Switching networks advice

[Guest uk_lampie]

Hiya all!

Welcome to my 1st post!

Appoligies if this is in the wrong section - Im still finding my way around. Feel free to move it to a more appropiate part of the site...

Just after a little advice really. Looking to move from Orange (Premier) to Tmobile due to the data charges. Currently have an SPVm2000 that has a few issues. Im gonna get it replaced on insurance and then jump ship.

I will be getting an MDAPro on Tmobile but want to use my m2000 as a 'going out' handset, due to it being smaller. So is it possible to get the m2000 unlocked so I can use a Tmobile sim in it?

And do Orange have anything on the Horizon data wise? Retentions could only offer a free M5000 and the standard 1Gb for 3 months thing. Any chance of getting Tmobile to budge on the price of the MDApro if I take out insurance too? If not then I have no problem paying the 70quid for one anyway.

Also, having never switched networks, how does the PAC code thing work? Is it a seamless switch over from one network to another, as I cant really afford any downtime.

Steve

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Yes, you can unlock the M2000 free of charge, using the utility you can find here.

You might be surprised to hear that the M5000 isn't a huge amount bigger than the M2000 tbh!

As far as I am aware, Orange have nothing great data wise on the horizon :P

Re: PAC, not done one yet, but about to! ;)

P

[Guest chucky.egg]

I've had nightmares in the past with porting numbers.

If you REALLY cant afford any "downtime" then I'd suggest getting a new number on T-Mobile (you can probably buy good ones on eBay and get them upgraded to the Flext tariffs). You can point your old number to your new one, or record a voicemail greeting that says "My new number is..."

If you want to try porting anyway you need to phone Orange to request the PAC, you'll have to pay off the remainder of your contract (if any), and then phone T-Mob and give them the PAC and your number.

Porting is faster nowadays, but because you never know exactly when the switch over is going to happen you may need to carry both phones for a few days.

[Guest Shuflie]

Porting is faster nowadays, but because you never know exactly when the switch over is going to happen you may need to carry both phones for a few days.

T-mobile tell you which day the number port is going to happen on, but they can't give an exact time for it, just before midnight. When I ported over from 3 to T, my 3 phone actually stayed active until after the port had taken place and I had received a text from t-mobile telling me so, I'm not sure if there was actually much downtime involved but it all went smoothly.

[Guest uk_lampie]

Cheers for the very quick responses guys.

Seeing as the m2000 can be unlcoked it's bye bye Orange time. Gonna keep and M2000 just for Sat Nav in the car, MP3's at the gym, and going out on the booze.

Dont mind having 2 phones on me for a while - will cook both testicles evenly that way ;)

So I can phone Tmobile with my PAC code, and they will send me a phone that wont work on the network until the switch happens, right?

Will I miss out on the 25% discount that I think Tmobile offer when ordering online, or should I just stamp my feet over the phone/ in a shop for that?

Steve

Edited May 16, 2006 by uk_lampie

[Guest Shuflie]

The way it works is you get your pac from Orange and your phone from T-mobile. When you have both, ring 150 from your t-mobile phone and speak to them about porting your number across, can't remember exactly which option you go through to do this. When they ask you, give them the pac number from Orange and your orange phone number, they will then tell you when the number will change. Until that date you have full use of both phones and you may want to use up whatever credit you have left of the Orange phone before you start using the tmobile one.

EDIT: missed the 25% bit at the end, that offer finished at the end of April so you've missed it by quite a bit. You could try, but with the take up they've had they probably won't feel the need to extend it just for you.

Edited May 16, 2006 by Shuflie