Switching from O2 Pay As You Go to Three Monthly Contract (UK)

[htg]

This is a question for UK people only, as it's carrier specific. I've pre-ordered the new iPad with 4G/3G, and I know that I want to get a monthly contract with Three for when I go off to uni next year (I'd probably take out the contract in May/June this year).

The reason I don't want to take out a contract now is that I'll be using my iPad at home 95% of the time where I have Wifi, so don't need the mobile internet for now. I don't want to pay £10 a month when I'm not using it.

However, there might be the odd day or two where I go away either on holiday or just travelling that I would like to take my iPad with me so I can use it. My question is this: if I get a free sim from O2, pay their daily rate for mobile broadband the odd time I'm away from home, will I then when the time comes be able to switch to my monthly contract plan at Three without any problems?

I don't want my iPad to be tied down to O2 if I at first register with them. I want to be able to use it later with a different SIM and carrier.

I think I will be able to do this, but I'm just checking. And also how would it work with registration, as surely you would have to register you iPad to one carrier? Would I be able to deregister it with O2 and then reregister it with Three?

Any help appreciated.

 

[Lastof]

This is a question for UK people only, as it's carrier specific. I've pre-ordered the new iPad with 4G/3G, and I know that I want to get a monthly contract with Three for when I go off to uni next year (I'd probably take out the contract in May/June this year).

The reason I don't want to take out a contract now is that I'll be using my iPad at home 95% of the time where I have Wifi, so don't need the mobile internet for now. I don't want to pay £10 a month when I'm not using it.

However, there might be the odd day or two where I go away either on holiday or just travelling that I would like to take my iPad with me so I can use it. My question is this: if I get a free sim from O2, pay their daily rate for mobile broadband the odd time I'm away from home, will I then when the time comes be able to switch to my monthly contract plan at Three without any problems?

I don't want my iPad to be tied down to O2 if I at first register with them. I want to be able to use it later with a different SIM and carrier.

I think I will be able to do this, but I'm just checking. And also how would it work with registration, as surely you would have to register you iPad to one carrier? Would I be able to deregister it with O2 and then reregister it with Three?

Any help appreciated.

All you should need to do it get a sim from them and stick it in. When you want to switch, get a sim from a different network. The sim is what is tied to the network, not the device.

 

[brian250]

Are you aware that T-Mobile offer an 'iPhone 4' SIM that needs just a £10 top-up, then you get 500MB data every month for 12 months. So, its just a tenner for the year! Go to t-mobile.co.uk -> Shop ->PAYG deals. It is on the bottom of that page.

500MB is a decent amount of data, I've never used more than that, having the ability to connect to a WiFi network at Home, Uni, Starbucks, etc for serious downloading films, music, etc.

My experience of T-Mobile is excellent, they share network infrastructure with 3, which gives a great 3G network and you can also use Orange signal as well, so coverage is very, very strong. Their plans are great value and their customer care is genuinely very helpful and has always put things right for me, where o2 and Orange have not. Generally I find T-Mobile (which I use my IPhone on) both in terms of coverage and speed, to be far superior to o2 (which I have my iPad on, as my uni have cut a deal with o2 which gives me free data each month, as part of a research project). I quite often run the iPad on the personal hotspot from my phone, to be honest!

Another option is the 3 PAYG SIM. For £10 you get 1MB to use for a month. The SIM is free. However, quidco offer £12 cashback for iPad PAYG SIMS, so if you arrive at three.co.uk via Quidco your data will make you a profit of £2.50 a month! Thats better than paying 3 money!

 

[dread]

Are you aware that T-Mobile offer an 'iPhone 4' SIM that needs just a £10 top-up, then you get 500MB data every month for 12 months. So, its just a tenner for the year! Go to t-mobile.co.uk -> Shop ->PAYG deals. It is on the bottom of that page.

500MB is a decent amount of data, I've never used more than that, having the ability to connect to a WiFi network at Home, Uni, Starbucks, etc for serious downloading films, music, etc.

My experience of T-Mobile is excellent, they share network infrastructure with 3, which gives a great 3G network and you can also use Orange signal as well, so coverage is very, very strong. Their plans are great value and their customer care is genuinely very helpful and has always put things right for me, where o2 and Orange have not. Generally I find T-Mobile (which I use my IPhone on) both in terms of coverage and speed, to be far superior to o2 (which I have my iPad on, as my uni have cut a deal with o2 which gives me free data each month, as part of a research project). I quite often run the iPad on the personal hotspot from my phone, to be honest!

Another option is the 3 PAYG SIM. For £10 you get 1MB to use for a month. The SIM is free. However, quidco offer £12 cashback for iPad PAYG SIMS, so if you arrive at three.co.uk via Quidco your data will make you a profit of £2.50 a month! Thats better than paying 3 money!

This is great info. Im moving to london this summer and was just going to stick a giffgaff sim in the iPad and pay £5 a month for 500 mb but this is much cheaper.

 

[jamies90]

This is great info. Im moving to london this summer and was just going to stick a giffgaff sim in the iPad and pay £5 a month for 500 mb but this is much cheaper.

If you ever need to step up usage, it might be worthwhile to keep in mind the 12GB data usage to use across 12 month sims that you find on eBay from 3 UK. They're usually about £40.

 

[dread]

If you ever need to step up usage, it might be worthwhile to keep in mind the 12GB data usage to use across 12 month sims that you find on eBay from 3 UK. They're usually about £40.

great thanks. I only need data as I do not know anyone to call in the uk.

 

[borisiii]

Your plan sounds fine. iPads come unlocked and stay unlocked, so you won't have any trouble switching. For your needs the t-mobile sim may prove sufficient. I would also dissuade you from entering a contract with three unless you are sure it will work out cheaper - being tied into an agreement which is a few pounds cheaper each month at the expense of being tied down for a year or more will suck if your needs change, e.g. you don't need mobile data when you are at home over the summer. Generally you would only sign up for a contract to get a subsidy on the purchase price of your iPad, but if you know what you're doing then go for it.