h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My mobile handset of the past 5 years finally died this week. So as I'd seen a good package with a different network, I signed up. The package I've been on since 2001 is a pay-as-I-went with a brightly coloured network!

The new handset (Nokia 6303) was delivered today and I wanted to put the sim from my old phone into the handset and check whether I had missed any messages or calls.

But when I put the old SIM into the new handset, it came up with "Enter number to unrestrict" (or similar message). When I put the new SIM in, it just goes straight into operations.

What do I need to do?

........ then again, panic is the only thing I can suggest

Hope a wizard is along soon

Your new phone is probably locked, and therefore unable to read the SIM from the old phone

Your provider should be able to help, or this may be of use* --

http://www.ajit1.com/how-to/how-to-unlock-any-nokia-phone-and-get-its-unlock-codes/

*disclaimer: I don't even _have_ a cellphone. They don't work in this area

Why, where are you, 1982?

No.

Rural, with lots of mountains.

None of the providers has been motivated to develop the necessary relay tower infrastructure

You need to get your new phone unlocked so it will accept the sim from the old company. Local markets, one of your mates, or even (shock horror!) mobile phone companies will be able to do this for you. There may be a small charge.

However, if you signed a contract with the new company you'll be paying for their sim, so I assume you only want to check your old sim occasionally while people get used to the new number? In which case I'd find a friendly friend on Orange who'll let you borrow their phone briefly to put your old sim in it.

Wouldn't they let you keep your old number??? They did with mine.

Technically, they should let you keep the same number. But Orange are complete jameses when it comes to giving out the PAC.

I think there are websites that can do it for you, but I'm not sure how reliable they are.

RF

I've always been with the big coloured square so it has never been a huge issue... Only when I changed over from payg to contract (it saves me, even with insurance and add-ons about a tenner a month. I love online deals...)