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2 questions - iphone from UK and sim cards

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KindClare
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2 questions - iphone from UK and sim cards

Post by KindClare » Mon, 24 May 2010 11:05 pm

Hello. Two easy questions (I hope)

1. I plan to buy a new pay-as-you-go sim card upon arrival in Sg to put in my current phone. How long does activation take? Here in the UK it can take up to 2 days. I'm hoping to have use of my mobile sooner than that.

2. Any reason that a pay-as-you-go iPhone bought in the UK wouldn't work in Singapore? I have researched and can't find any reason, but I know there is alot of local knowledge concentrated on this forum - so hopefully you can help.

Cheers!
Clare

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Re: 2 questions - iphone from UK and sim cards

Post by durain » Tue, 25 May 2010 6:18 am

KindClare wrote:Hello. Two easy questions (I hope)

1. I plan to buy a new pay-as-you-go sim card upon arrival in Sg to put in my current phone. How long does activation take? Here in the UK it can take up to 2 days. I'm hoping to have use of my mobile sooner than that.
immediately.

2. Any reason that a pay-as-you-go iPhone bought in the UK wouldn't work in Singapore? I have researched and can't find any reason, but I know there is alot of local knowledge concentrated on this forum - so hopefully you can help.
you will need to unlock your iPhone to use it on any other networks as it is SIM lock to your UK provider.

Cheers!
Clare

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Re: 2 questions - iphone from UK and sim cards

Post by nakatago » Tue, 25 May 2010 11:38 am

durain wrote:
KindClare wrote:Hello. Two easy questions (I hope)

1. I plan to buy a new pay-as-you-go sim card upon arrival in Sg to put in my current phone. How long does activation take? Here in the UK it can take up to 2 days. I'm hoping to have use of my mobile sooner than that.
immediately.

2. Any reason that a pay-as-you-go iPhone bought in the UK wouldn't work in Singapore? I have researched and can't find any reason, but I know there is alot of local knowledge concentrated on this forum - so hopefully you can help.
you will need to unlock your iPhone to use it on any other networks as it is SIM lock to your UK provider.

Cheers!
Clare
To add, please search for iphone unlocking thread started by strong eagle. How to go about it has already been discussed there.
"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."

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Post by Strong Eagle » Tue, 25 May 2010 12:28 pm

^^^^^

I'd also contact your phone operator in UK about getting it unlocked. That would be the best way and they are a lot more reasonable about it than AT&T. Will probably depend on how much of a subsidized price you got and how long you've been using it.

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Post by durain » Tue, 25 May 2010 3:51 pm

if you are on o2 or want to jail break, then read this...

http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic65904.html

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Post by KindClare » Tue, 25 May 2010 6:53 pm

OK - so even if I have a PAYG phone (basically full price) it will still be SIM locked to the UK provider? I unlocked my Nokia E71 but some of the content of the original provider remained. Never went away completely. I don't want the same with my iPhone. Probably just better off to sell mine here and get a new iphone there.

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Post by durain » Tue, 25 May 2010 7:00 pm

if a mobile phone has been rebranded with the provider content, then you need to debrand it. unlocking the SIM lock will not get rid of the rebranding.

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Post by Strong Eagle » Wed, 26 May 2010 10:00 pm

durain wrote:if a mobile phone has been rebranded with the provider content, then you need to debrand it. unlocking the SIM lock will not get rid of the rebranding.
But signing up with a new mobile provider probably will.

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Post by bigfilsing » Thu, 27 May 2010 12:35 pm

sell your current iphone before the new model comes out next month.

then either buy one here or go for a Telco deal ( of which there are many)

Good luck

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Post by Levikane » Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:08 pm

Don't forget your passport (or employment pass). You cannot buy a prepaid sim in Singapore without it.

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