Asda Mobile Now Moved To Ee

[MichaelZZ]

Asda mobile used to operate on the Vodafone network but is in the process of transferring to EE. I have had a couple of cheap and cheerful PAYG phones bought from Asda, the most recent one only 3 or 4 months ago.
These phones are both very simple - which is all I want - not Smart phones, no cameras, just basic for making calls and sending text messages.
I registered with Asda to be moved over to the EE network and was duly supplied with new SIM cards and instructions for using these so that I could keep my number(s). When I put the new SIM card in my phone I got an error message "Network Lock". I phoned the Asda helpline and gave them the IMIE number which they said would enable them to send me the code to unlock the phone. The guy whom I spoke to said that if they couldn't unlock the phone, they would just send me a new phone. (This situation occurred with both my phones, one a Nokia, the other a Samsung.)
Yesterday, I received two new Alcatel 10-10 phones which I am now in process of setting up and transferring numbers.
My question is how can I copy my old "Contacts", which are stored on the old SIM cards and on the phones' memories, on to my new SIM cards (and new phones' memories? For the reasons given above, I can't simply put an old SIM in a new phone.
Am I stuck with the laborious task of copying out all my contacts by hand and then inputting them into my new phones?

[mccfluff]

can you put the new sims into the old phones and copy the contacts over or will they not let you access?

[MichaelZZ]

Very quick answer MccFluff!
No, as I said, this doesn't work. The phones are both locked. That's why Asda chose to send me two new phones and SIMs.
I was wondering if there's some clever gadget - like a SIM card copier - that would enable me to copy contacts off one SIM card onto my PC and then copy them on to the new SIM (from where I can simply copy to my new phone's memory.

[whiskeryron]

Don't know whether this will help you,I Googled it.

http://www.ebay.com/gds/How-to-Transfer-Data-From-an-Old-SIM-Card-to-a-New-SIM-Card-/10000000177629576/g.html

WR.

[MichaelZZ]

Yes WRon, that's the sort of thing that I had in mind. However, reading reviews of the SIM card copiers the best rating that they appear to get is 2 stars.
It would be nice if someone on here has first hand experience of actually (successfully) using such a device!

[mccfluff]

I did wonder if that would be the case, i have used a sim card copier before with mixed results, i didn't get all my contacts switched over. If you go into an EE shop they might do it for you

[whiskeryron]

Michael, can I suggest that you ask Asda Mobile to do it for you.

WR.

[MichaelZZ]

The cosiderably less than helpful Asda 'colleague' said, "Sorry chum. Can't be done!"
I don't believe him!

[mccfluff]

i don;t believe him either but asda don't have phone shops, so won't have the kit (or the training) to hand i would go into an ee shop if you have one near you and explain although your contract is with asda, its using ee network and would they be so kind...... If you get a nice person they may well do it for you

[Wak]

I have a SIM Back-up machine which I bought years ago from the Pound Shop. It has a capacity of 8KB and can store 250 telephone records.
Never used it yet but may have to soon as I am also with Asda and waiting to convert to the new supplier.
I don't know if Pound Shop still have them but it's worth a try.

[MichaelZZ]

For the attention of Wak, Whiskeryron & mccfluff:-
I had one of these delivered today :-
USB Cellphone Standard SIM Card Reader Copy Cloner Writer... (370821445363) and immediately set it up with no problem. It took me all of 10 minutes to copy the 150 or so Contacts from my old SIM card to the new one.
Interestingly, I noticed that most of the similar looking SIM card copiers on eBay say that they don't work with Win Vista 64bit which is of course what I've got. No such warning on this particular one so at £2-85 inc p+p, I'm, as they say, well chuffed.
Thanks to you all for your answers.

[MichaelZZ]

Sorry! Try this link:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/370821445363?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649