Free Virgin SIMS - do they need to be activated immediately?

02-03-2006, 01:12 PM

Just got my two free Virgin SIM cards, but rather than register both
now, I would like to keep them for say porting purposes, either for me
or for friends and family.

So does anyone know if there is an expiry time on the SIM before it is
registered, or alternatively, can you port into Virgin at any time or is
this time limited from date of registration

Cheers

DeeBee

02-03-2006, 03:04 PM

DeeBee wrote:
> Just got my two free Virgin SIM cards, but rather than register both
> now, I would like to keep them for say porting purposes, either for me
> or for friends and family.
>
> So does anyone know if there is an expiry time on the SIM before it is
> registered, or alternatively, can you port into Virgin at any time or is
> this time limited from date of registration
>
> Cheers
>
> DeeBee

I've registered with them and then ported in at a later date.

02-03-2006, 03:49 PM

On Fri, 03 Feb 2006 19:12:02 GMT, DeeBee <deebee21@geemail.con> wrote:

>Just got my two free Virgin SIM cards, but rather than register both
>now, I would like to keep them for say porting purposes, either for me

Sorry to hijack the thread a bit, but were these two SIM's from the
first offer from a week or two back or the very recent one?

Thanks,

R.

02-04-2006, 02:24 AM

Rufus Stone wrote:
> On Fri, 03 Feb 2006 19:12:02 GMT, DeeBee <deebee21@geemail.con> wrote:
>
>
>>Just got my two free Virgin SIM cards, but rather than register both
>>now, I would like to keep them for say porting purposes, either for me
>
>
> Sorry to hijack the thread a bit, but were these two SIM's from the
> first offer from a week or two back or the very recent one?
>
> Thanks,
>
> R.
>
week or two back, can't remember exactly when!

DeeBee

02-04-2006, 02:27 AM

DeeBee wrote:
> Rufus Stone wrote:
>> On Fri, 03 Feb 2006 19:12:02 GMT, DeeBee <deebee21@geemail.con> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Just got my two free Virgin SIM cards, but rather than register both
>>> now, I would like to keep them for say porting purposes, either for me
>>
>>
>> Sorry to hijack the thread a bit, but were these two SIM's from the
>> first offer from a week or two back or the very recent one?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> R.
>>
> week or two back, can't remember exactly when!
>
> DeeBee

Oh yes, I just got two of these and wondered the same. Can I sit on them
for a while??

These have got a free £5 credit on each. Was the second offer as generous?

02-04-2006, 03:16 AM

The latest is still as generous but you have to be an existing Virgin
Customer to get them.

02-04-2006, 04:57 AM

<portlandbill@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1139044570.415042.135510@g44g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> The latest is still as generous but you have to be an existing Virgin
> Customer to get them.

What offer's that?

--

J B

02-04-2006, 06:08 AM

DeeBee wrote:
> Just got my two free Virgin SIM cards, but rather than register both
> now, I would like to keep them for say porting purposes, either for me
> or for friends and family.
>
> So does anyone know if there is an expiry time on the SIM before it is
> registered, or alternatively, can you port into Virgin at any time or
> is this time limited from date of registration

There is no expiry time - 2 months ago I activated a Virgin SIM that was
bought in 2000 (and the activation process remembered that SIMs at that time
came with £10 of "free" credit).

Gareth.

02-04-2006, 08:45 AM

DeeBee <deebee21@geemail.con> wrote:
> Rufus Stone wrote:
>> Sorry to hijack the thread a bit, but were these two SIM's from the
>> first offer from a week or two back or the very recent one?
>>
> week or two back, can't remember exactly when!

Gently hijacking the thread a bit more... how does the registration process
work for these SIMs? I signed up for one (hasn't arrived yet) but I don't
have a phone. Virgin are doing discounts on their reconditioned PAYG phones
for existing customers. So I'd like to be able to register the SIM with
Virgin before buying a phone. Can I just borrow a friend's unlocked phone,
tell Virgin the IMEI, register, then remove the Virgin SIM? Will it break
anything when my friend uses his SIM on the original network (especially if
it's Virgin)?

Thanks
Theo

02-04-2006, 10:51 AM

Theo Markettos wrote:
> DeeBee <deebee21@geemail.con> wrote:
>> Rufus Stone wrote:
>>> Sorry to hijack the thread a bit, but were these two SIM's from the
>>> first offer from a week or two back or the very recent one?
>>>
>> week or two back, can't remember exactly when!
>
> Gently hijacking the thread a bit more... how does the registration
> process work for these SIMs? I signed up for one (hasn't arrived
> yet) but I don't have a phone. Virgin are doing discounts on their
> reconditioned PAYG phones for existing customers. So I'd like to be
> able to register the SIM with Virgin before buying a phone. Can I
> just borrow a friend's unlocked phone, tell Virgin the IMEI,
> register, then remove the Virgin SIM? Will it break anything when my
> friend uses his SIM on the original network (especially if it's
> Virgin)?

Virgin don't require you to provide an IMEI. You don't in fact even have to
register the SIM - inserting it in the phone and turning on is enough to
activate the SIM.

Gareth.

02-04-2006, 03:11 PM

Gareth <hotmail.com@dgareth.spm> wrote:
> Virgin don't require you to provide an IMEI. You don't in fact even have to
> register the SIM - inserting it in the phone and turning on is enough to
> activate the SIM.

Yes, but to get a discount when buying a phone I need to be an existing
customer. Which means I need to have an account on their website. Which
means I need to register a Virgin mobile number. I don't have the number
yet so I can't get beyond the page that asks for that on the website (typing
in random numbers that BT thinks have Virgin's prefix doesn't work). But
the website also talks about IMEIs, which makes me think the registration
process asks for that. And I don't want to break anyone's phone I borrow to
try this.

Theo

02-06-2006, 02:49 AM

"Gareth" <hotmail.com@dgareth.spm> wrote in message
news:43e49927$0$6956$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...
> DeeBee wrote:
> > Just got my two free Virgin SIM cards, but rather than register both
> > now, I would like to keep them for say porting purposes, either for me
> > or for friends and family.
> >
> > So does anyone know if there is an expiry time on the SIM before it is
> > registered, or alternatively, can you port into Virgin at any time or
> > is this time limited from date of registration
>
> There is no expiry time - 2 months ago I activated a Virgin SIM that was
> bought in 2000 (and the activation process remembered that SIMs at that
time
> came with £10 of "free" credit).
>
Got mine at the weekend too. This was the offer that some here suggested was
a scam.

Peter

02-06-2006, 07:30 AM

Theo Markettos <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
> Yes, but to get a discount when buying a phone I need to be an existing
> customer. Which means I need to have an account on their website. Which
> means I need to register a Virgin mobile number. I don't have the number
> yet so I can't get beyond the page that asks for that on the website (typing
> in random numbers that BT thinks have Virgin's prefix doesn't work). But
> the website also talks about IMEIs, which makes me think the registration
> process asks for that. And I don't want to break anyone's phone I borrow to
> try this.

To correct myself... I've now got my SIM and Virgin's site doesn't ask for
an IMEI when you register - you just need the mobile number and then enter
the usual personal details. I was quite surprised that it doesn't try to
authenticate to ensure that you really have that SIM (send you a text with a
secret code or something). So I registered it without taking it out of the
wrapper and have now ordered my 15 pound phone.

Theo