By Newer handsets typically require a Micro SIM or Nano SIM. Therefore, if you’re changing handsets, you may also need to change the size of your SIM card at the same time.
If you’ve recently upgraded to a new smartphone, there’s a good chance it’ll require a Micro SIM or Nano SIM. Before you’re able to use your SIM card in the new handset, you’ll first need to make sure it’s of the right size. If not, you can replace your current SIM card with either a smaller Micro SIM or Nano SIM.
In this article, we’ll explain how you can change your current SIM card for a Micro SIM or Nano SIM. We’ll discuss the process on each UK mobile network and also how much you can expect it to cost. We’ll then discuss the option of manually cutting down your SIM card, and how to use a smaller SIM card in an old handset.
Contents
Which Size SIM Card Do I Require?
There are currently three different sizes of SIM card in use:
- Standard SIM (25mm x 14mm): Typically used by feature phones and early smartphones.
- Micro SIM (15mm x 12mm): Typically used on mid-range and entry-level smartphones released in the last few years.
- Nano SIM (12.3mm x 8.8mm): Typically used on high-end mobile devices released in the last few years.
If you’re changing handsets (e.g. upgrading to a new model), it’s fairly common that you’ll need to replace your current SIM card with a smaller version.
To find out exactly what type of SIM card is required by your smartphone, please select your handset through the following interactive tool:
Who is the manufacturer of your handset?
Alternatively, the following table shows the required SIM card size for some commonly-used handsets:
Standard SIM
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Micro SIM
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Nano SIM
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For more information, please see our in-depth guide on the different sizes of SIM card. This will explain in more detail the differences between Standard SIM, Micro SIM and Nano SIM.
Changing to Micro SIM or Nano SIM
The best way to change the size of your SIM card depends on whether you’re inside or outside the minimum term of your contract.
If you’re inside the minimum term of your contract (e.g. in the first 24 months), you can ask your mobile network to replace your SIM card for you. Depending on your network, there might be a small charge for this but you’ll be able to keep your current mobile contract without any changes.
If you’re outside the minimum term of your contract, the best thing to do is normally to switch to either a “Micro SIM Only” or “Nano SIM Only” deal. You’ll get a new SIM card with no upfront cost which will be of the right size to fit in your new smartphone. You’ll also potentially save money compared to your current contract (a SIM-only deal could be about £20/month cheaper than your current mobile contract).
The following table shows a sample of some SIM-only deals currently available:
| Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Monthly Cost (may rise during contract) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Unlimited | Unlimited | 2GB | £6.00 |
 | Unlimited | Unlimited | 8GB | £7.00 |
 | Unlimited | Unlimited | 6GB | £7.00 |
 | Unlimited | Unlimited | 2GB | £7.50 |
 | Unlimited | Unlimited | 3GB | £15.00 |
 | Unlimited | Unlimited | 25GB | £16.00 |
* Customers with BT Broadband get a £5/month discount on BT Mobile tariffs (already shown in the table above).
Through the rest of this section, we’ll discuss in more detail how you can replace your current SIM card on each UK mobile network:
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BT MobileBT Mobile can replace your SIM card for free if you’re still within the minimum term of your contract. To do this, you should visit bt.com/replacesim. Alternatively, you can contact BT Customer Services on 150 (or 0800 800 150 if you’re calling from another network). It can take 3-5 days for your replacement SIM card to arrive through the post. If you’re outside the minimum term of your contract, it may be better changing to one of BT Mobile’s new SIM-only deals. You’ll be asked which size of SIM card you require for your new phone when ordering the tariff online:
You may also be able to save money by ordering a BT Family SIM card. Source: BT Mobile Customer Help |
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EE (including Orange & T-Mobile)If you’re still within the minimum term of your contract, it will cost £10.21 to get a replacement Micro SIM or Nano SIM from EE or T-Mobile. This is charged to your next monthly bill if you’re a Pay Monthly customer, or to your airtime balance if you’re a Pay As You Go customer. For customers on Orange, replacement SIM cards are available for free. The fastest way to get a replacement Micro SIM or Nano SIM is by visiting your nearest EE retail store. An in-store SIM card swap-over will take less than one hour. If you aren’t able to easily visit an EE retail store, you can alternatively order a replacement SIM card online. If you do this, it may take a couple of days for the replacement SIM card to arrive. Upon arrival, you should then follow the instruction here to activate your new SIM card. If you’re outside the minimum term of your contract, consider instead moving over to one of EE’s SIM-only deals. You’ll receive a brand new SIM card with no upfront cost, therefore allowing you to bypass the charge of £10.21:
Source: EE – Ordering a new SIM |
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giffgaffgiffgaff doesn’t charge for replacement Micro SIMs or Nano SIMs. Simply order a replacement SIM card from the giffgaff website. It can take up to 5 working days for your replacement SIM card to arrive. You can then use giffgaff’s online SIM swap functionality to get your SIM card changed over. This normally happens in just a couple of minutes, but could take up to 24 hours in certain situations. Source: giffgaff Knowledge Base |
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iD MobileIf you’re still inside the minimum term of your contract, iD Mobile makes a small charge for providing you with a replacement Micro SIM or Nano SIM. The fastest way to get a replacement SIM card is by visiting your nearest Carphone Warehouse store. Alternatively, if you’re not able to do this, you can contact iD Mobile customer services on 7777 (0333 003 7777 if you’re calling from another network). You can get a quote for the cost of the replacement SIM when calling iD Mobile. If you’re outside the minimum term of your contract, you may be able to save money by switching to one of iD Mobile’s SIM-only deals. In this case, iD Mobile will send you a new SIM card and you won’t need to pay anything upfront for it:
Source: iD Mobile Help & Advice |
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O2O2 will replace your SIM card free of charge in any of their retail stores. This is the quickest way to get a replacement Micro SIM or Nano SIM. If you aren’t able to visit an O2 store in person, you can alternatively call O2 Customer Services to have a SIM card sent out to you in the post (dial 202 if you’re a Pay Monthly customer or 4445 if you’re on Pay As You Go). Customers receiving a SIM card through the post will need to use O2’s SIM swap tool. For customers who are outside the minimum term of their contract, it may be better value moving over to one of O2’s SIM-only deals. This can save you money on your tariff every month, whilst giving you a smaller SIM card that slots into your new handset:
Source: O2 Help & Support |
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Plusnet MobileIf you’re a customer of Plusnet Mobile, it will cost £3.50 to get a replacement Micro SIM or Nano SIM (this also applies to anyone who previously signed up for LIFE Mobile). You can request a replacement SIM card by calling Plusnet Mobile customer services on 500 (or 0800 079 1133 if you’re calling from another mobile network). A more cost-effective option could be upgrading to one of Plusnet Mobile’s new 4G-enabled SIM cards. With this, you’ll get a new SIM card free of charge. You’ll also be able to access 4G (something that’s not currently available if you originally signed up for LIFE Mobile).
Source: Plusnet Community Forums |
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Sky MobileIf you’re a customer of Sky Mobile, you can order a replacement Micro SIM or Nano SIM free of charge from the Sky website. This will be sent out to you via first class post. Source: Sky Mobile Help |
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Tesco MobileIf you’re still within the minimum term of your contract, Tesco Mobile can provide you with a replacement SIM card free of charge. You can get one from your nearest Tesco Mobile Phone Store or you can call Tesco Mobile Customer Services on 4455 (0345 301 4455 if you’re calling from another mobile network). You can follow the instructions here to get your new SIM card activated. If you’re outside the minimum term of your contract, you can possibly save money by switching to one of Tesco Mobile’s SIM-only deals. You’ll get a brand new SIM card that’s designed to slot into your new smartphone:
Source: Tesco Mobile Help & Support |
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ThreeIf you’re inside the minimum term of your contract, Three will provide you with a replacement Micro SIM or Nano SIM free of charge. To qualify for a free replacement, you should order the replacement SIM card online (it can take 3-5 working days for it to arrive). You can also obtain a replacement SIM card for £5.11 at your nearest Three retail store (though the staff will often waive this charge if you tell them you’re changing to a smaller-size SIM card). If you’re outside the minimum term of your contract, switching to one of Three’s SIM-only deals can save you some money. You can choose a new Standard SIM, Micro SIM or Nano SIM which is provided to you with no upfront charge:
Source: Three Support & Three Price Guide |
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Virgin MobileIf you’re still inside the minimum term of your contract, Virgin Mobile can send you a replacement Micro SIM or Nano SIM. This will cost £2.99 with Royal Mail first class delivery or £7.99 with priority next-day delivery. You can order a replacement SIM card by calling Virgin Mobile Customer Services on 789 (0345 6000 789 if you’re calling from another network). It’s not possible to get a replacement SIM card from Virgin Media stores. If you’re outside the minimum term of your contract, you should instead consider switching to one of Virgin’s SIM-only deals. With this, you’ll get some great allowances at a low monthly cost along with 4G coverage and a new SIM card with no upfront cost:
Source: Virgin Media Community Forums |
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VodafoneIf you’re still within the minimum term of your contract, Vodafone can send you a replacement Micro SIM or Nano SIM totally free of charge. The quickest way to get a replacement is at your nearest Vodafone retail store (they can change your SIM card over in less than 15 minutes). Alternatively, you can call Vodafone Customer Services on 191 (or 03333 040 191 from any other network) and they’ll send you a replacement SIM card through the post. If you’re outside the minimum term of your contract, consider switching to one of Vodafone’s SIM-only deals. This will give you a new SIM card of the right size to fit in your handset and can save you money on your phone bill every month:
Source: Vodafone Support |
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For a complete round-up of “Micro SIM Only” and “Nano SIM Only” deals available in the UK, please see our full guide to the UK’s best value SIM-only deals.
Cutting Your Own SIM Card
If you’re switching from Standard SIM to Micro SIM, the only difference is the amount of plastic surrounding the metallic chip on your SIM card. For this reason, it’s sometimes possible to cut down the SIM card yourself into Micro SIM dimensions. The easiest way to do this is by purchasing a specialist Micro SIM Cutter (available on Amazon for about £5).
If you’re slightly more daring, you can also follow DIY instructions to cut your own Micro SIM with a ruler and a pair of scissors. In general, however, we’d strongly recommend against doing this as a broken or badly-cut Micro SIM can cause damage to your handset.
If you’re switching to a nano-sized SIM card, please be aware that it isn’t possible to cut your regulation Nano SIM. This is because Nano SIMs are slightly thinner than Standard SIM and Micro SIM. Therefore, a Nano SIM that you’ve cut yourself will be slightly too thick and carries the potential to damage your handset (e.g. it could get jammed in the Nano SIM slot).
| SIM Type | Length (mm) | Width (mm) | Height (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard SIM | 25.00 | 15.00 | 0.76 |
| Micro SIM | 15.00 | 12.00 | 0.76 |
| Nano SIM | 12.30 | 8.80 | 0.67 |
The dimensions of a standard SIM card, micro SIM card and nano SIM card. For more information, see our comparison of the different SIM card types.
Using Older Handsets
After changing to a smaller-size SIM card, it should normally still be possible to use the SIM card on older handsets. You can achieve this by using a relatively inexpensive SIM card adapter (e.g. Nano-to-Micro, Nano-to-Standard or Micro-to-Standard).
Once you’ve received an adapter, do please take additional care. For instance, you shouldn’t place the adapter in a smartphone unless a SIM card has first been placed in the adapter. This is because an inserted adapter without a SIM card inside could cause damage to your handset (e.g. breaking the SIM card reader pins).
Finally, you should also be warned that certain handsets are incompatible with SIM card adapters. You should exercise caution particularly on devices that have a push-in SIM card slot (the delicate metal pins that connect to the SIM card can easily be damaged through the use of an adapter). The All About Symbian website has a great report on the different types of SIM card slots and the potential damage from adapters.
More Information
If you’re not sure which size of SIM card your handset requires, please see our list of smartphones and the required SIM card for each one. For customers who are outside the minimum term of their contract, we recommend switching to a new SIM-only deal.
Tehirah Bwalatum said:
Companies that sell mobile phones should tell customers about nano sims cards automatically so that the customer is aware. I have just spent hundreds of £s only to discover my BT sim card cannot fit into my new mobile phone. Very annoying indeed. I feel let down by Carphone Warehouse for not informing me about the nano sim cards.
Ken replied:
Hi Tehirah,
I believe BT Mobile normally provide three-in-one SIM cards where you can simply pop out the Nano SIM from the middle. However, if this isn’t possible on your SIM, you can simply ask them for a replacement which should normally be free.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Martin Rowe said:
I just ordered a replacement sim from EE online as my new phone is Nano sim only. The order process didn’t actually ask what size sim I need before ‘despatching’ it. Am I safe in assuming any replacement sim will automatically be the most up-to-date IE a Nano size ? Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Martin,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, the mobile networks no longer ask which size of SIM card you require. This is because they now all provide three-in-one SIMs where you can simply pop out the Micro SIM or Nano SIM as necessary.
Hope this helps!
Ken
DS said:
I managed to file my micro-sim down to nano size using sandpaper block (which included making nano-sim thinner) thanks to this article informing about different sim thicknesses…and it worked. Thanks!
Val said:
I have an old Samsung touch screen phone using a standard sim. I have a monthly contract with Talk Talk. If I buy a new phone will they supply a nano sim free of charge with the same contract?
Ken replied:
Hi Val,
I’d recommend contacting TalkTalk and asking them for a replacement Nano SIM. Saying that, they’re currently in the process of moving customers off their network, so it’s possible they might refuse to do this, or may ask you to move to another network.
Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful!
Ken
Cartiona Swan said:
I am pay as you go on my current phone which has a micro sim,my new I phone is a Nano sim,can if I buy a Nano sim can I keep my same phone number?Tia.
Ken replied:
Hi there,
Your mobile network should be able to provide you with a replacement Nano SIM that will work in your new handset. The phone number will be moved over to that new Nano SIM for you.
Hope this helps,
Ken
MarkA said:
EE require photo ID when you go in store to change a micro sim to a nano sim. As I found out the hard way!
Otherwise dial 150 and they will send one out, and transfer over the phone., but advise you could be down up to a day, albeit unlikely.
Daniel ferry said:
I have broken my iPhone 5 and I have to now go back to my iPhone 4 how can I adapt my SIM card to adjust to my iPhone 4
Ken replied:
Hi Daniel,
You’ll need to replace your Nano SIM with a Micro SIM. This can be achieved either by using an adapter, or asking your mobile network to provide you with a replacement SIM (as discussed in the article above).
Hope this helps,
Ken
S.Pepper said:
Hey Ken
I have not a question , I just want to Say a BIG THANK-YOU for this very Helpful page ,Cheers !
Ian said:
Note that EE are trying to kill off the Orange brand and making it harder and harder for existing customers – I tried to do a sim swap – unable to do so in EE stores, had to call up and be told that EE will not accept registrations on their sims from Orange – i.e. you have to move onto an EE plan. If you have bundles, you will therefore lose them. Sad state of affairs!
Deirdre Boulton said:
I have an I phone 4 on a 24 month sim only deal with Vodafone. I am thinking of
buying an I phone sim free iPhone se and need to know what I have to do regarding the SIM card as I believe they are not compatible. Help!
Ken replied:
Hi Deirdre,
Many thanks for your comment. Your iPhone 4 is using a micro-sized SIM card, whereas the iPhone SE requires nano-sized SIM cards. You’ll therefore need to contact your mobile network, to ask them to replace your Micro SIM with a Nano SIM. The article above should hopefully have some information on how you’re able to do this, or let me know if you’re still experiencing some problems.
Thanks,
Ken
David Miller said:
I have just purchased a iphone 6 which will need a NANO SIM card.installing.
My current mobile is a Nokia Lumia 735 which has a MICRO SIM installed.
When i contact BT to apply for the NANO, will this wipe all the information off the MICRO?
Ken replied:
Hi David,
Many thanks for your comment. No data will be removed from your Micro SIM. Once you ask BT to activate your new Nano SIM, the Micro SIM will no longer connect to the network but the data on your old smartphone will be unaffected.
Hope this helps,
Ken
David Miller replied:
Hi Ken
Thanks for the info. really helpful.
Jane Ross said:
My contract is with BT and they have sent me a new miçro sim to fit my new Moto phone (my last phone was a Samsung). I assumed that this would contain all the data, ie contacts , messages, on my old phone but this doesnt seem to be the case. Is this an error on BT’s part or should I be doing domething?
Ken replied:
Hi Jane,
Many thanks for your comment. The replacement SIM card from BT only makes it possible for you to connect to their mobile service. You’ll need to transfer the data from your old phone to your new phone separately (as it isn’t actually stored on the SIM). Motorola provides a free app called Motorola Migrate which you might find helpful for transferring data to your new handset.
Hope this helps,
Ken
alan said:
Hey Ken, is there any way that I can keep my current number , Vodaphone pay as you go.large sim
nano sim is required for a new galaxy A3, any idea ? having to change number would be such a pain.
thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Alan,
Many thanks for your comment. You can simply ask Vodafone to replace your existing SIM card for you. They’ll give you a replacement nano-sized SIM card free of charge, and will transfer your existing phone number on to that SIM card. In-depth instructions on how to do this in the article above!
Hope this helps,
Ken
alan replied:
many thanks Ken, that’s just what I need . what a great service you provide , well done
Jack replied:
I have found Vodaphone hell- every store I go in and ask to change the sim card they take me aside, sit me in a chair and spend a half an hour trying to sell me another service which they require passport/utility bill etc….all I flaming well want is a nano sim so that I can continue to use THEIR services for pete sake. .
john said:
hi, just bought a umidigi phone, it has 2 sim slots, micro or nano do I have to use both or does it just require one or the other please. thank you
Ken replied:
Hi John,
Thanks for your comment. I don’t know this specific dual-SIM phone, but usually it’s possible to use just one of the SIM card slots (it’s not a requirement to actually use both).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Susan said:
I had a Samsung Galaxy S5 I bought a Samsung J7 all online blogs and manufactors stated they both take a micro sim card. Come to find out the J7 is a nano sim card.
Am I crazy or does it state they are both the same sim card?
Thank you
Ken replied:
Hi Susan,
Thanks for your comment. Indeed, we have the Galaxy J7 listed as using a Micro SIM rather than Nano SIM. Would you kindly be able to provide me with the exact model number for the handset so I can take a look into this? It should start with SM-J (e.g. SM-J710)? Also, I’m assuming you purchased the handset in the UK?
Thanks,
Ken
Ros said:
Just wanted to thank you for these pages – really helpful, when it’s so hard to get the info from the actual phone sites.
Gill said:
hi Ken, my mum has just upgraded to a smart phone and we have the problem that the sim wont fit, having read the other comments i now know she can go and get the smaller sim card. however i still have a question, she is on pay as you go, do you know if the money would be transferred to the new sim? thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Gill,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, your mobile network will transfer your entire account over to the new SIM card including any Pay As You Go credit you may currently have on it 🙂
Ken
Tony said:
Hi ken I’ve a very old sagem non_smartphone with std Sim. Pay as you go. Thinking of buying a Samsung that takes micro Sim. If I ask network provider of existing phone for new Sim, will it have same telephone number as I don’t want a new number, and will it contain the contacts etc that are on existing std sim? Or will I need to reload everything?
Ken replied:
Hi Tony,
Thanks for your comment. Yes – your mobile network can provide you with a new micro-SIM on the same phone number to replace your old SIM card. Your phone book won’t transfer over to your new phone, however, so you’ll need to move these over yourself.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Chris said:
For the past fortnight Vodafone have not been able to swap sims from a Moto G to an iPhone 5s. Every time it fails, so far 6 times, and the Vodafone shop is having no luck either. I am now on my fifth nano sim. No one seems able to explain why and I feel the problem lies elsewhere. Any ideas? The helpline just expresses disbelief and sends another sim! Do you think this will ever be resolved?
Pauline said:
Hi Ken,
My 75 year old mum had a Nokia 2700 Classic standard mobile phone. It died the other day and she took it into town today to see if it could be repaired. The guy said the battery was fine, did a few other checks and couldn’t find the problem.
She came home with a Samsung Keystone 2, using her own sim card. Unfortunately, along with having no camera on the phone – which the guy didn’t tell her, the only data showing is two telephone numbers. I suspect it’s the last two contacts on her sim card because it’s contacts beginning with S and T.
There are no signs of her media files which were videos and photographs – lots of my nephew when he was a baby – and no saved text messages, either. As there’s no camera on the newer mobile I suspect there’d be nowhere to store the media files anyway.
Is there any way to retrieve the media files from the sim card?
Thanks in advance for any help and/or advice.
Kind regards.
Pauline
Ken replied:
Hi Pauline,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, your mum’s media files were probably saved on the Nokia 2700 – the same goes for the text messages and phone book (there is a way to copy your phone book to a SIM card but this requires you to do it on the original handset). Unfortunately, the SIM card does not store any of this information. Is it possible to somehow retrieve her old handset?
Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful with this,
Ken
Pauline replied:
Hi Ken,
Thank you so much for your reply and the information you provided.
A bit of an update regarding this subject if I may.
Not happy at all with the Samsung handset, I managed to get my mum the exact same Nokia 2700 Classic mobile from eBay. Same colour, too, she was over the moon.
However, although the phone arrived boxed and unopened, when we took the back cover off the phone to put the SIM card in, we couldn’t get the battery to sit in place ‘flush’ – and we couldn’t get the back cover on the phone. We assumed we couldn’t get the cover on because the battery wasn’t sitting flush in the handset.
Mum still has the original handset. So, I took the battery out of the original handset, put it into the newer one and tried to put the new cover on. The cover wouldn’t go on. It sits in place along the right of the phone but not the left; the left is where the battery is ‘sticking out’ a bit in the newer handset, so maybe it’s warped due to the pressure of the battery sticking out? I don’t know. I took the old cover from the original phone and it went on the newer handset without any problem but only with the old battery inside. I hope this isn’t too confusing; believe me, it was for us and we were there!
I paid £20.99 including P&P for the replacement handset. I’ve told my mum that if she’s happy with using the older battery and cover then it’s her decision if she wants to keep it rather than me contact the seller on eBay, and she has to wait until I return the handset before he sends out another one.
So, yes, we still have the original handset, Ken, which is just as well 🙂
Kind regards,
Pauline
Ken replied:
Hi Pauline,
Does the new device have a swollen battery? If so, it’s definitely important to be careful with it: this might be caused by a manufacturing defect or improper use in the past. As you say, you can use the old battery in the mean time or you can possibly get a replacement device from the seller on eBay.
Ken
simon bealing said:
I have been trawling through the tangled vodaphone net of uninfo all morning and was unable to find any info on getting a nano sim for a new smartphone and you have answered my question very clearly, many thanks:)
Lynn said:
Hi want to buy a new phone but my sim card is too big for new one. My contract is over but my package is all you can eat data which I want to keep. Would it be possible to ask 3 for a new one and still keep the package i’m on?? Thanks In advance Lynn
Ken replied:
Hi Lynn,
Thanks for your comment. Yes – of course! Just go in to a Three retail store and ask them for a replacement. They’ll transfer your existing phone number and plan to a smaller-size SIM card (no need to change to a new plan).
Ken
E said:
How can I implement the ‘Sim Card Finder’ on my website, hiloplace.com, for US carriers, such as Verizon, AT&T , Sprint. Metro PCS and Cricket?
We sell Verizon sim cards and get asked this question at least 25 times per week.
Ken replied:
Hi there,
Sorry – unfortunately, the SIM Card Finder is exclusive to this website! If you want an easy way for your customers to find out which size of SIM card they require, you could consider linking them to https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/smartphone-type-standard-sim-micro-sim-or-nano-sim. There’s a table on the page showing the size of SIM card required for each handset.
Hope this helps,
Ken
tess said:
Hi. I have an iPhone 5c that has stopped working properly. I still have a few months on my contract before I can get an upgrade. However, I wanted to move the sim from this iPhone to an older iPhone I have that worked very well before I upgraded. However, the newer model has a very small sim which is too small to fit into my older iPhone. What can I do?
Ken replied:
Hi Tess,
The chances are your old iPhone is using micro-SIM rather than nano-SIM (you can double-check the table on this page). You can either ask your mobile network for a replacement micro-SIM or alternatively, you can use your existing nano-SIM through a SIM card adapter.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Sare99 said:
Hi Ken,
What a great page full of useful information which I have read through with interest along with a lot of the comments. I do still have a question though namely……..
You say higher up in your article……….
“Please note that upon activating your new Micro SIM or Nano SIM, your old SIM card will cease to function.”
I have just come off a 24 month contract with EE and moved over to a 12 month SIM only deal with them without any issues. My existing handset is an HTC One Mini with a Micro SIM but I bought a Samsung Galaxy S6 off e-Bay tonight which I see will need to have a Nano. In an ideal world I would like EE to send me the Nano as a duplicate rather than “replacement” SIM so that I can leave my HTC One alone and have it still available to me on my existing number as a backup handset. Is there even a remote possibility of this? Why does it have to be a case of either/or particularly when we as end users of the phone companies products and services are not the ones who changed the SIM sizes.
Ken replied:
Hi Sare,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, due to technical limitations, phone numbers can only be associated with one SIM card at a time. This is the reason why you wouldn’t be able to have both a Micro SIM and Nano SIM active at the same time. You could continue to use your HTC One Mini but this would probably require you to use a Nano-to-Micro-SIM adapter (N.B: I recommend a lot of caution with adapters as described above in this article). Alternatively, you could use a different SIM card in the HTC One Mini and you could then set up call forwarding from the Galaxy S6 when appropriate (of course, this would require you to pay for two separate contracts).
This problem of different SIM card sizes is a really common frustration I experience myself, especially when testing out different handsets requiring different sizes of SIM card!
Ken
Roy said:
Ken do you know if a micro adaptor with nano sim will work in a Samsung S4 mini I don’t want to get a micro sim as I still would like to use my iPhone 5
Thanks
Rachael316 said:
Hi Ken wondered if you could help! I have been given a blackberry bold 9790 but I have a nano SIM card so I want to use a SIM card adapter, I’ve read a lot of articles about people breaking their blackberrys by using SIM card adapters that are too thick. Can you recommend an adapter that fits? I also imagine it’s now hard to get a replacement SIM card that’s mini ?
Ken replied:
Hi Rachael,
Thanks for your comment. I’d recommend against using a SIM card adapter whenever possible – if you do so, it’s obviously at your own risk (sorry I don’t have any adapters I’m able to recommend). It is still possible to get a replacement mini-SIM: you can order one through the links on this page.
Hope this helps,
Ken
clive said:
Hi Ken
I’m in a world of pain with all this. I have a Galaxy 2 it’s time to change up. So, at my friends recommendation, I bought a Vodaphone ultra 6. I was told I could swap sim card and unlock it.
However, I tried to activate and unlock the new phone but the sim won’t fit (micro won’t fit into nano). What can I do? The whole reason for buying the vodaphone ultra 6 was because I was told it would be really simple to transfer all my stuff across.
But if the sim doesn’t fit I can’t even begin to use the new phone. Let alone move my stuff across.
As you can probably tell, I am vey new and uncomfortable with all this. The amount of codes and back up this and that is utterly baffling for me.
What would you recommend I do to get the new phone running with as much stuff off the old one as possible.
As far as I can tell the old phone doesnt have an sd card.
Is there such a thing as a service that just does all thid for you?
Or have I just thrown £115 down the toilet?
May thanks
Clive
Ken replied:
Hi Clive,
Thanks for your comment. As a Vodafone customer, you should be able to walk in to any of their stores and ask them for their ‘Red Box’ service. This will connect up to both of your phones and it should copy the data over for you automatically.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Barbara said:
Hi Ken,
I’ve an Iphone 4s but my brother has given me his unlocked Iphone 5. I’m on three network and won’t be changing my number or contract. I realise I’m going to need a nano sim. When I change over to the new nano sim, will all my data, like contact numbers, messages, photos and whatsapp automatically transfer to the nano sim? Also, I’ve never backed up my 4s as not sure what to do. My Icloud is full too. Would really appreciate your guidance. Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, data like phone book, messages and photos will not transfer to your new iPhone automatically. Rather, you’ll need to follow the instructions here (transferring your data either through iCloud or iTunes). For WhatsApp, you should also make a backup of your messages to an iCloud account. You can do this by going to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Denise said:
Hi My daughter has a motorola with a micro sim. The phone is playing up but we are still in contract on pay monthly with tesco. I am buying an i phone off a friend 5S and it needs a nano sim. what is best cut the sim or ask tesco for a nano sim and keep the contract going. If they send i new sim is it possible for her to keep her number. Thanks Denise
Ken replied:
Hi Denise,
Thanks for your comment. With nano-SIM, I’d strongly recommend asking Tesco to give you a replacement. You can do this by calling 4455 from your Tesco Mobile handset (it’s free of charge to get a replacement nano-SIM). Your new SIM card will maintain the same phone number as before.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Faye Clive said:
I’ve just bought my Daughter a refurbished unlocked iPhone 4s & need to know how to change her current PAYG number over to the iPhone? Can anybody help me please? Thank you very much 😊
Ken replied:
Hi Faye,
Thanks for your comment. Are you keeping the same Pay As You Go account as before? If so, you’ll need to change her current SIM card for a micro-sized SIM (instructions can be found in the article above). If she’s also changing network or account at the same time, take a look at my guide to using a PAC Code.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Olly said:
Big Ken what’s up,
I’ve had a really cheap £10 Nokia phone with an old sim card for ages now, but I’ve finally got a hand- me-down Samsung galaxy S4 mini which requires a micro sim. Is it possible to buy a new micro sim from Tesco mobile and swap my old number (also Tesco) from the old sim to the new micro sim?
Otherwise I might try the ‘cutting down’ technique – but will the ancient sim work in a newish smartphone?
Thanks for your time!
Olly
Ken replied:
Hi Olly,
Thanks for your comment. If you want to keep your current plan, Tesco Mobile can send you a replacement SIM card free of charge through the post (to get one, you should call Tesco customer services on 4455). If you’d like to take out a new plan, you can also order a new SIM card from their website.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Rob said:
Hello, I have purchased a Samsung s6 edge for my son as a Christmas gift and now realise I have to get a nano SIM card for it. He is currently on 3 network. So
1. Do I just call into my local store and ask for a nano SIM card
And
2. How do I transfer contacts etc from his micro to nano sim?
He is on a £7.50 per month rolling contract also at the moment.
Ken replied:
Hi Rob,
Thanks for your comment. To answer your two questions in order:
1. Is he already using the Galaxy S6 Edge or is the gift due to be opened on Christmas Day? If he’s already using the Galaxy S6 Edge, the fastest thing to do is to go to a Three retail store (they’ll give you a replacement nano-SIM on the spot at no charge). If the gift is going to be opened at Christmas, you can either go to the Three retail store on Boxing Day to change your SIM card over or you can order a nano-SIM in advance by calling 333 (with the latter option, you can get the nano-SIM in advance – you would then activate the SIM card on Christmas Day).
2. Nowadays, it’s very rare for the phone numbers to actually be stored on the SIM card. Which phone is he transferring over from? My recommendation is to make sure the contacts are synced with Google (that way, they’ll appear automatically on the new phone owhen he signs in).
Ken
MAK said:
Hi Ken, very useful page. My son is going from an ancient standard SIM to a micro SIM. I used to be able to get a T-Mobile SIM from any shop, even if they now have an EE logo and you need to look a little harder for the pink T-Mobile logo as well. Some EE stores used to run out but now it seems no one has them! I ordered one free from EE as I am a contract customer with them. It should arrive tomorrow then we can have fun seeing if we can retain T-Mobile boosters!
My wife is going from micro SIM to nano SIM still on T-Mobile so hopefully that can be ordered on the phone at no extra cost.
EE are trying their best not to promote T-Mobile any longer!
Gordon Bailey said:
Dear Ken, I’ve just recently purchased a new BLU – WIN JR LTE 4G Dule sim smartphone, but like most phones the instructions are not always understandable. I suffer from dyslexia so following instructions sometimes poses a problem. What I am trying to find is the type of sim card, this phone requires, I am currently on Tesco pay as you go, Which is the standard sim, can I cut this card down or would it be simpler to order two new cards. And if I order new cards can I keep my existing phone number as I’ve had the same number for 10 years now and would not wish to change. Can you please help me.
Ken replied:
Hi Gordon,
Thanks for your comment. I’ve had a quick look on Google and it looks as if the Blu Win JR LTE uses micro-sized SIM cards. You can get a replacement micro-SIM from Tesco Mobile by giving them a call on 4455 (it will typically take about 3 working days to arrive in the post). You’ll then need to follow the instructions here to activate the new micro-SIM.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Sarah howlett said:
I’m under contract with 02 currently and don’t want to buy out the contract, can I request a nano sim so I can just buy an I phone and put this in but keep current contract etc?
Ken replied:
Hi Sarah,
You can – it’s totally free to get a replacement Nano SIM from O2 and you’ll be able to keep your current contract. Simply follow the second set of instructions above (under the subheading “During Your Contract”).
Hope this helps!
Ken
Danny Friedman said:
Hi Ken
Thanks for a really useful column. I’ve just bought a Sony Xperia Z3 which (I have now discovered) needs a nano sim card (this was not immediately made apparent). I currently have a Samsung S4 mini, with a standard sim card. I’m with EE. I understand that EE should be prepared to send me a replacement nano sim card, but Ii’m not at all clear how I can transfer my data (phone nos., e-mail addresses, etc etc) between a)one size sim card and another and b) one brand smartphone and another. I’ve got all my contact data on the current sim card, but am not sure what to do with it next to get it to the Sony. The Experia transfer software doesn’t seem to recognise my Samsung. Any hints gratefully received
Thanks
Danny
Ken replied:
Hi Danny,
I recommend syncing the phone book from your Galaxy S4 Mini to your Google Account. This way, your phone book will be stored in the cloud and will appear automatically on your new device. You can do this by opening the Contacts application, tapping Menu and then ‘Merge with Google’ (the exact naming of the option might vary depending on your handset).
The other thing you could also try is using Samsung’s Kies desktop software. This will copy your contacts on to a computer: you can then copy them from there onto your Xperia Z3.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Danny Friedman replied:
Many thanks Ken – only problem was that somehow it also managed to grab hundreds of e-mail addresses from my PC and stick them in my Contacts on the new phone, so I’ve had a merry day or two weeding them out. But got there in the end!
Sam said:
Hi Ken, I’m currently on a sim only contract with three with a micro sim and I’m about to purchase an iPhone 6s which requires a nano sim. I just wanted to confirm that i can keep the current contract and get a different sized sim?
Ken replied:
Hi Sam,
Indeed you can! Just take your Micro SIM into the nearest Three retail store: they should replace it with a Nano SIM at no additional charge. The nano SIM will be linked to your current contract.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Jane Asterton said:
Hi Ken
I can’t see any info on the virgin network. How do I get a micro sim – at present I have a standard sim on virgin. Also how do I keep my number?
Thank you
Ken replied:
Hi Jane,
Thanks for your comment. You can get a replacement Micro SIM from Virgin by calling Customer Services on 789 (0345 600 0789 from a non-Virgin handset). I believe they currently charge £2.99 for first class postage and £7.99 for next-day delivery.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Maxine Waterfall said:
Ive just got a new pay monthly samsung galaxy s6 phone from tesco never got the chance to use it and the lad in the shop put the wrong nsim card in can that damage you phone.
Ken replied:
Hi Maxine,
Thanks for your comment. Which type of SIM card did he place in the handset? The Galaxy S6 uses nano-sized SIM cards (the smallest size of SIM card) so shouldn’t accept larger size SIMs.
Ken
Tony said:
Hi,
I have just bought a Sony Experia T3 which requires a micro sim which I have but it simply won’t fit. Is a nano sim needed?
Ken replied:
Hi Tony,
I believe the Xperia T3 uses micro-sized SIM cards though it’s possible I could be mistaken. Have you tried comparing the SIM card slot dimensions to the SIM card sizes in the table above? This should help you confirm which size of SIM card is actually required.
Many thanks,
Ken
Tony replied:
Thanks for your reply Ken. Apparently it does need a micro sim. Should the white plastic insert be removed from the sim slot (it does not appear to be easily removed)?
Tony
Ken replied:
Hi Tony,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, without seeing your actual SIM card, it’s difficult to say how much plastic you need to remove! The best thing to do is to compare your SIM card against the following diagram:
Micro SIM is the one in the middle. You’ll need to pop out the SIM card so it matches this one (the Micro SIM dimensions will be 15mm x 12mm). Do be careful as some networks now provide a Trio SIM (the Nano SIM will pop out from the centre of the Micro SIM).
Ken
Tony replied:
Thanks very much Ken. The problem has been resolved. The difficulty arose because the instructions which came with the phone and the “how to” video’s did not point out that there was a ,micro sim sized plastic insert which needed to be removed before the sim card could be inserted. Hope I did not waste your time!
Tony
Mick said:
Friday. Phoned EE 150. On hold for about 5 minutes. Requested a micro sim. Was told it would be in the post tomorrow to arrive Monday.
NO CHARGE.
Tracey Smith said:
Hi, my husband has just purchased a iPhone 5s to replace his iPhone 4s, clearly we need to get a nano sim as 4s is a micro, he wants to keep his number and we have just put a lot of credit on – what do we need to do to get a correct sim keep number and keep all the credit
Ken replied:
Hi Tracey,
Thanks for your comment. Your husband’s mobile network will be able to change his micro-sized SIM card for a nano-sized SIM. It’s normally free to do this on most networks (£10.21 if he’s a customer of EE or T-Mobile). He should contact his mobile network to request a replacement SIM (more information in the article above). The new SIM card will have the same phone number and will also have all of the Pay As You Go credit.
Hope this helps,
Ken
d.millican said:
grandson has lost his iphone 6 which was on a 24month contract we informed his service provider who blocked his phone and sim card… as the phone has approx 16 months left on the contract is it possible to ask for a replacement sim 0n the current contract and let him use my old iphone 4s rather than carry on paying for something which cannot be used….cheers Derek.
Ken replied:
Hi Derek,
Thanks for your comment and sorry to hear about the loss of the iPhone. It will be possible to get a replacement SIM card: you can slot the SIM card into your old iPhone 4S (be sure to ask for a Micro SIM rather than a Nano SIM). A replacement SIM card is normally free of charge (though it costs £10.21 on T-Mobile and EE). If your iPhone 4s was previously used on a different network, it may also be necessary to first unlock the iPhone.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Nicholas robinson said:
I have a standard payg sim for my old phone but I’m switching to an iPhone 4s now. I have ordered a new micro size sim but am keeping the same number. Was just wondering will my boosters and packs transfer onto the micro sim aswell?
Ken replied:
Hi Nicholas,
Yep – I believe everything should move over to your new micro SIM: your Pay As You Go credit along with your boosters and packs.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Emma said:
Hi Ken,
I’m with Asda Mobile and have just bought an iphone 5S to replace my iphone 4,so I need to now replace my micro sim with a nano sim. I would like to keep the same number. Will Asda provide a replacement sim and put my number on it?
Thanks,
Emma.
Ken replied:
Hi Emma,
Thanks for your comment. I believe you can simply order a new nano-SIM from the ASDA Mobile website. When the new SIM card arrives, you can call ASDA Mobile Customer Services on 2732. They should then be able to move your phone number & credit to the new SIM card.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Elaine said:
My son has given me his 4g phone to replace my 3 gs iphone. I have twice ordered from EE a new micro replacement sim, they say 48 hours but it’s nearly a week and still no sim. I just go round in circles when I try to phone. I end up with an offer to unblock. All I want to do is speak to a human. Any ideas please, I’m desperate.
Ken replied:
Hi Elaine,
Thanks for your comment. Sorry to hear about your problems getting a replacement SIM card from EE. Are you by any chance able to visit your nearest EE retail store? In my personal experience, it’s easiest to change your SIM card there (they’ll do it instantly whilst you wait in the store). It should be a lot less painful than trying to do it online or over the phone!
Ken
Elaine replied:
Hi ken, thanks your reply , re my needing to swap my sim for a micro . Still no luck, I’ve now lost count how many calls I have made & how many micro sums I have ordered. I phoned my nearest EE store this morning, only to be told that no that wouldn’t have a SIM card for me. I’m glad I’m glad I didn’t drive over to Chatham for it. I feel now it’s the end of a long time with orange / EE and I will now have the trouble of trying to get this phone unlocked. very frustrated angry & sad , I feel they just don’t want customers. I have read some dreadful reviews about them , it’s a shame.
Zamzam said:
Hello,
I am currently thinking about purchasing the samsung s6 from a cex store.
However, they don’t sell sim cards with it. So, will ee be happy to give me a nano sim in their stop or do they have to cut off my nano sim?
Ken replied:
Hi Zamzam,
Thanks for your comment. EE will happily replace your current SIM card with a nano-sized SIM card. It’ll cost you £10.20: you can do it online or in your nearest EE retail store.
Ken
Richard said:
Hi Ken, I ‘googled’ a question about cutting a standard Sim card and arrived at kenstechtips.com. Your blurb answered all my questions apart from one. If i want to keep the sim I already have – a standard one, will my local Vodafone shop be prepared to cut it down to mini or micro for me if i buy a brand new handset from Vodafone either online or in-store?
Ken replied:
Hi Richard,
Vodafone will happily replace your current SIM card with a smaller micro-SIM or nano-SIM. This is regardless of whether you buy the handset from them. It takes around 15 minutes to swap the SIM card over – you can pop in to any Vodafone retail store to ask them to do this.
Hope this helps,
Ken
dean said:
I previously had a iphone 4. On the 3 network..I now have an iPhone 5 on 3. Is there a quick way I can transfer my old number to my new phone. What do I need to do?? Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Dean,
Thanks for your comment. Do you want to keep the old contract from your iPhone 4? Or are you looking to cancel the old iPhone 4 contract and to move the phone number over to the iPhone 5 contract? If the first, you can simply ask Three to replace your Micro SIM with a nano-sized SIM card. It’s free to do this in any Three retail store. If the latter, you should contact Three customer services as per the information on this page. They should be able to move your phone number over.
Ken
PETER PAUL TAMANG said:
Dear ken
I have unlocked (bought from ebay) a samsung galaxy s4 zoom with solid camera.
It says only micro sim card works in it. For a trial I bought, in 99p shop, a micro sim. Vodafone have been placed but says no sim.
1. Does the Vodafone SIM card work only after topping up??
2. Or shall I try another company?? Since Samsung says certain companies have certain rules to operate their system??
3. Or the phone itself is locked?? But in ebay only new unlocked phones are sold??
4. With vodafone no way to have answer?? Tried many times.
Please help will appreciate with sold response.
I do not necessarily need vodafone – any sim card I am willing to use just to check the phone is ok. But please suggest, will buy as many as i can see.
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your comment. To answer your questions in order:
1. Normally, the SIM card should work immediately. It will show coverage on your phone even if you’re unable to make calls due to no credit. I suspect the Vodafone SIM card is probably dodgy (you can try returning it and getting a replacement or you can try using the SIM card in another smartphone). I recently bought a SIM card from another company and experienced the same problem due to a malfunctioning SIM.
2. It’s well worth trying a SIM card from a different company. See the article here for a full list of free Pay As You Go SIM card offers in the UK. If it still doesn’t work with SIM cards from another company, it may be a problem with the handset instead.
3. If your phone was locked, it would show a different message when you insert the SIM card from Vodafone.
4. The best way to get support from Vodafone is probably to go into one of their retail stores (the staff there will be able to examine your handset & SIM card directly). Saying that, if it’s a problem with a malfunctioning SIM and if you aren’t too bothered about which network you want, it’s probably easier just to order another Pay As You Go SIM card.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Mike said:
Hi
Recently popped into EE to get a smaller sim for an IPhone 4s as current phone had a traditional big sim. They said they didn’t replace sims anymore! :-/
Ken replied:
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the feedback. I haven’t heard anything about EE no longer providing replacement SIM cards in store. Are you sure this is definitely the case? I’d be very surprised if they stopped doing this as many people require a SIM card quickly (e.g. if you lose your phone). My suggestion is to go back and try again either in a different store or with a different member of staff. Alternatively, you can order your replacement SIM card online but you’ll need to wait around 2 working days.
Ken
Elaine replied:
I’ve now been to an orange store & 2 EE stores and they say they don’t have micro sim
Ella said:
Hi there,
I am planning on getting an iPhone 5C (as a birthday present) on Monday, however, I am still in contract until November with Talk Mobile – I have a Micro sim and was wondering how I go about getting a Nano sim and still stay on my current contract?
Thanks!
Ken replied:
Hi Ella,
There are two ways of getting a replacement nano SIM on Talkmobile. The first is going in to your nearest Carphone Warehouse store: they should be able to give you one immediately. If it’s not convenient for you to be able to do this, you can call Talkmobile Customer Services on 5888 – they should arrange for a replacement SIM card to be sent to you in the post. You’ll be able to continue the current contract using the replacement nano SIM from Talkmobile.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Karen French said:
Hi. My daughter has just upgraded from an iPhone 5 to an iPhone 6 on 3 but they have sent her a Pay as you go sim for it. Have they sent the wrong sim as she is still on a contract or will they change her number automatically?
Ken replied:
Hi Karen,
Thanks for your comment. You’ll need to check this directly with Three Customer Services (dial 333 from your Three handset). It’s possible they simply send out a Pay As You Go SIM card with all iPhone orders so I wouldn’t read too much into receiving this (still, definitely worth checking with them directly!).
Ken
William said:
Hi Ken,
I am upgrading from iphone 4s (micro SIM) to HTC M8 (nano SIM). I am with Tesco mobile, how can I transfer my numbers from the old SIM to the new one? Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Will,
Thanks for your comment. Are you trying to move your own phone number between SIM cards? If so, you can ask Tesco to replace your Micro SIM with a nano-sized SIM card (the phone number will be moved automatically onto the new nano SIM). If you’re trying to move the contacts/phone numbers saved on your phone, HTC has created a handy tool (HTC Sync Manager) which should do pretty much what you’re looking for!
Ken
Anthony said:
Hi Ken.
I have a payg sim with three for my galaxy s4 mini. I was thinking of purchasing a Galaxy gear watch that uses a nano sim. Can I get an additional nano sim so I can have the same number for both devices. Ie will work in both my watch and phone?
Ken replied:
Hi Anthony,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, as far as I’m aware, no UK network allows you to have two SIM cards with the same phone number. The only way you’d be able to have both your smartphone & smartwatch ringing at the same time is by using Bluetooth instead of separate SIM cards. If you’d like to have both devices using the same plan, EE does offer a choice of shared plans but each SIM card will have its own number.
Ken
Pat Farr said:
I have moved my sim to my new phone and my husband hopes to take over my old iPhone 3. I have purchased a new sim activated it but it will not connect to my new iphone. Help.
Ken replied:
Hi Pat,
Thanks for your comment. Do you have any more info on why the SIM card isn’t working on your iPhone? Is it that the SIM card is the wrong size? Or perhaps the iPhone is locked to your old network?
Ken
Will Jamison said:
Hi Ken,
I have a micro sim card on a prepaid at&t plan. No contract. I have a samsung alpha and im pretty sure it requires a nano sim. Is there anyway that i could switch to a nano sim and transfer my number from the micro to nano sim?
Ken replied:
Hi Will,
Thanks for your comment. I believe AT&T can replace your micro-SIM for a nano-SIM in store. There’s a thread here over at AndroidCentral where other people have experienced a similar situation.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Ian said:
Hi Ken – I have an HTC One M7 and am mid-contract with EE. I plan to buy a sim-free Samsung Galaxy S6 when available. Can I get a nano sim from EE now and continue using my HTC M7 and keep the nano sim until I am in possession of the S6?
Ken replied:
Hi Ian,
Yep – that’s no problem at all! You can order a replacement nano SIM at any time: just be sure not to activate it until you actually want to use the new SIM card. Please be aware that EE charges £10.20 for a new nano-SIM. If you later decided not to buy the S6, you wouldn’t be able to get the money back.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Ian replied:
Many thanks Ken!
Clair said:
Hi
I’ve bought an iPhone 5c so need a nano sim I’m with orange. Ordered the replacement sim online a week ago but nothing has arrived. Is there any other way of getting one? I’m sick of waiting to use my new phone
Ken replied:
Hi Clair,
Would it be possible to visit your nearest EE retail store? They should be able to give you a replacement SIM card immediately in the store so there’s no need to wait until a SIM card arrives in the post.
Ken
Chris replied:
I too requested a nano sim from Orange via their website. I have tried twice now. Today the third time, I phoned them but the info I got from them lead me back to the website via a text message I had to send (NANO to 450). I think EE want’s all Orange customers to change to them. I rang one of their shops and was told they don’t change Orange sims anymore.
Chris replied:
Okay, third time lucky. I received the nano sim on Friday 20 March. Maybe phoning them did the trick! The sim was for a Galaxy Alpha.
So I contacted them to activate it on the Friday afternoon. it would take 24 hours to do this they said. 24 hours later I phoned them to say it still isn’t working, sorry they said we will try to do it now. Eventually half an hour later it was working. All I can say is persistence works sometimes.
I had cut my old sim card down to fit in the Alpha and it worked okay but I thought I would get the proper card for it. Maybe I should have listened to the old adage, don’t try to fit something that’s not broken.
Beth said:
Hi, I am on a 24 month contract with a Samsung Galaxy s3 on Vodafone, currently 6 months in and I’m not getting along with the phone. I was going to buy an iPhone 5 but I wanted the same contract/tariff, is there any way Vodafone can change my micro Sim to a nano sim? Thanks again.
Ken replied:
Hi Beth,
Yep – no problem at all! Pop in to your local Vodafone store and they’ll change your micro-SIM over to a nano-SIM. It’s free and it should only take around 15 minutes in total. The staff may also be able to help you with moving your contracts to the iPhone.
Ken
Victor said:
Hello ken. I just got an iphone 5C from my pal and I did cut my micro sim to a nano sim with my cutter, after slotting inside it’s showing sim card not detected, even after taking it to my mobile network, same issue. What do I do?. 2ndly My Q5 just suddenly stopped accessing my sim card as well, sim card not detected.
Ken replied:
Hi Victor,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to diagnose the exact reasons why your SIM card is no longer working. It could be a multitude of reasons (e.g. a badly cut nano-SIM which is no longer aligned properly, the chip within the SIM card being damaged or the iPhone 5c being locked to another network). Based on what you’ve said about the SIM card no longer working in a BlackBerry Q5 (presumably this is using an adapter to enlarge it to micro-SIM?), my guess is it’ll be one of the first two. Would it be possible for you to visit a local store and to pick up a replacement nano-SIM? This should hopefully solve the problems you’re having.
Ken
Steven walker said:
Ken, I have an iphone 4s on 3… I was planning to buy an iPhone 6 from my friend who originally bought the phone on tesco. can I unlock it so it works on 3 network and if so, what will it cost? also, if tesco refuse to unlock the iPhone, can I get it done elsewhere? thanks!
Ken replied:
Hi Steven,
Take a look at my article on unlocking an iPhone – it should hopefully answer all of your questions. To answer your question briefly, the best thing to do would be to ask your friend to request the unlock from Tesco. It’ll cost them £20 unless they happen to have paid off the ‘Phone payment’ part of their plan. If your friend isn’t able to request the unlock, you could probably do itself using a Tesco Mobile Pay As You Go SIM card. Once again, it’ll cost you £20 but you’ll need to activate your SIM card first.
Ken
Steven walker said:
Hi I have a 4s on sim only deal on 3 I’ve just purchased iphone 6 and req a new sim but would like to keep the same number is this possible is a trip to the 3 shop in order ta
Ken replied:
Hi Steven,
Yep – the best thing to do is to pop in to your local Three store – they should replace your existing micro-SIM with a new nano-SIM at no additional charge.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Lorraine said:
Hi I have just purchased an iPhone 5c, is there anyway I can transfer my contacts from my Nokia straight to the iPhone without using a computer, bearing in mind the SIM cards are different sizes? I am so not good with technology! I would be so grateful for any advice.
Ken replied:
Hi Lorraine,
Thanks for your comment. Which model of Nokia handset are you using? If you’re currently using a Lumia Windows Phone handset, the contacts will normally be synchronised automatically to Outlook.com. To access your contacts using an iPhone, simply follow the instructions on this page. If you’re using a non-Windows Phone handset, the best way to do this is probably still use the SIM card. You can use a nano-SIM adapter to place the nano-SIM from your iPhone into the old Nokia handset.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Tom said:
I have an iPhone 4 but I have a year left on my contract and I would like to buy an iPhone six without a sim, would it be possible for me to cut down my sim for the six or will vodafone be able to do that for me free of charge
Ken replied:
Hi Tom,
It’s not possible to cut your Micro SIM down to a Nano SIM (the reason for this is the 0.09mm difference in thickness). The best thing to do would be to visit your local Vodafone retail store. They can swap your Micro SIM card over to a Nano SIM: it’s totally free of charge and will normally take no longer than 15 minutes at most.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Alicia Dean said:
Hi, I’ve just ordered a Giffgaff nano sim, and I needed a micro sim is there any chance id be able to get my money back, as it was payed on card, or any change of getting the bit that surrounds the nano sim? thankyou so much.
Ken replied:
Hi Alicia,
Thanks for your e-mail. There’s no need to get your money back: simply order a free Micro SIM from the giffgaff website. Once the Micro SIM has arrived, use the giffgaff SIM swap tool to move your phone number & airtime credit over to the new SIM.
Ken
sanjana said:
Thankyou so much Ken all your suggestions were very helpful.Thanks again.
alan said:
Hi,
I’ve just received a new microsim for a new phone, however I would like to keep my old number. I’ve tried ringing Orange and they said it was done and that I would receive a message within 24 hours to confirm this. However haven’t received any message and I still have the new number on the new phone. Any ideas? Or should I just cut down my old sim and put that in the new phone?
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Alan,
Thanks for your comment. The best way to change over to micro-SIM is to ask Orange to replace your SIM card (you can do this in an EE retail store and there should be no charge). It’ll probably be easier than ordering a micro-SIM and asking Orange to transfer the number to it. If you do want to go through with the transfer, it might be worth prodding customer services to make sure the request hasn’t been lost in the system.
Good luck,
Ken
Udanthaz said:
Im having a s5 and both my sim and sd reader jammed can i replace it with a reader if so send me a link of such a reader
Ken replied:
Hi Udanthaz,
I’m really sorry to hear the problems with your Galaxy S5. If your SIM and SD card slot has become jammed, the best thing to do is either to get in touch with your mobile network operator or with Samsung support. It’s likely they’ll need to look at the phone (they may also need to replace some of the components).
Ken
Karin said:
Hi
I am 6 months into a 24 month contract with ee with a Samsung s4 and I don’t like the phone really, would like an I phone again. If I sold my Samsung n bought an iPhone out right is there anyway my contract with ee can be changed to a nano sim? N if not have u got any other ideas? Much appreciated
Ken replied:
Hi Karin,
Yep, this certainly won’t be a problem! It’ll cost £10.20 to get your EE SIM card changed (you’ll need a Nano SIM for the iPhone 5/5c/5s). Follow the instructions here to get your SIM card changed.
Hope this helps!
Ken
melvin said:
Hi, i have a iPhone 4s atm on contract, could i buy a Sony xperia z2 and just put my sim in? would it work fine?
Ken replied:
Hi Melvin,
Yep – no problem at all! Both the iPhone 4S and Xperia Z2 use Micro-SIM. So it’s no problem at all using your existing SIM card in the Xperia Z2.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Ewan said:
Hi Ken, I have recently bought a Samsung S5 to replace my old blackberry. I have followed the steps to trim the sim card to a nano size and found that the new S5 could only read the contacts from my sim but not able to connect to the network. What do you think could be wrong? The old sim card or does it just not like trimmed sim cards? Your advice is really appreciated.
Thank You.
Ken replied:
Hi Ewan,
Thanks for your comment. First of all, did you mean micro SIM in your message above? The Galaxy S5 requires micro-sized SIM cards (a nano-SIM would be too small for your phone). I would recommend asking your network for a replacement micro SIM. It’s a fairly easy process (especially as you’ve already transferred your contacts to the S5). The replacement micro SIM is likely to work more reliably (if it doesn’t, the problem will lie with your phone or network rather than the SIM card itself).
Hope this helps,
Ken
suresh said:
Hi all,
I’m using HTC ONE S (Micro sim)… now i want to use same the SIM card within other mobiles (like basic mobiles). However, basic mobiles only support normal size sim cards. How can I use my micro sim in basic mobiles? Should I replace my sim? OR is there any slats available on the market? Please let me know as soon as possible its great help to me
Thanks in advance…
Ken replied:
Hi Suresh,
Thanks for your comment. If you’re permanently switching your phone, the best thing to do is to ask for a new SIM card (ask your mobile operator for a standard size SIM card, or 2FF Mini SIM). This will work most reliably. If you’re regularly switching between multiple handsets, you can instead use a SIM card adapter. You can find a Micro-to-Standard SIM adapter at Amazon – the normal price is around £2. Please be aware that some handsets are incompatible with an adapter (see the guidance in the article above).
Hope this helps!
Ken
Ellie said:
Can I transfer my saved text messages on my sim (Blackberry) to my new sony xperia Z? It’s with the same provider. Thanks.
Mury Murtala said:
Hi, I am using MTN galaxy S4 that accept only MTN network Sim Card and I want to change it to Glo network. Kindly explains how to do it.
Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Mury,
Thanks for the comment. You’ll need to unlock your Galaxy S4 from MTN before switching to Glo. The easiest way to do this would be contacting MTN Customer Services. Apart from this, I’m sorry as I can’t provide any specific advice relating to Nigeria (I mainly cover the UK mobile market). For UK-specific info, this article shows how to unlock a Samsung Galaxy from UK mobile networks.
Ken
Phil said:
Thanks Ken, you’ve confirmed my fears!
Phil said:
I’ve done exactly what you’ve said not to below! The phone is an xperia Z which I now can’t get to recognise my SIM card. Do you have ny ideas?
Nano-to-Micro SIM adapters
Once you’ve received an adapter, do be careful. You shouldn’t insert the adapter into a phone unless there is a SIM card placed within it. An adapter inserted without a SIM card could cause damage to your phone when it is finally removed.
Ken replied:
Hi Phil,
Very sorry to hear this 🙁 It sounds as if the SIM card contact has been damaged by the adapter. Unfortunately, it might be a case of having to get in touch with Sony Customer Support. If the SIM card reader needs to be repaired, there might be a fairly substantial cost 🙁
Ken
Taylor said:
Hiya, I’ve just ordered the Nokia N8. I was just wondering what sim it takes please. Thank you 🙂
Ken replied:
Hi Taylor,
The Nokia N8 uses standard-sized SIM cards. Nokia strongly recommends against using an adapter so make sure you have a Standard SIM provided by your network.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Jason Bourne replied:
Absolutely correct Ken the N8 will only fully function with the standard sim i.e. having the metal contact pad measuring 14.5mm long by 11mm wide.
I am with asda mobile at the moment, they have sent me 4 combi sims the metal contact pad measures 11mm long by 8mm wide 55.17% smaller than the standard sim.
None of them will allow me to access the internet my emails or operate maps, now I am left with worhtless phone which cost me £360.0 two and a half years ago.
Incidently what happened to my original comment 13th January 2014?
Ken replied:
Hi Jason,
Sorry to hear your problems using the Nokia N8 with an ASDA Mobile SIM card. There’s an article on All About Windows Phone discussing the problems using an adapter in the Nokia N8. I agree it’s incredibly annoying: the switch to Micro SIM was intended to save space inside a handset. However, I do wonder how much space is actually being saved (probably very little).
Your original comment was actually posted here on a different article about Smartphone SIM Card sizes. Sorry for any confusion caused!
Ken
jane williams said:
i have a new iphone 5 but not gettin on with it but is there any other phone i can fit the nano sim in thankyou
Ken replied:
Hi Jane,
There are currently only four phones available using Nano SIM: iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c and the Nokia Lumia 1520 (see our listing of smartphone SIM card sizes. As the choice of Nano SIM handsets is still quite limited, I would recommend following the instructions above and switching to Micro SIM. This will greatly increase the number of handsets available to you.
Ken
Nicola sinclair said:
Hi,
I currently have a dongle that uses the older bigger sized sim card , my daughter wants an ipad mini which uses a nano sim. would the sim adapter fit into my dongle? I want to use the nano sim in my dongle so I am just paying for 1 tariff. I don’t have Wi-Fi
thanks
Isaac said:
I am currently on GiffGaff and I have a standard/micro sim however I have just purchased a new iPhone 5S. How do I order a new nano sim without having to report my sim as stolen.
Ken replied:
Hi Isaac,
Thanks for the comment! The good news with giffgaff is that this is super easy. Start off by ordering a new giffgaff nano-SIM. Once it’s arrived, you can use the giffgaff SIM swap function to migrate over. This will transfer your account to the brand new nano-SIM including your phone number and the attached goody bag. The whole process should take just a few minutes.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Bob said:
You can cut down a Mirco sim to a Nano sim as I have done it twice in the last 2 weeks. I cut down an Ovivo sim to fit my 5S which was a bit hair raising but with the help of a file it was done. Easier was cutting down a giffgaff sim to go in a 5. The Ovivo sim meant cutting the metal contacts but the gg sim is smaller so only cutting the corner needed metal work. Being slightly thicker does not seem to matter in iPhones but I did give the sims a quick rub on a file. There are templates and guides on the internet and giffgaff. Care: Steady hand and nerves required – don’t blame me if it doesn’t work!
Ken replied:
Hi Bob,
Thanks for the feedback! As you say: it can be done if you forget about the thickness difference. At present, the iPhone 5/5s/5c has enough engineering tolerance to allow you to use a slightly thicker SIM card. That said, in the future, I’m not sure this will be the case for all Nano SIM devices (e.g. if Samsung released a Galaxy S5 that used Nano SIM cards, the SIM card slot design could be different). In my opinion, the best solution would be to get a replacement Nano SIM – that way there’s nothing to worry about either now or in the future.
Ken
Mike Hague said:
Hi,
My contract is due for a renewal/upgrade, when I contacted the network provider (t-Mobile) direct they cannot offer me the handset I want on the right tariff with a FREE handset, they are asking me to pay £200. Yet there are 2-3 online retailers offering the same tariff with a FREE handset on the same network. Can I take advantage of such offers and keep my number? Would I have to cancel the existing contract?
Jetmorley said:
Hi,
Not sure if right place but posting in desperation. On taking delivery of a new SIM pushed in the micro by mistake. Now cannot remove from my Galaxy Ace. Any ideas?
@OliNejad said:
I rang orange and tried to transfer my sim from standard to micro to fit a Nokia Lumia 610. At first I was told I would have to cancel my contract, and take out a new one straight away. I responded by asking to be sent a micro sim to replace my own, which after being placed on hold for 3 mins, they did. Very easy but not straightforward. Be sure to say when you ring (hit the automated menu and keymash until you reach an operator) that you want a micro sim sent to you to replace your current contract sim. All should go smoothly.. Hope this is useful to some.
Tony said:
Hello Ken
I've recently inherited an iphone 4 (unlocked) & as I'm at the end of my current contract with '3' I'm looking around for a good sim only deal (my old contract came with a small basic phone which is now falling apart)
I find the '3' coverage in my area not so good when indoors so I'm not overly concerned by ending with them even if they are the cheapest deal.
I have noticed though that '3' (& most of the other carriers), when offering 'SIM ONLY' contracts, differentiate between an ordinary sim contract & an iphone sim contract, charging more for the iphone sim contract (30 day & 12 months)
I know the iphone 4 (& 4s) require a smaller micro-sim but what's to stop me taking out a cheaper ordinary sim only contract & then cut it down to size using a sim cutter to make it fit my iphone 4.
I understand that the only difference in the two types of sims is in the plastic surround with the chip being the same in size & functionality.
……Is that too simple an option or is there something I'm missing?
Ken replied:
Hi Tony,
You're right: there is no difference in the SIM except from the amount of plastic surrounding the chip. The tariff will be identical too between SIM and micro-SIM versions (except from O2 which offers "Visual Voicemail" on their iPhone-specific tariffs). As far as I'm aware, the main mobile operators have done away with the distinction between SIM tariffs and Micro-SIM tariffs so there shouldn't be any differences any more. Let me know if you spot any though.
Ken
Shree said:
Hi Ken.I’m upgrading from galaxy ace to note 2.Can I transfer data from ace to note using micro sim adapter.ie put micro sim in ace using adapter, put all data on sim and then put micro sim in note?
Ken replied:
Hi Shree,
It should be possible to do this – however as both of your devices are on Android you could alternatively synchronise your phone book with Google. When you log in to your Google account from the Note 2, all of your contacts should automatically appear. Alternatively, Samsung also provide some software called Kies which can do this for you.
Hope this helps,
Ken
wendy robson said:
Trying to switch from dongle sim to micro sim for ipad has become a nightmare. I am still on contract with orange for dongle £5 per month which I want to keep as I only use infrequently. Different people at Orange give different answers, one says I can keep existing plan but has failed to do the switchover, whilst others say I must switch to a specific ipad plan which is of course more expensive. I now seem to have tow options, try cutting down my card to see if it works or just waiting till the end of contract (January) then moving to another provider.
One guy at orange even told me that Apple set the tariff so they can;t do it at the same rate as my dongle which sounds a load of c……s to me.