SIM card for spare mobile

[Sue]

I have a very stupid question. I want to get a SIM card to put in an old mobile as a back up,  in case despite my best efforts my mobile gets stolen and I have no way of contacting anybody quickly, eg banks.

Can I just buy any old cheap pay as you go  SIM card and put say ten pounds on it and it will then be fine for years (with the phone kept charged!) even if I don't use it, or do I have to use the phone  every so often to keep the SIM card valid?

Edited August 12 by Sue
Clarification

[teddyboy23]

If your old mobile is a sim free phone.then yes any pay as you go sim card will work.if say your old mobile was on a certain network then you will need one of their sim cards .as sim cards come in all shapes and sizes🤔

[ed_pete]

I think even with PAYG you need to top them up at least every 6 months or the provider may well consider it inactive.

[teddyboy23]

1 minute ago, ed_pete said:

I think even with PAYG you need to top them up at least every 6 months or the provider may well consider it inactive.

I'm payg on ee as long as I use my phone at least one month it's fine.my last top up was in December 2024 lol 

[ianr]

Am I right in thinking, after a little checking, that 'sim free phone' is now just the equivalent of 'unlocked', ie not locked to a specific network?

Sue, if you do find a network that will let you keep a connection with them for nowt, or without any risk (in some cases) of having the number and even account balance withdrawn, do let me know. :)  It's happened to me twice -- once with a really nice number too.  I need to find a better deal for myself too. 

Edited August 12 by ianr

[Sue]

1 hour ago, ianr said:

Am I right in thinking, after a little checking, that 'sim free phone' is now just the equivalent of 'unlocked', ie not locked to a specific network?

Sue, if you do find a network that will let you keep a connection with them for nowt, or without any risk (in some cases) of having the number and even account balance withdrawn, do let me know. 🙂 It's happened to me twice -- once with a really nice number too.  I need to find a better deal for myself too. 

Yes, I've never bought a  phone that was locked to a specific network.

So as far as I know,I can just stick any SIM card in my old mobile. Or indeed my new mobile, but there wouldn't be much point in that;

I think the old one  still works, but there must have been some reason why I bought a new one. I think I wanted something with more storage capacity, and my new one has loads.

It's just occurred to me that I need to double check all my photos etc are backed up.

I hardly ever make actual phone calls, I usually use WhatsApp or texts or emails, but clearly if my main phone is stolen I would need to make various phone calls ASAP.

I was just going to get a cheap card from Argos, so I'm not sure anybody there would know!

The actual mobile I use is on a SIM only contract with iD, so maybe I should just ask them.

I don't care about the number as it's only for occasional use. I've had my main mobile number ever since I've had a mobile, apart from a work related one, so around 25 years, and I do care about that number as it's very easy to remember,  so I've moved it around whenever I've changed providers 

2 hours ago, teddyboy23 said:

If your old mobile is a sim free phone.then yes any pay as you go sim card will work.if say your old mobile was on a certain network then you will need one of their sim cards .as sim cards come in all shapes and sizes🤔

Oh, really?

I thought there were just two sizes and if you needed the smaller one you just took off the surrounding bit?

Surely mobiles take a SIM card for any network, otherwise you could never change network without changing your phone?

2 hours ago, teddyboy23 said:

I'm payg on ee as long as I use my phone at least one month it's fine.my last top up was in December 2024 lol 

How long have you had that SIM card in the phone?

If I  have to make phone calls using the back up phone, the person I was calling wouldn't know who it was! They might think it was spam!

I'd have to tell them in advance that I was going to call them 🤣

Edited August 12 by Sue

[teddyboy23]

2 hours ago, Sue said:

Yes, I've never bought a  phone that was locked to a specific network.

So as far as I know,I can just stick any SIM card in my old mobile. Or indeed my new mobile, but there wouldn't be much point in that;

I think the old one  still works, but there must have been some reason why I bought a new one. I think I wanted something with more storage capacity, and my new one has loads.

It's just occurred to me that I need to double check all my photos etc are backed up.

I hardly ever make actual phone calls, I usually use WhatsApp or texts or emails, but clearly if my main phone is stolen I would need to make various phone calls ASAP.

I was just going to get a cheap card from Argos, so I'm not sure anybody there would know!

The actual mobile I use is on a SIM only contract with iD, so maybe I should just ask them.

I don't care about the number as it's only for occasional use. I've had my main mobile number ever since I've had a mobile, apart from a work related one, so around 25 years, and I do care about that number as it's very easy to remember,  so I've moved it around whenever I've changed providers 

Oh, really?

I thought there were just two sizes and if you needed the smaller one you just took off the surrounding bit?

Surely mobiles take a SIM card for any network, otherwise you could never change network without changing your phone?

How long have you had that SIM card in the phone?

If I  have to make phone calls using the back up phone, the person I was calling wouldn't know who it was! They might think it was spam!

I'd have to tell them in advance that I was going to call them 🤣

I've had the same sim card about 8yrs

3 minutes ago, teddyboy23 said:

I've had the same sim card about 8yrs

I'm sure your right about about making a SIM card smaller.buy the standard card . And then make it 1 or 2 sizes smaller.

[beansprout]

Not being paying any attention but think most Co provide SIM   small or larger  - comes as standard.

Have heard good things about Lebara - all on line, not tested yet, but almost there. 

Arrives 24/48 hours, SIM arrives - really cheap like £6 per month.. but like as mentioned , have to use maybe once a month - others can help more than I

[Sue]

Oh. I've been looking into this (online) and it seems I would still have to pay something (at least a fiver)  every month even if I wasn't using the phone, because they all seem to be 30 day rolling contracts.

Have I misunderstood?

I need something for emergency use only.

Edited August 13 by Sue

[ianr]

I think that's about it.  I know 1pmobile.com do £10 for 60days, or £48/yr, both of which include substantial usage if you need it.

PS just checked.  £5 in it too for each of us if you want a referral.

Edited August 13 by ianr

[ed_pete]

According to this site, Giff Gaff is your best bet.  You only need to make a quick 25p call every 180 days to keep the sim active.  Diarise right and that's about 50p a year.

 

https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/best-payg-sim-for-low-usage

[Sue]

2 hours ago, ed_pete said:

According to this site, Giff Gaff is your best bet.  You only need to make a quick 25p call every 180 days to keep the sim active.  Diarise right and that's about 50p a year.

 

https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/best-payg-sim-for-low-usage

Thanks so much, that's really useful.