PAYG iPhone with Pay Monthy Sim (Orange)

So a few months ago I told Orange I was thinking of leaving them for an iPhone and they lured me back with a bloody good deal on a phone I didn't really want. Now four months in, they've got the iPhone and I'm stuck with my current contract and phone.

I called Orange up just now to ask them if I could buy a PAYG iPhone and plonk my regular pay monthly sim card in it. It's clear they haven't devised a plan on what to say when being asked this questions because I got the following responses:

1) No, it won't work.
2) Orange insurance won't cover it.
3) It's not something we can recommend.

I was advised that if I do it, it's my own decision - so she was basically saying that I could but if I did and it went wrong that's my problem.

I want to ask, though, would Orange be able to stop my iPhone working if I did this? Has anyone else done it on O2? Is anyone else planning on doing this? My current tariff is a couple of hundred texts and minutes with unlimited internet (up to 500MB). So the phone could handle it, I know it could.

Advice greatfully received.

I'm not buying out my contract either because they're going to charge me an arm and a leg for it.

They'll put a SIM lock on the Orange SIM card they provide you with when you buy the iPhone. That means (quite annoyingly) that only that specific SIM card will work in the phone. This stops people (presumably) from doing what you're suggesting.

Oh, I thought that only worked with locking to a specific network, I never knew you could lock to a specific SIM card. Ouch - but funny that wasn't what the customer service person said.

If I buy one from somewhere like Carphone Warehouse rather than Orange directly - maybe I can get one that isn't yet registered with the PAYG SIM? Really reaching here!! :-D

I have no idea about that one. Maybe wait and see if Flora picks up on this to give some better advice

That would be good. And thanks for your help, too.

Obviously, I understand why Orange wouldn't want people to do what I'm suggesting. They'd lose out on the extra money that having an iPhone tariff would make them, but unless all SIM cards are registered with the iPhone before you purchase the device, I fail to see how they can manage this. What about all those that bought unlocked iPhones from before Orange sold them? Will they block those too if they detect iPhone activity on their accounts?

I've also read (so it MUST be true [sarcasm with a hint of optimism]) that resetting an O2 iPhone with an Orange SIM in will work.

Well I don't know about the process RE: PAYG iPhones but I imagine they're already activated and so the SIM will be locked in. Like I said though, this might not be the case here but it certainly happens elsewhere.

You could always get an Android handset, you'd end up with a better tarriff that way, anyways.

Just spotted this posted earlier this year by Flora:

]http://shop.o2.co.uk/update/settings.html

I know it's a different network and they'll do things differently, but based on this info, is what I'm suggesting a possibility? I'll buy the Orange PAYG iPhone 3GS take out the PAYG SIM and put in my current Orange Pay Monthly SIM.

if you've got time Flora any speculation or advanced info you might have would be most welcome. Sorry, just an eager beaver! :-)

Hi

I will be doing the same thing, i have a contract sim with Orange but with no data bundle. I phoned Orange and asked "if i buy a payg iphone can i use my contract sim" the guy said yes. I also went to an Orange shop with the same question and they said yes it will work.

Thanks. The Orange person I spoke to I think was careful not to say "yes" or "no" but what she said implied that there might be problems.