Sim Card Swap

[sprayermick]

I will be going abroad soon and want to take a mobile phone with me, I own a Galaxy S3 smartphone to which all of my friends and family know the number of but because of people coming home to very large bills due to data downloads I wanted to take out the sim card and use it in an ordinary unlocked nokia 6600 (I know the sim cards are different sizes but I have an adaptor) but will this sim work in an ordinary phone for just calls and texts?

[Old_Geezer]

If you are fearful of running up large bills because of data, why do you think moving a SIM card relating to an account that allows data into a different handset will change things ?

[Old_Geezer]

Ok I take that back, if you leave all apps behind it may sort out the issue.

If the Nokia is unlocked it should work fine on any network.

(Or you could get a local SIM card or even a public telephone card if you don't expect any incoming calls.)

[sprayermick]

Thanks Old Geezer, as I said I want to take a phone where everybody knows my number just in case of emergencies that is why i have no wish to buy a local sim card, I was working on the assumption that the nokia was not capable of downloading data but can of course send/receive calls and texts so I should not get any large bills from my service provider.

[sunny-dave]

I've taken Galaxies and iPhones abroad with no data charges at all - it's just a case of being *very* careful to turn off *all* mobile data access for the whole phone before leaving the UK.

You can then use the phone via any of the many free wifi hotspots to do all your usual smartphone stuff.

For the Galaxy, look for an app called ApnDroid - this gives you a very simple and obvious way to stop all mobile data access, whilst allowing you to turn on wifi as/when you need it.

[Old_Geezer]

For what it is worth I don't trust the settings to turn off all data. I recently bought a Samsung to replace a Nokia that had ceased functioning. I ensured the setting for data was set to off. Then days later (after I'd amused myself downloading a few apps in the meanwhile) I got a message saying I'd had turned on data for the day at the cost of £x, which annoyed me as I don't use mobile network data, my PAYG account has no inclusive data. I checked the setting, it was off. Let it go that time as a 'one off'. Then some days later it did it again ! I complained to my provider (who would have been within their rights to say "tough, the handset asked for access/data") but they suggested if I didn't use data would I like it turned off the account. I agreed and haven't had a problem since. But the point being I do not trust those data off settings. They seem to be ignorable by the apps.

[237SJ]

I take my phone with me overseas all of the time and I just turn off the data roaming and packet data. There`s no reason to have to change phones.

[sprayermick]

Thanks for your answers everyone, I have seen so many programes on TV where people have "turned off" data roaming on their smartphones and have come home to bills for thousands of pounds so I wouldn't trust going abroad with it hence my question regarding the sim card swap.

[237SJ]

I think that is when people turn their phone off but the data roaming is still switched on and inadvertantly downloads stuff from Facebook etc.

[gerbra]

SIM card swapping is one of the best idea to avoid huge bills on roaming. If the new phone is free from network lock, Then your SIM card must work fine with it. But make ure the phone was unlocked safe using unlock code. Certain unsafe unlocking methods may give problem in working with other networks.
So it is better to unlock the device yourself using unlock code. You can get the unlock code from any private service online. You can also visit http://www.mobileunlockguide.com/ to get the free unlocking instructions. Good luck.