE webpage -

16GB iPhone 5s, 1000 minutes, unlimited texts, 1GB Data is

Handset Cost - £9.99

monthly Cost - £31.99

duration - 24 months

So rough figures the total cost over the contract is about £780. Take off the cost of a New iPhone 5S (£460) that makes your line rental per say about £13 a month which is the same as the cheaper SIM only deal you posted but with more minutes / data included.

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[IanW + 1,916]

Now if you wanted the 2GB plan that is an extra £1.50 a month which is a saving over the SIM only price, plus that is what they call a 4GEE Extra plan, so has double speed 4G, and I think has some other free inclusives like using your phone abroad for calls / texts

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[David + 4,981]

Thanks for that Ian, much appreciated.

[VerySpecialConstable + 231]

But of course EE don't make keeping your number easy, I had to transfer from EE to Tesco PAYG and then back to EE to start a new contract!

[Posh 291]

Have a look at BT for sim only deals. They have just bought EE and offer very good rates. They also sell phones too.

[David + 4,981]

But of course EE don't make keeping your number easy, I had to transfer from EE to Tesco PAYG and then back to EE to start a new contract!

Really? They said they'd be able to do it there and then, although that said I am an Orange/EE customer anyway.

Now then, handsets.

I use an iMac at home. I've been looking at the iPhone but there are of course Nokia Luminas, Samsung Galaxy's all sorts.

Any ideas?

[IanW + 1,916]

Go into store and ask them to get all 3 out, personally I don't get on with Android (Samsung Galaxy) and the windows OS on phones. (Nokia Lumia) I have never been impressed with to date, though I hear the newer versions are a lot better.

It all depends what you want to do with the phone also too? If it is just making / receiving calls etc, and minimal SMART features go for a cheaper handset as such rather than say an iPhone or Galaxy S5.

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