Microsim on non iPhone 4 contract. Do it yourself!

[Anonymous]

Just to let everyone know: I've just spent a couple of infuriating days battling with O2 and the Carphone Warehouse. Basically I bought a used iPhone 4 and wanted to swap my standard sim for a micro sim. I have since learned that neither the Carphone Warehouse or O2 are prepared to do this as they want you to buy new iPhone 4s from them on a proper tariff.
The answer? Make your own micro sim.
Just google "cut microsim" and you'll find instructions online and on YouTube. I just cut my standard sim down with scissors and it works perfectly. I didn't even do that good a job!
What have I got? An iPhone 4 for £400 on eBay on a £14 a month sim only contract. Free web, calls and text. Magic.
Ignore any warnings and do it yourself. It's really easy.

[Anonymous]

Are you with 'o2 at the Carphone Warehouse'? I think you are, because o2 are quite happy to provide micro sims to their direct customers, however, o2 at the Carphone Warehouse will not because they don't offer any products that use a micro sim.
There's a very big difference between the two different brands.

[Anonymous]

Yup. I'm with O2 at the Carphone Warehouse. They're phasing out offering phone services but those with an existing contract must see the contract through. O2 won't release micro sims to Carphone Warehouse customers as, and I quote Carphone Warehouse; "O2 want all of the top end customers".
Great if you're with O2 direct. Bad news if you're with Carphone Warehouse. Neither they or O2 could care less about you.

[sheepdog]

....
Great if you're with O2 direct. Bad news if you're with Carphone Warehouse. Neither they or O2 could care less about you if you don't sign up for long contracts at at least £35 a month

There. Fixed it for ya

[Anonymous]

Yup. I'm with O2 at the Carphone Warehouse. They're phasing out offering phone services but those with an existing contract must see the contract through. O2 won't release micro sims to Carphone Warehouse customers as, and I quote Carphone Warehouse; "O2 want all of the top end customers".
Great if you're with O2 direct. Bad news if you're with Carphone Warehouse. Neither they or O2 could care less about you.

It's not that o2 don't care, you technically aren't their customer, you're a customer of the Carphone Warehouse who happens to have licensed the use of the o2 brand and network. This is why if you call up o2 they can't do anything to help you because you don't appear in their system. o2 are supposed to refer you back to Carphone Warehouse.
However, if you were to pop into an o2 store and, without going into great detail, just tell them you need a microsim as you now have an iphone 4, they're normally quite happy to give you one. Plus Carphone Warehouse should activate it onto your account as long as you DO NOT tell them it's a micro sim. This is because the sims are interchangeable between both brands.

[Anonymous]

Yup. That's exactly what I did. Popped into an O2 store and was given a micro sim. Got home and neither O2 or the Carphone Warehouse could or would connect it. I was just repeatedly told by various customer care people that "computer says no". So I have a tarrif up and running, I have a sim in hand and neither party was interested in helping me.
I am an O2 customer. There is an O2 UK logo at the top of my phone screen as I write this. If O2 leases airtime to another party, they should be prepared to fulfill the needs of their customers.
No need to worry now anyway. Anyone who wants an iPhone 4 on a cheap O2 Carphone Warehouse tarrif needs only to buy a phone and a pair of scissors on eBay. Hey presto! Bypass the blatant lack of customer care provided by O2 and Carphone Warehouse.

[Anonymous]

Yup. I'm with O2 at the Carphone Warehouse. They're phasing out offering phone services but those with an existing contract must see the contract through. O2 won't release micro sims to Carphone Warehouse customers as, and I quote Carphone Warehouse; "O2 want all of the top end customers".
Great if you're with O2 direct. Bad news if you're with Carphone Warehouse. Neither they or O2 could care less about you.

Not true, o2 is actually in the process of moving accounts from CPW to o2 so they can take over the management of them.
The way it used to work what that CPW rented the network and you were a CPW customer using O2, same way I have my phone line through Talk Talk, but they rent that from BT.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand. If neither the Carphone Warehouse or O2 will give me 10 pences worth of sim card and activate it then where is the customer service? If your phone line wasn't doing what you needed it to, you'd expect either TalkTalk or BT to provide some kind of solution.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand. If neither the Carphone Warehouse or O2 will give me 10 pences worth of sim card and activate it then where is the customer service?

CPW wont give you one because their system doesn't "understand" microsims. O2 can't do it because they don't have access to your account.

[Anonymous]

I understand that but I would hope that if one company relies on the other to bring in my money then they could perhaps work together to meet the needs of their customers. It's the same argument I was met with when dealing with O2 and Carphone Warehouse: "Computer says no".