What does a sim free phone mean?

[ClackersGuru]

I am currently on an old contract/phone with o2 and now I want to upgrade to an iPhone 11. However, the upgrade offers I am receiving are ridicuously high from official o2 vendors (like £51 per month fro the 64GB one), so I am shopping around a bit online (found one for £35 per month).

However, I have never bought a phone this way before. 

The phone is simfree on Mobile Phones Direct, but what does that mean? Am I just paying for the handset? And then insert my current o2 sim and pay for that aswell?

[MI5]

@ClackersGuru 

Sim free means the phone is unlocked to all networks rather than being tied to just one.

Mobile phones direct sell both phones outright and on contract so check which you are buying.

[jonsie]

If you bought it outright then you put your O2 sim in, pay only airtime.

If you took out a contract you need to ask customer service to migrate the number to your new sim which will end the old contract.

[ClackersGuru]

Thanks for the reply.

The phone definitely is being sold on an o2 account, but I am unsure if I will be able to keep my current number.

And what happens to my current airtime bill in my current phone? Presumably o2 would cancel this when I contact them to move over the number?

(I also cannot see a live chat or phone number anywhere on here for customer service, I presume because call centres have closed due to COVID-19?)

[MI5]

@ClackersGuru 

You'll need to call customer service to migrate your number when you get your new contract.

Live chat is down currently so you can only call Guide: How to find help & contact O2 

[gmarkj]

Yes you can keep your current number @ClackerGuru.
If you have finished your minimum term, and the last bill (the 24th) shows as paid, you can call customer services to move your number across to the new phone (the one you have got or will get) from mobile phones direct.