N73 operating a 2g SIM

[Ultimatt]

Hi guys,

I have an unlocked N73 (fantastic phone) however I have an Orange 2g SIM card. For those of you that don't already know Orange will not upgrade or exchange the SIM without a completely new contract and 3g phone purchased through them.

However, and here is where you may be able to help; Is it possible to use a 2g SIM card in a 3g phone? I hav no need for all the 3g video and calling features, I am simply looking for the superior camera and other, non-network dependant, phone features. Therefore I am happy to sacrifice all these potential extras, to simply be able to use the phone with my old 2g card.

Is there anyway to 'down-grade' the phone's SIM requirements? At the moment it is saying 'SIM card not recognised', but surely one of you wizzes must know a way for it to be able to accept my old SIM.

Any ideas?

Matt

[DaveC]

The N73 should work happily with a 2.5G SIM provided it is of a type issued in the last 5-6 years. Some of the older ones are incompatible.

Sounds to me that there is some other fault here. If its unlocked try someone elses sim first to rule out the phone.

[pav]

You can use a 2G sim in a 3G phone and vice versa with the exception of 3.

As 3 do not have their own 2G network and rely on O2 (soon to be orange) when the is no 3 signal availiable, this results in O2 charging 3 for this service. If you tried to use a 2G phone on 3 they would send you a text / letter reminding you of their terms and conditions. If you dont then use a 3G phone they could terminate your contract and ask you to pay the balance off as you broke the terms & conditions.

Did you buy the phone as an unlocked with generic firmware as shipped from nokia (a genuine sim free version) or does it have any network branding on it. If it has network branding on it what network is it branded to. If it has network branding was advertised as sim free or unlocked to any network.

For example some phones are advertised on ebay as sim free when infact what they mean is they are selling a phone without a sim, but the phone is still locked to a network provider.

[Ultimatt]

Thanks guys.

Brough the phone off ebay as 'unlocked' and the seller witnessed it working with a couple of sims to prove the unlocking.

However, I have tried it with both a 2g O2 and Orange sim and it comes up with the same message.

The seller is happy to take it back to try and resolve the problem so we shall see.

Thanks again for your insight.

Matt

[pav]

What network was the phone origionally locked to, as only the network operaters can provide the unlock code for this type of phone.

[Ultimatt]

Yeah, I'm aware of that. The phone box branding is O2, which is why it is unusual that my O2 sim does not work. The phone came with a PAYG Mobile World (Carphone Warehouse) sim and that works fine. So this is where I started to presume that it was the sim that was the problem and not the phone unlocking.

Matt