mojos

I don't really know where to post this but here goes...

Me and my family are traveling back to the UK soon. All of our mobile phones are locked to the 2 degree network. Apart from the Lycamobile network, does anyone know of or have used any other simcards recently in the UK? Lyca mobile are good but expensive when you use in the same country!

Thanks

jmh

Are you sure it's locked? Phone's sold recently shouldn't be, but if you have an older phone it might be, in which case it's worth contacting them and asking them to unlock it.

I'm going to the UK shortly and plan to pick up a UK sim to use in my phone (although I'm tempted to buy an unlocked wifi advertised on Amazon). I think it's cheaper than international roaming. There are some good sim only deals around. Be interested to hear other opinions though.

lapsed kiwi

I'm pretty sure that no phones sold by 2degrees are locked to the network. The only locking that goes on in NZ is by Skinny

lapsed kiwi

When we had a holiday in UK last year, I bought in advance some GiffGaff SIMs via ebay. These worked out really economical, and buying in advance meant we could give out UK phone numbers when making our holiday arrangements.

mojos

Thanks for all of your replies. I looked at GiffGaff but they are operated by the o2 network. My phone is definitely locked...found out last year and only Lycamobile would work. Ho hum, my phone's old...maybe I need a new phone ;-). Are there any other networks out there or know who 2 degrees maybe compatible with in the UK?

lapsed kiwi

I don't understand your reasoning - if your 2 degrees phone works with a lycamobile SIM, then it can't be locked to 2 degrees. From the lyca website: "If your SIM does not work when you first place it into your mobile, it may have a SIM lock. If you have been with your current provider for more than 1 year this lock can be removed for free, please contact your current provider directly to request the code which will allow you to remove your SIM lock."
If you're buying a new one in NZ and want to use in UK, any should be compatible except some Telecom ones, because Telecom uses some frequencies that are more common in USA. I'm not sure about the '3' network in UK, that is 3G only I think

jmh

As lapsed kiwi said, if you got Lycamobile working in your phone then it isn't locked.

Your options are:
1. Use 2 degrees international mobile roaming in the UK. You don't have to get a new phone or sim. If you are not making many calls it might be easier using this option and you keep your own NZ number. Calls, data etc are very expensive. Check their site for details and costs.
2. Get your current phone unlocked by 2 degrees (might be free). You can then purchase a sim from any UK provider and take advantage of some good deals. This gives you a UK number for the time you use it. Put your old sim back in when you get back.
3. Buy a new unlocked phone either in NZ or UK, purchase a UK sim and ditto 2 on deals and number.

Google UK provider sites like T-mobile, 02 and Vodafone for an idea of sim only deals (they're selling sims for 1p). If you search Amazon for unlocked mobile phones, you'll see a selection there for quite good prices.

mojos

It's not my reasoning...it's my experience. Already tried other networks in my phone and they wouldn't work. his was when I travelled over on my own. Took my phone to a UK phone shop and it was gonna cost lots to unlock cos it wasn't bought in the UK. Then they suggested Lyca Mobile which worked and is very cheap when you ring and text internationally but not within the UK. We're travelling over as a family this time. I can't unlock for free over here either as it is a vodaphone phone bought in Noel Leeming but I'm with 2 degrees. Not complicated but noone will commit. The nearest unlocking places I've found are in Auckland. I don't live near there! Not a rant but just explaining what I already know has happened. Looks like it's Lycamobile again or maybe a new phone.

Thanks for your reply anyway

mojos

Our posts crossed. You would think that my phone is unlocked but nope it wouldn't work. I can't remember what was said in the phone shop, but I was told that Lycamobile would work and it did.

I've already found out that roaming with 2 degrees is very expensive. Even sending and receiving texts.

I noticed that there were sim card vending machines in Heathrow airport when I was there in November with networks I'd never heard of so I was hoping to sort out the best deal before we arrived.

jmh

I don't understand - if you bought a vodaphone handset and put a 2 degrees sim in it, then it has to be unlocked. You are a 2 degrees customer - take the phone in to a shop and ask them to check it. I found them pretty friendly in my local shop. One thought occurred. If it is an old phone and only 2G it won't work on a 3G network.

mojos

Apparently you can use 2 degrees in vodafone and likewise. Doesn't work with Skinny and Telecom though. It's a 2g qwerty phone that I really want to hang onto cos I hate touch screen phones . I've rung 2 degrees and vodafone before but I will go into the store and see if I have any joy.

jmh

I hate touch screens too. I bought a Nokia with a slide out keyboard which is really good (got it from Dick Smith). However it is not android and is not compatible with some apps. It has maps and internet though, so that's all I need. There don't seem to be many qwerty ones around nowadays. I don't really like the blackberry look.

Don't touch Skinny - they are locked. Not sure how they get away with that because legally providers have to sell unlocked phones here. My mum's HTC smartphone that she bought at Telecom works on my old uk sim, so we are taking that. I'm going to buy an unlocked mobile wifi hotspot from Amazon because I'm only interested in data. The smartphone comes with a hotspot but we will be in separate rooms (hopefully!).

Let me know how you get on.

lapsed kiwi

Thanks for your reply anyway
[/QUOTE]

That's OK, no problem. I'm even more confused now because everything you have experienced is contrary to my experience of phone locking etc - but life's too short

PHONEJUNKY

There are phone unlocking shops on every highstreet in uk that can unlock almost any phone to any network for £10. You can buy a cheep phone for £30 at tesco new that you can use tesco mobile, giffgaff or 02 sim in as they all use the same network only giffgaff and tesco give you unlimited text and data thrown in ( i was on giffgaff before i came here ). i had all my phones unlocked before i came to NZ and they all work will any sim, only my old iphone 3g wont work here because it is country locked being it will work with any uk sim but none of the Nz Sims will work so i jailbroke it last week and i will get it to work when an update comes out. If you have an old phone you can get unlock codes over the internet for a couple of quid just google it.

mojos

I hear what you're saying but... Those cheap unlocking shops wanted to charge me 50 quid and send it off for 3 weeks cos it wasn't UK bought. And this was after I'd tried using other current sim cards. I bought an unlocking code over the internet before I left NZ which never worked and didn't get any other response from the company. I think that cost $10...con?

Since yesterday, I've found out that their phones aren't locked (rung Vodafone again) so my phone should've worked with all networks when I was last over. I was looking at GiffGaff and I'm gonna send off for a free simcard. I'm just hoping that it'll work in at least 1 of our NZ bought vodafone phones. And if all fails, I'll go to Tescos!

Thanks for your reply.