Nokia 108 phone

[#1]

I am considering getting two of these,......

http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-mobile-nokia-108-red/712-3554.prd?skuId=712-3554&pageLevel=sku&_re...
I already have an "ancient" payg nokia phone.....(bought from tesco about 5 yrs ago ).. When I bought it. I just removed my old SIM card and inserted it in the (then) new phone.... no problems...
Can I do the same with this one?  as it is not advertised as "sim free" on the tesco website... so maybe it HAS to be used on TESCO mobile network... (currently on T-Mobile EE  whatever it is now )...

[#2]

Almost certainly 'locked' to Tesco mobile...

[#3]

Yes it does say network Tesco.
I never liked the phrase "sim free" as it is a bit ambiguous.
When they mean unlocked to any network they should say so.
Some places and a lot of people take "sim free" at face value to mean you have to supply your own sim.

[#4]

And in the case of TESCO SIM FREE phones, that is exactly what it means.... and here is the "selected" SIM cards that you can buy with a "sim free phone"...

http://www.tesco.com/direct/special-offer/get-a-selected-sim-card-free-with-any-sim-free-phone-exclu...
The "earlier version Nokia 106" is listed as "sim Free".... but does not have a camera ..... and is £4.00 more expensive ! !
http://www.tesco.com/direct/nokia-106-black/303-6868.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=303-6868
I thought, that, as I have already got a SIM card, which is currently on T-mobile/EE  then that is the "tariff" that I pay for.... and the actual hardware, the phone, is just the machine that holds the "tariff" card.... i.e.  the phone should work on the network that the SIM card is "tied" to ? ? ? 

[#5]

You're correct in principle shutter. A phone will work on the network that the SIm card is tied to. However, phones themselves have the abiliity to be locked to a particular network, such that other networks SIM cards will not work. Most PAYG phones are sold locked, to ensure that the network gets some revenue and the phone can be sold more cheaply. Phones that are SIM free (unlocked) are more expensive initially since they are not subsidised by any network provider. 

[#6]

shutter, have you looked at carphonewarehouse ? . If you've had your current PAYG tariff for a while you may be eligible to use their upgrade option and keep your current PAYG sim. Try hhttp://www.carphonewarehouse.com/phones/nokia-108/ppay?colourCode=BLACK ( check the upgrade box ). The upgrade price is only £2.99 , in fact here a link for all the possible upgrade phones on the EE network http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/pay-as-you-go/deal-finder ( check the Tmobile box in the network selection )
Hope that helps
edit: TMobile's terms for upgrade look quite relaxed http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/mobiles/pay-as-you-go/upgrades#pygTermsConditions

Quote

T-Mobile It must be 6 months since joining T-Mobile or 6 months since last upgrade. A chargeable event must have occurred on the number at any time.

[#7]

Thanks for the upgrade info..... will check it out shortly..... the phone I bought, was from TESCO... off the shelf in a supermarket near me !... so not sure whether " upgrade" is covered,... but ..will read up  on your links, and see what happens...... at £2.99  certainly seems to be a bargain ! ..
cheers

[#8]

It doesn't matter where your old phone came from, as I understand it, as long as you've been with TMobile for more than 6 months and have either topped up or made a chargeable call then you should be eligible for the CPW upgrade deal.

[#9]

OK... thanks for that... I did see they say they can upgrade everyone !... I wanted to make sure the Nokia 108 was ok for what I wanted to do...i.e. use my existing sim card... but they insist on too much personal details to send a question.... perhaps I should just go into one of their shops and talk to the guy on the counter about it and see if my £2.99 is still good ! ! ...
cheers for the help and advice 

[#10]

Quote from: MisterW

Almost certainly 'locked' to Tesco mobile...

having sent a email query to TESCO regarding using my sim in the Tesco Nokia 108  here is the reply.....

Quote

The phone is locked for use on the Tesco Mobile Network and will only accept Tesco Mobile Sims.

so the next step is to go to Carphone Warehouse when I get home tomorrow ( or later ).. and see what the guy on the counter says....

[#11]

Depending on the software, you can usually unlock those cheaper Nokia phones using an IMEI calculator, no need to spend money on unlock codes or having to deal with companies insisting you use their networks...

[#12]

Success...... two Nokia 108 phones for £4.98....
if I sell my old nokia`s on some website,.... will probably get 50p each.... bringing the total down to £3.98 !....
Amazing bargain....
Thanks to this forum, and, in particular to MisterW ..... 

[#13]

Good result shutter
and the bonus is that you'll probably find that the phones are unlocked. Since CPW sell the same phones on different networks, most of their stock is unlocked so they can just get any phone from stock and supply it for the network you wish to use.

[#14]

Yup !... I just put my simcards in them,... and away we go.!..... now on charge... so next charge should be about February... unlike my old phone... every two days !...