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  1. #1
    Theo Markettos
    Guest
    Steve <[email protected]> wrote:
    > What risks are there buying a PAYG SIM for the 3 network on eBay? As
    > they are so cheap can it be assumed the sellers are basically phone
    > dealers that need to get rid of them because have been split from
    > phones which are then unlocked and sold-on?


    Do you mean used SIMs, or unregistered still-sealed-in-envelope SIMs?

    Often the cheap new SIMs on eBay which are without credit are those given
    away by networks. You can see this because when a new network starts a free
    SIM promotion, all of a sudden the same SIMs start appearing on eBay.

    Three don't tend to do free SIM promotions, but they did once; in June 2006
    they gave free SIMs with any Superdrug purchases. So they might date from
    then.

    FWIW I bought a Three SIM for 99p from eBay and it works fine. I'd probably
    avoid SIMs that say 'ThreePay' or 'WePay' as those are older stock. If it
    says 'Flat12' then it's newer.

    > At least one seller has a warning about possible clawback - are there
    > other risks too? And how could a possible clawback apply to a
    > purchase on eBay that didn't use Paypal?


    How do you mean clawback?

    FWIW here's what I did. Got a free Tesco SIM with two quid on it, and a 99p
    Three SIM with none. Made a few calls etc on the Tesco SIM, then ported the
    number over to the Three SIM. Three give you a tenner of credit for porting
    a number over which lasts a month. So you've got a month to test it out and
    see if anything goes wrong. If it does, throw the SIM in the bin and walk
    away.

    A useful bonus is that your SIM has a Tesco number, which is much cheaper to
    call from landlines.

    Theo



    See More: 3 SIMs on EBay - are they from split packs?




  2. #2
    Doug Paulley
    Guest

    Re: 3 SIMs on EBay - are they from split packs?

    On 19 Jun 2008 12:37:21 +0100 (BST), Theo Markettos
    <[email protected]> wrote:
    >FWIW here's what I did. Got a free Tesco SIM with two quid on it, and a 99p
    >Three SIM with none. Made a few calls etc on the Tesco SIM, then ported the
    >number over to the Three SIM. Three give you a tenner of credit for porting
    >a number over which lasts a month. So you've got a month to test it out and
    >see if anything goes wrong. If it does, throw the SIM in the bin and walk
    >away.
    >
    >A useful bonus is that your SIM has a Tesco number, which is much cheaper to
    >call from landlines.


    that sounds like a great idea, thanks!

    Is it O2 that Tesco uses? And is it Orange that 3 use? (if I remember
    correctly)

    thanks

    --
    http://www.kingqueen.org.uk
    remove .lartsspammers to reply



  3. #3
    Theo Markettos
    Guest

    Re: 3 SIMs on EBay - are they from split packs?

    Doug Paulley <[email protected]> wrote:
    > Is it O2 that Tesco uses? And is it Orange that 3 use? (if I remember
    > correctly)


    Tesco use O2 and is on O2's number range (that's why Tesco is the best
    option for this, because O2's number range is cheapest to call from
    landlines - O2's free SIMs need topup before they'll work)

    3 have their own number range, which is the most expensive to call from
    landlines (on BT, something like 25p/min daytime against 10p/min for O2).
    They use T-Mobile for some 3G signal and Orange for 2G signal (I think), but
    these don't affect numbering.

    Theo



  4. #4
    .newman
    Guest

    Re: 3 SIMs on EBay - are they from split packs?

    Theo Markettos wrote:
    >
    > Steve <[email protected]> wrote:
    > > What risks are there buying a PAYG SIM for the 3 network on eBay? As
    > > they are so cheap can it be assumed the sellers are basically phone
    > > dealers that need to get rid of them because have been split from
    > > phones which are then unlocked and sold-on?

    >
    > Do you mean used SIMs, or unregistered still-sealed-in-envelope SIMs?
    >
    > Often the cheap new SIMs on eBay which are without credit are those given
    > away by networks. You can see this because when a new network starts a free
    > SIM promotion, all of a sudden the same SIMs start appearing on eBay.
    >
    > Three don't tend to do free SIM promotions, but they did once; in June 2006
    > they gave free SIMs with any Superdrug purchases. So they might date from
    > then.
    >
    > FWIW I bought a Three SIM for 99p from eBay and it works fine. I'd probably
    > avoid SIMs that say 'ThreePay' or 'WePay' as those are older stock. If it
    > says 'Flat12' then it's newer.
    >
    > > At least one seller has a warning about possible clawback - are there
    > > other risks too? And how could a possible clawback apply to a
    > > purchase on eBay that didn't use Paypal?

    >
    > How do you mean clawback?
    >
    > FWIW here's what I did. Got a free Tesco SIM with two quid on it, and a 99p
    > Three SIM with none. Made a few calls etc on the Tesco SIM, then ported the
    > number over to the Three SIM. Three give you a tenner of credit for porting
    > a number over which lasts a month. So you've got a month to test it out and
    > see if anything goes wrong. If it does, throw the SIM in the bin and walk
    > away.
    >
    > A useful bonus is that your SIM has a Tesco number, which is much cheaper to
    > call from landlines.
    >
    > Theo


    Can these sim cards be used in any phone, or only in a 3 branded
    handset?

    Regards



  5. #5
    Theo Markettos
    Guest

    Re: 3 SIMs on EBay - are they from split packs?

    ..newman <[email protected]> wrote:
    > Can these sim cards be used in any phone, or only in a 3 branded
    > handset?


    Any 3G phone, but if it's not from 3 it must be unlocked. You may have some
    trouble using it in a 2G phone if the 2G phone can't cope with a USIM.
    (And Three don't like you using a 2G-only phone anyway)

    Theo



  6. #6
    Steve Terry
    Guest

    Re: 3 SIMs on EBay - are they from split packs?


    "Theo Markettos" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:zRd*[email protected]...
    > .newman <[email protected]> wrote:
    >> Can these sim cards be used in any phone, or only in a 3 branded
    >> handset?

    >
    > Any 3G phone, but if it's not from 3 it must be unlocked. You may have
    > some
    > trouble using it in a 2G phone if the 2G phone can't cope with a USIM.
    > (And Three don't like you using a 2G-only phone anyway)
    > Theo
    >

    They will work in a Nokia 3220, permanently roaming on the Orange network,
    but expect 3 to cut you off when they find out.

    If you don't keep much credit on it it's not much loss

    Steve Terry





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