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I lost my Nokia N70 issued to me by 3 (the network) several months ago but I didn't have insurance on the phone. Thus I decided to call 3 and have them send me a replacement SIM card which duly arrived a few days later. I had some old Nokia's lying around for spare in case.
As soon as it arrived I put the SIM into a Nokia 3310, but it refused to accept the SIM card. I had not realised that it was perhaps the mobile phone that was locked:P Therefore I tried a Nokia 6510, and Nokia 6280... none of these worked. So I called up 3 to make sure the SIM card was functional - and I was told that they would send a replacement immediately........... I was about to put the phone down thinking all was fine when the operator asked "Is your phone a 3G phone?"... to which I admitted I had not tried it in a 3G phone.
So I put the new SIM card ordering on hold and put the SIM card they had sent me into a friend's 3G phone ( I believe it was a Nokia N80). Still no luck. So I called 3 up again, and this time it was a different operator who suddenly decided to tell me that the SIM card will only work in a 3 Network Phone (note: not just ANY 3G phone!).
After all the hassle, I had to buy a new phone from the 3 Network just to be able to make calls again - the SIM card would not work in any other phone anywhere I am told! It would have been so useful if they had made that clear to me at the start when I first called.... furthermore the N80 in which I tested the card was 3 Network AND 3G, just that it was 3 Network in Hong Kong and not the UK.
I have heard of locked mobile phones but this is the first time I have encountered the locked SIM card problem. It is especially problematic because none of the phones offered by 3 Network include chinese text support so any customer wishing to purchase such a phone themselves will find it does not work with the SIM card (This would apply to other langauges as well I presume).
There was also no viable option to cancel the 3 Network contract and switch to another network as the quoted penalty price for that was well into the hundreds of pounds. These restrictions are of particular inconvience especially to those who travel abroad and have more than one SIM card and/or phone on the move.
YET there is no alternative in the UK if you require 3G services.......... because no other network offers it.
As soon as it arrived I put the SIM into a Nokia 3310, but it refused to accept the SIM card. I had not realised that it was perhaps the mobile phone that was locked:P Therefore I tried a Nokia 6510, and Nokia 6280... none of these worked. So I called up 3 to make sure the SIM card was functional - and I was told that they would send a replacement immediately........... I was about to put the phone down thinking all was fine when the operator asked "Is your phone a 3G phone?"... to which I admitted I had not tried it in a 3G phone.
So I put the new SIM card ordering on hold and put the SIM card they had sent me into a friend's 3G phone ( I believe it was a Nokia N80). Still no luck. So I called 3 up again, and this time it was a different operator who suddenly decided to tell me that the SIM card will only work in a 3 Network Phone (note: not just ANY 3G phone!).
After all the hassle, I had to buy a new phone from the 3 Network just to be able to make calls again - the SIM card would not work in any other phone anywhere I am told! It would have been so useful if they had made that clear to me at the start when I first called.... furthermore the N80 in which I tested the card was 3 Network AND 3G, just that it was 3 Network in Hong Kong and not the UK.
I have heard of locked mobile phones but this is the first time I have encountered the locked SIM card problem. It is especially problematic because none of the phones offered by 3 Network include chinese text support so any customer wishing to purchase such a phone themselves will find it does not work with the SIM card (This would apply to other langauges as well I presume).
There was also no viable option to cancel the 3 Network contract and switch to another network as the quoted penalty price for that was well into the hundreds of pounds. These restrictions are of particular inconvience especially to those who travel abroad and have more than one SIM card and/or phone on the move.
YET there is no alternative in the UK if you require 3G services.......... because no other network offers it.
Guide created: 05/12/06 (updated 12/09/09)
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