This might sound a bit dumb but I have a mobile phone that the contract is up in a months time. I want to buy a new phone with a different network, so far so good. Hypothetically, if I sold my old phone on ebay do I state that it is locked to a network i.e 3 but there is no contract on it. I can't understand how that part works.
Would the new buyer have to either unlock the phone, take out a new contract with 3 or go PAYG with 3 for it to function properly. I can't see any where that you can take out a contract with an existing handset, doubly

My daughter has just stopped her contract with 3, and as far as I know she's still got the same phone but now on payg. I will find out.

Just checked, yr phone won't be locked to the network, and thinking about it my sister changes her phone for a new one every twelve months and sells the old one on and keeps the same sim card.
HTH

Dee

you can take your phone to a shop and get it unlocked which should cost approx £10 or you can look on internet for free unlocking sites and try it yourself but beware because you only get 3 shots at unlocking the phone so if it doesn't work after the second time take it to a shop.  good luck selling your phone, I've done this a few times and its amazing what people are prepared to pay for a second hand phone especially if you've still got the box and manual.

Okay, think I've got it. If the contract expires the phone is unlocked and I can sell it as such where the buyer buys a new sim card of their choice or I could choose to unlock the phone now. I am amazed that people do buy second hand phones when you can get a brand new phone with all these half price plans etc and other incentives. I hope to get the new Motorola A780 with Sat Nav, free phone and  half price line rental for 6 months.

Sorry for putting a spanner in the works, but I was always led to believe if the phone is on the 3 network, then you can't unlock it. A friend had one and wanted me to look into getting it unlocked from an internet site and the majority of the 3 network phones can't be unlocked there was only about half a dozen 3 models that could be.

Also it wouldn't become unlocked just because you came to the end of your contract, at least I wouldn't have thought so anyways.

Okay, if I sell the phone once the contract expires then it remains locked to 3 and the buyer will need to buy a new 3 sim card?? It's 50/50 on ebay as to whether the phones are locked or not so I guess this is one that can be unlocked if desired

Ok, if you have a phone on contract at the end of each 12 months the phone is yours. They then offer you a new upgraded model and you carry on the contract. The 'old' phone is then yours to keep, sell on or whatever. My sister has been on contract phones for years and each year she sells her 'old' one to my hubby or the boys, daughter, whoever, and they just put their sim card in.  as long as its a GSM phone any sim card can be used :)

Dee

I have sold a couple of phones on ebay with no problems. I kept the sim card as i still need it. If you sell the phone you must be clear on its details of what is included and not included. Mine was locked on t-mobile so i worded it something like this - at present the phone is locked on t-mobile i do not know if it can be unlocked etc....   Some people want a new phone (say they have damaged theirs but got no insurance) but dont want to fork out for an expensive new pay as you go so they simply put their old sim card in it, if you are clear on the details ie locked then you will have no problems. If you sell it with the contract sim card then be careful to tell your supplier what you are intending to do as the new users could run up a large bill and you will still be expected to pay it as they will still have your details. Just because the contract is up doesnt mean that it will end mine keeps going untill i tell them otherwise - unless its a special contract

Gosh, I am sure getting confused . The new phone I want has the best deal with T Mobile. The old 3 phone contract expires in March, I intend to write to them to cancel the contract before the 30 days to end of contract. If I sell the old phone on ebay I will state that it is currently locked to 3 and I will keep the old sim card so they will need to buy or use their old one. Is that okay :-D

As far as I am aware Herbiedax you can cancel the 3 contract now but you would still have to pay the line rental/minimum package amount until March.  Your phone never automatically unlocks but has to be unlocked but I have never had a 3 phone so do not know the status of them in relation to unlocking.  Your phone will appeal to more people if it is unlocked and with accessories but you should still get a fair price even if it is not.  Perhaps you could buy a 3 PAYG sim so the buyer has a ready to use package?  it might be worth doing a google search on unlocking 3 phones to see what the liklihood is of getting your unlocked before approaching any shops to do it.

Yes, there is a 30 day notice required to cancel the contract which I will do. Had a look at the 3 PAYG sim cards and they are quite dear. I will look closer at the same phones being sold on ebay see how they are selling those that are locked.
Cheers all :-) :-)