Trimming a standard sim down to nano

GlennB · 14th January 2020, 07:26 AM

I confess to owning an ancient Samsung Galaxy S2, which will soon stop supporting WhatsApp, which is one of the few things I use it for. So I bought a basic new phone.

But the new Samsung A10 has a tray for a nano SIM. Online help pages tell me I can just trim the old one down, but this will mean cutting into the metal part of the old one, which seems to be a no-no. This metallic area is approx 11 x 13mm, compared to a nano sim's 12.3 mm by 8.8 mm total size.

The old sim has 4 lines of metal along the long axis, only 3 of which are marked by insertion/removal over the years.

Any clues gratefully received

Tolls · 14th January 2020, 07:49 AM

Ask your provider for a replacement SIM?

I just did that over Christmas for pretty much the same reason.

I mean, you could carve it up (the new sim could be punched out to three different sizes), but I wouldn't bet on getting it right.

GlennB · 14th January 2020, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by Tolls

Ask your provider for a replacement SIM?

I just did that over Christmas for pretty much the same reason.

It's a pay-as-you-go phone so I'm not even sure they know I exist, let alone the procedure or what documentation I'd have to provide. I was after a quick hack rather than an encounter with Greek bureaucracy

Darat · 14th January 2020, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by GlennB

It's a pay-as-you-go phone so I'm not even sure they know I exist, let alone the procedure or what documentation I'd have to provide. I was after a quick hack rather than an encounter with Greek bureaucracy

You can have success at cutting even a mini SIM to a nano SIM but it does carry risk. No local Jack of all things mobile and vapping shop near by? (Dont know why but all the local phone stores have taken to selling vaping supplies.)

They may have one of the cutters (look like a stapler), they tend to be more successful than a free hand trim.

Tolls · 14th January 2020, 08:22 AM

Modern sims are designed to work in three sizes, just punch out the relevant sim.
However the key there (I suspect) is "designed". I'm not sure an old, pre-nano, sim was designed with the same concept, so simply cutting it I would think would cause issues.

I know I didn't fancy doing it.

Giordano · 14th January 2020, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by GlennB

It's a pay-as-you-go phone so I'm not even sure they know I exist, let alone the procedure or what documentation I'd have to provide. I was after a quick hack rather than an encounter with Greek bureaucracy

I would certainly try to contact them first. Almost all the providers I know routinely clone older sims onto universal sims that provide a series of punch-out sizes. They may charge you a few bucks. Worth it.

They may need to uptake the bios (iirc) on your phone but that is a minor operation.

The Great Zaganza · 14th January 2020, 08:59 AM

Done it in the past with no problem.
Just make sure to not even scratch the chip.

GlennB · 14th January 2020, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by The Great Zaganza

Done it in the past with no problem.
Just make sure to not even scratch the chip.

That's the problem. The chip is bigger than a nano sim, so whether I do it myself or get it cut in the shop the chip itself will have to be cut.

Looks like another drive to the (distant) shop to maybe get it cut or have it cloned or whatever. Maybe just get a new sim and restore all my contacts, photos etc. Sigh.

And why "nano" sims anyway? Were the old ones taking up too much space?

RecoveringYuppy · 14th January 2020, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by GlennB

Looks like another drive to the (distant) shop to maybe get it cut or have it cloned or whatever. Maybe just get a new sim and restore all my contacts, photos etc. Sigh.

Photos? Those wouldn't be stored on the SIM would they? SIMs are capable of storing some contact info but I'm not sure that most contact apps actually use them for that.

ETA: Maybe I should ask: Are you sure what you have is the SIM card and not the SD?

GlennB · 14th January 2020, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy

Photos? Those wouldn't be stored on the SIM would they? SIMs are capable of storing some contact info but I'm not sure that most contact apps actually use them for that.

ETA: Maybe I should ask: Are you sure what you have is the SIM card and not the SD?

The old phone has no SD card. It's definitely the SIM.

But either way, if I go with a new SIM I'll want to recover the photos and contacts onto the new phone. Actually that raises an interesting point - will the old phone accept a nano sim so that I can export the contacts (currently duplicated, phone and sim)? We shall see.

RecoveringYuppy · 14th January 2020, 09:53 AM

Not sure what you are thinking/planning here. The old phone will do everything except make phone calls/texts without a SIM card.

zooterkin · 14th January 2020, 09:58 AM

I've got a cutter sitting in the drawer next to me, which I have used successfully in the past (though I don't know if the SIM had to be of a certain type for that). I've also had a nano-SIM supplied for free by my service provider (3) when I changed to a phone that needed one (bought by me, not on the contract).

GlennB · 14th January 2020, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy

Not sure what you are thinking/planning here. The old phone will do everything except make phone calls/texts without a SIM card.

Well, maybe, but I don't want to haul it around with me just so I can replay to a friend that nice video of my granddaughter singing or the snap I took of the nice countryside, do I?

I want a modern phone that has the same facilities as the old one but isn't going to cut me off from WhatsApp one day soon (as described in the o/p)

RecoveringYuppy · 14th January 2020, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by GlennB

Well, maybe, but I don't want to haul it around with me just so I can replay to a friend that nice video of my granddaughter singing or the snap I took of the nice countryside, do I?

I want a modern phone that has the same facilities as the old one but isn't going to cut me off from WhatsApp one day soon (as described in the o/p)

I'm not suggesting you keep the old phone forever. I'm telling you can recover most, maybe even all, the data off of it without it having a SIM card in it.

ETA: BTW when I say most I mean like 99.999% of it. The internal storage on an S2 has at least 100,000 times more capacity than the SIM card.

Darat · 14th January 2020, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by GlennB

The old phone has no SD card. It's definitely the SIM.

But either way, if I go with a new SIM I'll want to recover the photos and contacts onto the new phone. Actually that raises an interesting point - will the old phone accept a nano sim so that I can export the contacts (currently duplicated, phone and sim)? We shall see.

Absolutely 100% certain that there are no photos stored on your SIM.

Darat · 14th January 2020, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by zooterkin

I've got a cutter sitting in the drawer next to me, which I have used successfully in the past (though I don't know if the SIM had to be of a certain type for that). I've also had a nano-SIM supplied for free by my service provider (3) when I changed to a phone that needed one (bought by me, not on the contract).

Most cutters take a mini down to a micro.

Darat · 14th January 2020, 11:46 AM

Are you sure Whatsapp is going to stop working on your S2? The last android version officially rolled out for the S2 was *4.1 and that should be fine even after Feb?

zooterkin · 14th January 2020, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by Darat

Most cutters take a mini down to a micro.

This one is a Dual SIM cutter, it does both.

GlennB · 14th January 2020, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by Darat

Are you sure Whatsapp is going to stop working on your S2? The last android version officially rolled out for the S2 was *4.1 and that should be fine even after Feb?

Well, that's what the phone keeps telling me when I fire up WhatsApp

Seems this phone is Android 2.3.4

GlennB · 14th January 2020, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy

I'm not suggesting you keep the old phone forever. I'm telling you can recover most, maybe even all, the data off of it without it having a SIM card in it.

ETA: BTW when I say most I mean like 99.999% of it. The internal storage on an S2 has at least 100,000 times more capacity than the SIM card.

Originally Posted by Darat

Absolutely 100% certain that there are no photos stored on your SIM.

OK, cheers. They're all copied to a laptop now anyway.

MRC_Hans · 14th January 2020, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by GlennB

I confess to owning an ancient Samsung Galaxy S2, which will soon stop supporting WhatsApp, which is one of the few things I use it for. So I bought a basic new phone.

But the new Samsung A10 has a tray for a nano SIM. Online help pages tell me I can just trim the old one down, but this will mean cutting into the metal part of the old one, which seems to be a no-no. This metallic area is approx 11 x 13mm, compared to a nano sim's 12.3 mm by 8.8 mm total size.

The old sim has 4 lines of metal along the long axis, only 3 of which are marked by insertion/removal over the years.

Any clues gratefully received

Done that, Works fine.

Hans

Darat · 14th January 2020, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by zooterkin

This one is a Dual SIM cutter, it does both.

Posh sod.

Darat · 14th January 2020, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by GlennB

Well, that's what the phone keeps telling me when I fire up WhatsApp

Seems this phone is Android 2.3.4

Go into your settings and find software update. You should get a later version. If not you can do the upgrade "manually" if you have access to a PC?

GlennB · 14th January 2020, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by Darat

Go into your settings and find software update. You should get a later version. If not you can do the upgrade "manually" if you have access to a PC?

Cheers. Tried that but it tells me "this country not supported"

But the phone is a colossal piece of crap anyway so an upgrade is well overdue. When we move back to the UK it might need to act as a wifi hotspot, among other things (new UK sim, on contract)

Darat · 14th January 2020, 02:54 PM

Could try a VPN with a UK IP address

https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn...uk-ip-address/

GlennB · 14th January 2020, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by Darat

Could try a VPN with a UK IP address

https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn...uk-ip-address/

A VPN on an ancient phone? It's a very rare day when I even surf the BBC on that thing's tiny screen. Nah, not worth the effort. It has to go. The contacts list is the biggie, which is why I'm wondering whether a brand new nano SIM will work on the old phone so that I can import them from the phone onto that SIM. The shop will tell me, I hope.

Darat · 14th January 2020, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by GlennB

A VPN on an ancient phone? It's a very rare day when I even surf the BBC on that thing's tiny screen. Nah, not worth the effort. It has to go. The contacts list is the biggie, which is why I'm wondering whether a brand new nano SIM will work on the old phone so that I can import them from the phone onto that SIM. The shop will tell me, I hope.

Yep a new SIM will fit into your old phone before you push out the micro and nano sizes. Have you not got them saved to your google account? If I recall correctly you can from the contacts app export all the contacts as a VCF file and then you can email that file and open it on your new phone.

RecoveringYuppy · 14th January 2020, 03:15 PM

Why do you think your contacts are on the SIM? That hasn't been normal for a long time.

GlennB · 14th January 2020, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by Darat

Yep a new SIM will fit into your old phone before you push out the micro and nano sizes. Have you not got them saved to your google account? If I recall correctly you can from the contacts app export all the contacts as a VCF file and then you can email that file and open it on your new phone.

I spotted that option earlier, but when I went to look just now it had gone. Meantime I had exported from the SIM to the phone. Dunno if those things are connected.

What I do know is that every entry in my contacts list is duplicated, as it's seeing both SIM and phone

Not a problem.

Darat · 14th January 2020, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy

Why do you think your contacts are on the SIM? That hasn't been normal for a long time.

You'll be surprised how many people do save them to the SIM card or even more common have some on the phone, some on the SIM card, some on an cloud account and for even more variety a few in a note on their phone.

RecoveringYuppy · 14th January 2020, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by Darat

You'll be surprised how many people do save them to the SIM card or even more common have some on the phone, some on the SIM card, some on an cloud account and for even more variety a few in a note on their phone.

Just sloppiness or is there some benefit?

grmcdorman · 14th January 2020, 08:06 PM

A lot of independent phone repair shops, at least here in Canada, will trim the SIM for you for a nominal fee (CAD$5 or so).

The issue with trimming it, though, is that typically the larger SIM cards are also thicker, so you may find even the trimmed card does not fit well in the tray. When I got a shop to trim my SIM card, the tray was stiff and reluctant to go in and out. Wouldn't take much to jam, I think, so be careful.

Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy

Originally Posted by Darat

You'll be surprised how many people do save them to the SIM card or even more common have some on the phone, some on the SIM card, some on an cloud account and for even more variety a few in a note on their phone.

Just sloppiness or is there some benefit?

Probably sloppiness; phones often default to saving to the SIM card. In theory, it would allow moving the contacts with the card as well; however the SIM card often doesn't store as much detail for each contact as well.

On the other hand, if you ~~sold your soul~~ have a Google account you will have access to your Google contacts (on Android, that is, which is what the OP had).

catsmate · 17th January 2020, 05:59 AM

Originally Posted by GlennB

It's a pay-as-you-go phone so I'm not even sure they know I exist, let alone the procedure or what documentation I'd have to provide. I was after a quick hack rather than an encounter with Greek bureaucracy

Here the process is:
Go into shop.
"Hey can I get a replacement for this SIM, nano size".
"Certainly. One moment".
<keys click>
"Here you go".
"Thank you".

catsmate · 17th January 2020, 06:02 AM

Originally Posted by GlennB

The old phone has no SD card. It's definitely the SIM.

But either way, if I go with a new SIM I'll want to recover the photos and contacts onto the new phone. Actually that raises an interesting point - will the old phone accept a nano sim so that I can export the contacts (currently duplicated, phone and sim)? We shall see.

SIMs hold, at the very most, 512kB of data and most are 64kB or less. That's one-half megabyte. They don't hold photos, and it's bloody unlikely that a camera app could save to it even if there was capacity.

A USB SIM reader is, around here, about €1.50. Insert SIM, plus into computer and copy off data such as SMS texts and contacts.

catsmate · 17th January 2020, 06:04 AM

Originally Posted by Giordano

I would certainly try to contact them first. Almost all the providers I know routinely clone older sims onto universal sims that provide a series of punch-out sizes. They may charge you a few bucks. Worth it.

They may need to uptake the bios (iirc) on your phone but that is a minor operation.

This. My telco doesn't usually charge for a new SIM linked to the old number but they may charge for cloning, it depends on the person you deal with.

Some phones need an update for the newer, larger capacity, SIMs.

catsmate · 17th January 2020, 06:06 AM

Originally Posted by GlennB

Well, that's what the phone keeps telling me when I fire up WhatsApp

Seems this phone is Android 2.3.4

WhatsApp hasn't supported Android 2.3.x for about three years.

GlennB · 17th January 2020, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by catsmate

WhatsApp hasn't supported Android 2.3.x for about three years.

Well, I can only tell you what it says on the screen in the settings area.

RecoveringYuppy · 17th January 2020, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by catsmate

WhatsApp hasn't supported Android 2.3.x for about three years.

That probably just means they might not take questions during that period.

catsmate · 17th January 2020, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by GlennB

Well, I can only tell you what it says on the screen in the settings area.

Oh it can be done, or could at least. Old versions ran under early versions of Android. However they can't be easily acquired for reinstallation.

catsmate · 17th January 2020, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy

That probably just means they might not take questions during that period.

The later versions, from the App stores, simply won't install on an Android version that old. WhatsApp did maintain an archive of old versions for such cases but I believe they've dropped this.

14th January 2020, 07:26 AM	#1
GlennB Loggerheaded, earth-vexing fustilarian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Usk, Wales Posts: 26,257	Trimming a standard sim down to nano I confess to owning an ancient Samsung Galaxy S2, which will soon stop supporting WhatsApp, which is one of the few things I use it for. So I bought a basic new phone. But the new Samsung A10 has a tray for a nano SIM. Online help pages tell me I can just trim the old one down, but this will mean cutting into the metal part of the old one, which seems to be a no-no. This metallic area is approx 11 x 13mm, compared to a nano sim's 12.3 mm by 8.8 mm total size. The old sim has 4 lines of metal along the long axis, only 3 of which are marked by insertion/removal over the years. Any clues gratefully received
	__________________ "Even a broken clock is right twice a day. 9/11 truth is a clock with no hands." - Beachnut

14th January 2020, 08:05 AM	#3
GlennB Loggerheaded, earth-vexing fustilarian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Usk, Wales Posts: 26,257	Originally Posted by Tolls Ask your provider for a replacement SIM? I just did that over Christmas for pretty much the same reason. It's a pay-as-you-go phone so I'm not even sure they know I exist, let alone the procedure or what documentation I'd have to provide. I was after a quick hack rather than an encounter with Greek bureaucracy
	__________________ "Even a broken clock is right twice a day. 9/11 truth is a clock with no hands." - Beachnut

14th January 2020, 08:13 AM	#4
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 96,143	Originally Posted by GlennB It's a pay-as-you-go phone so I'm not even sure they know I exist, let alone the procedure or what documentation I'd have to provide. I was after a quick hack rather than an encounter with Greek bureaucracy You can have success at cutting even a mini SIM to a nano SIM but it does carry risk. No local Jack of all things mobile and vapping shop near by? (Dont know why but all the local phone stores have taken to selling vaping supplies.) They may have one of the cutters (look like a stapler), they tend to be more successful than a free hand trim.
	__________________ I wish I knew how to quit you

14th January 2020, 08:59 AM	#7
The Great Zaganza Maledictorian Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 14,405	Done it in the past with no problem. Just make sure to not even scratch the chip.
	__________________ Ceterum autem censeo fox et amicis esse delendam.

14th January 2020, 09:17 AM	#8
GlennB Loggerheaded, earth-vexing fustilarian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Usk, Wales Posts: 26,257	Originally Posted by The Great Zaganza Done it in the past with no problem. Just make sure to not even scratch the chip. That's the problem. The chip is bigger than a nano sim, so whether I do it myself or get it cut in the shop the chip itself will have to be cut. Looks like another drive to the (distant) shop to maybe get it cut or have it cloned or whatever. Maybe just get a new sim and restore all my contacts, photos etc. Sigh. And why "nano" sims anyway? Were the old ones taking up too much space?
	__________________ "Even a broken clock is right twice a day. 9/11 truth is a clock with no hands." - Beachnut

14th January 2020, 07:49 AM	#2
Tolls Philosopher Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Posts: 5,223	Ask your provider for a replacement SIM? I just did that over Christmas for pretty much the same reason. I mean, you could carve it up (the new sim could be punched out to three different sizes), but I wouldn't bet on getting it right.

14th January 2020, 08:22 AM	#5
Tolls Philosopher Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Posts: 5,223	Modern sims are designed to work in three sizes, just punch out the relevant sim. However the key there (I suspect) is "designed". I'm not sure an old, pre-nano, sim was designed with the same concept, so simply cutting it I would think would cause issues. I know I didn't fancy doing it.

14th January 2020, 08:36 AM	#6
Giordano Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 17,646	Originally Posted by GlennB It's a pay-as-you-go phone so I'm not even sure they know I exist, let alone the procedure or what documentation I'd have to provide. I was after a quick hack rather than an encounter with Greek bureaucracy I would certainly try to contact them first. Almost all the providers I know routinely clone older sims onto universal sims that provide a series of punch-out sizes. They may charge you a few bucks. Worth it. They may need to uptake the bios (iirc) on your phone but that is a minor operation.

14th January 2020, 09:32 AM	#9
RecoveringYuppy Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 10,352	Originally Posted by GlennB Looks like another drive to the (distant) shop to maybe get it cut or have it cloned or whatever. Maybe just get a new sim and restore all my contacts, photos etc. Sigh. Photos? Those wouldn't be stored on the SIM would they? SIMs are capable of storing some contact info but I'm not sure that most contact apps actually use them for that. ETA: Maybe I should ask: Are you sure what you have is the SIM card and not the SD?
	Last edited by RecoveringYuppy; 14th January 2020 at 09:34 AM.

14th January 2020, 09:40 AM	#10
GlennB Loggerheaded, earth-vexing fustilarian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Usk, Wales Posts: 26,257	Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy Photos? Those wouldn't be stored on the SIM would they? SIMs are capable of storing some contact info but I'm not sure that most contact apps actually use them for that. ETA: Maybe I should ask: Are you sure what you have is the SIM card and not the SD? The old phone has no SD card. It's definitely the SIM. But either way, if I go with a new SIM I'll want to recover the photos and contacts onto the new phone. Actually that raises an interesting point - will the old phone accept a nano sim so that I can export the contacts (currently duplicated, phone and sim)? We shall see.
	__________________ "Even a broken clock is right twice a day. 9/11 truth is a clock with no hands." - Beachnut Last edited by GlennB; 14th January 2020 at 09:42 AM.

14th January 2020, 09:53 AM	#11
RecoveringYuppy Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 10,352	Not sure what you are thinking/planning here. The old phone will do everything except make phone calls/texts without a SIM card.

14th January 2020, 09:58 AM	#12
zooterkin Nitpicking dilettante Administrator Photo Contest Winner Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Berkshire, mostly Posts: 48,031	I've got a cutter sitting in the drawer next to me, which I have used successfully in the past (though I don't know if the SIM had to be of a certain type for that). I've also had a nano-SIM supplied for free by my service provider (3) when I changed to a phone that needed one (bought by me, not on the contract).
	__________________ The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.Bertrand Russell Zooterkin is correct Darat Nerd! Hokulele Join the JREF Folders ! Team 13232 Ezekiel 23:20

14th January 2020, 10:05 AM	#13
GlennB Loggerheaded, earth-vexing fustilarian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Usk, Wales Posts: 26,257	Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy Not sure what you are thinking/planning here. The old phone will do everything except make phone calls/texts without a SIM card. Well, maybe, but I don't want to haul it around with me just so I can replay to a friend that nice video of my granddaughter singing or the snap I took of the nice countryside, do I? I want a modern phone that has the same facilities as the old one but isn't going to cut me off from WhatsApp one day soon (as described in the o/p)
	__________________ "Even a broken clock is right twice a day. 9/11 truth is a clock with no hands." - Beachnut Last edited by GlennB; 14th January 2020 at 10:09 AM.

14th January 2020, 10:12 AM	#14
RecoveringYuppy Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 10,352	Originally Posted by GlennB Well, maybe, but I don't want to haul it around with me just so I can replay to a friend that nice video of my granddaughter singing or the snap I took of the nice countryside, do I? I want a modern phone that has the same facilities as the old one but isn't going to cut me off from WhatsApp one day soon (as described in the o/p) I'm not suggesting you keep the old phone forever. I'm telling you can recover most, maybe even all, the data off of it without it having a SIM card in it. ETA: BTW when I say most I mean like 99.999% of it. The internal storage on an S2 has at least 100,000 times more capacity than the SIM card.
	Last edited by RecoveringYuppy; 14th January 2020 at 11:51 AM.

14th January 2020, 11:34 AM	#15
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 96,143	Originally Posted by GlennB The old phone has no SD card. It's definitely the SIM. But either way, if I go with a new SIM I'll want to recover the photos and contacts onto the new phone. Actually that raises an interesting point - will the old phone accept a nano sim so that I can export the contacts (currently duplicated, phone and sim)? We shall see. Absolutely 100% certain that there are no photos stored on your SIM.
	__________________ I wish I knew how to quit you

14th January 2020, 11:34 AM	#16
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 96,143	Originally Posted by zooterkin I've got a cutter sitting in the drawer next to me, which I have used successfully in the past (though I don't know if the SIM had to be of a certain type for that). I've also had a nano-SIM supplied for free by my service provider (3) when I changed to a phone that needed one (bought by me, not on the contract). Most cutters take a mini down to a micro.
	__________________ I wish I knew how to quit you

14th January 2020, 11:46 AM	#17
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 96,143	Are you sure Whatsapp is going to stop working on your S2? The last android version officially rolled out for the S2 was *4.1 and that should be fine even after Feb?
	__________________ I wish I knew how to quit you

14th January 2020, 11:59 AM	#18
zooterkin Nitpicking dilettante Administrator Photo Contest Winner Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Berkshire, mostly Posts: 48,031	Originally Posted by Darat Most cutters take a mini down to a micro. This one is a Dual SIM cutter, it does both.
	__________________ The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.Bertrand Russell Zooterkin is correct Darat Nerd! Hokulele Join the JREF Folders ! Team 13232 Ezekiel 23:20

14th January 2020, 01:07 PM	#19
GlennB Loggerheaded, earth-vexing fustilarian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Usk, Wales Posts: 26,257	Originally Posted by Darat Are you sure Whatsapp is going to stop working on your S2? The last android version officially rolled out for the S2 was *4.1 and that should be fine even after Feb? Well, that's what the phone keeps telling me when I fire up WhatsApp Seems this phone is Android 2.3.4
	__________________ "Even a broken clock is right twice a day. 9/11 truth is a clock with no hands." - Beachnut Last edited by GlennB; 14th January 2020 at 01:11 PM.

14th January 2020, 01:09 PM	#20
GlennB Loggerheaded, earth-vexing fustilarian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Usk, Wales Posts: 26,257	Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy I'm not suggesting you keep the old phone forever. I'm telling you can recover most, maybe even all, the data off of it without it having a SIM card in it. ETA: BTW when I say most I mean like 99.999% of it. The internal storage on an S2 has at least 100,000 times more capacity than the SIM card. Originally Posted by Darat Absolutely 100% certain that there are no photos stored on your SIM. OK, cheers. They're all copied to a laptop now anyway.
	__________________ "Even a broken clock is right twice a day. 9/11 truth is a clock with no hands." - Beachnut

14th January 2020, 01:26 PM	#21
MRC_Hans Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 23,341	Originally Posted by GlennB I confess to owning an ancient Samsung Galaxy S2, which will soon stop supporting WhatsApp, which is one of the few things I use it for. So I bought a basic new phone. But the new Samsung A10 has a tray for a nano SIM. Online help pages tell me I can just trim the old one down, but this will mean cutting into the metal part of the old one, which seems to be a no-no. This metallic area is approx 11 x 13mm, compared to a nano sim's 12.3 mm by 8.8 mm total size. The old sim has 4 lines of metal along the long axis, only 3 of which are marked by insertion/removal over the years. Any clues gratefully received Done that, Works fine. Hans
	__________________ Experience is an excellent teacher, but she sends large bills.

14th January 2020, 02:19 PM	#22
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 96,143	Originally Posted by zooterkin This one is a Dual SIM cutter, it does both. Posh sod.
	__________________ I wish I knew how to quit you

14th January 2020, 02:21 PM	#23
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 96,143	Originally Posted by GlennB Well, that's what the phone keeps telling me when I fire up WhatsApp Seems this phone is Android 2.3.4 Go into your settings and find software update. You should get a later version. If not you can do the upgrade "manually" if you have access to a PC?
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14th January 2020, 02:40 PM	#24
GlennB Loggerheaded, earth-vexing fustilarian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Usk, Wales Posts: 26,257	Originally Posted by Darat Go into your settings and find software update. You should get a later version. If not you can do the upgrade "manually" if you have access to a PC? Cheers. Tried that but it tells me "this country not supported" But the phone is a colossal piece of crap anyway so an upgrade is well overdue. When we move back to the UK it might need to act as a wifi hotspot, among other things (new UK sim, on contract)
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14th January 2020, 02:54 PM	#25
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 96,143	Could try a VPN with a UK IP address https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn...uk-ip-address/
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14th January 2020, 03:03 PM	#26
GlennB Loggerheaded, earth-vexing fustilarian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Usk, Wales Posts: 26,257	Originally Posted by Darat Could try a VPN with a UK IP address https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn...uk-ip-address/ A VPN on an ancient phone? It's a very rare day when I even surf the BBC on that thing's tiny screen. Nah, not worth the effort. It has to go. The contacts list is the biggie, which is why I'm wondering whether a brand new nano SIM will work on the old phone so that I can import them from the phone onto that SIM. The shop will tell me, I hope.
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14th January 2020, 03:14 PM	#27
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 96,143	Originally Posted by GlennB A VPN on an ancient phone? It's a very rare day when I even surf the BBC on that thing's tiny screen. Nah, not worth the effort. It has to go. The contacts list is the biggie, which is why I'm wondering whether a brand new nano SIM will work on the old phone so that I can import them from the phone onto that SIM. The shop will tell me, I hope. Yep a new SIM will fit into your old phone before you push out the micro and nano sizes. Have you not got them saved to your google account? If I recall correctly you can from the contacts app export all the contacts as a VCF file and then you can email that file and open it on your new phone.
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14th January 2020, 03:15 PM	#28
RecoveringYuppy Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 10,352	Why do you think your contacts are on the SIM? That hasn't been normal for a long time.

14th January 2020, 03:19 PM	#29
GlennB Loggerheaded, earth-vexing fustilarian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Usk, Wales Posts: 26,257	Originally Posted by Darat Yep a new SIM will fit into your old phone before you push out the micro and nano sizes. Have you not got them saved to your google account? If I recall correctly you can from the contacts app export all the contacts as a VCF file and then you can email that file and open it on your new phone. I spotted that option earlier, but when I went to look just now it had gone. Meantime I had exported from the SIM to the phone. Dunno if those things are connected. What I do know is that every entry in my contacts list is duplicated, as it's seeing both SIM and phone Not a problem.
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14th January 2020, 03:21 PM	#30
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 96,143	Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy Why do you think your contacts are on the SIM? That hasn't been normal for a long time. You'll be surprised how many people do save them to the SIM card or even more common have some on the phone, some on the SIM card, some on an cloud account and for even more variety a few in a note on their phone.
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14th January 2020, 03:28 PM	#31
RecoveringYuppy Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 10,352	Originally Posted by Darat You'll be surprised how many people do save them to the SIM card or even more common have some on the phone, some on the SIM card, some on an cloud account and for even more variety a few in a note on their phone. Just sloppiness or is there some benefit?

14th January 2020, 08:06 PM	#32
grmcdorman Graduate Poster Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1,346	A lot of independent phone repair shops, at least here in Canada, will trim the SIM for you for a nominal fee (CAD$5 or so). The issue with trimming it, though, is that typically the larger SIM cards are also thicker, so you may find even the trimmed card does not fit well in the tray. When I got a shop to trim my SIM card, the tray was stiff and reluctant to go in and out. Wouldn't take much to jam, I think, so be careful. Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy Originally Posted by Darat You'll be surprised how many people do save them to the SIM card or even more common have some on the phone, some on the SIM card, some on an cloud account and for even more variety a few in a note on their phone. Just sloppiness or is there some benefit? Probably sloppiness; phones often default to saving to the SIM card. In theory, it would allow moving the contacts with the card as well; however the SIM card often doesn't store as much detail for each contact as well. On the other hand, if you ~~sold your soul~~ have a Google account you will have access to your Google contacts (on Android, that is, which is what the OP had).
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17th January 2020, 05:59 AM	#33
catsmate No longer the 1 Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 23,490	Originally Posted by GlennB It's a pay-as-you-go phone so I'm not even sure they know I exist, let alone the procedure or what documentation I'd have to provide. I was after a quick hack rather than an encounter with Greek bureaucracy Here the process is: Go into shop. "Hey can I get a replacement for this SIM, nano size". "Certainly. One moment". <keys click> "Here you go". "Thank you".
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17th January 2020, 06:02 AM	#34
catsmate No longer the 1 Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 23,490	Originally Posted by GlennB The old phone has no SD card. It's definitely the SIM. But either way, if I go with a new SIM I'll want to recover the photos and contacts onto the new phone. Actually that raises an interesting point - will the old phone accept a nano sim so that I can export the contacts (currently duplicated, phone and sim)? We shall see. SIMs hold, at the very most, 512kB of data and most are 64kB or less. That's one-half megabyte. They don't hold photos, and it's bloody unlikely that a camera app could save to it even if there was capacity. A USB SIM reader is, around here, about €1.50. Insert SIM, plus into computer and copy off data such as SMS texts and contacts.
	__________________ As human right is always something given, it always in reality reduces to the right which men give, "concede," to each other. If the right to existence is conceded to new-born children, then they have the right; if it is not conceded to them, as was the case among the Spartans and ancient Romans, then they do not have it. For only society can give or concede it to them; they themselves cannot take it, or give it to themselves.

17th January 2020, 06:04 AM	#35
catsmate No longer the 1 Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 23,490	Originally Posted by Giordano I would certainly try to contact them first. Almost all the providers I know routinely clone older sims onto universal sims that provide a series of punch-out sizes. They may charge you a few bucks. Worth it. They may need to uptake the bios (iirc) on your phone but that is a minor operation. This. My telco doesn't usually charge for a new SIM linked to the old number but they may charge for cloning, it depends on the person you deal with. Some phones need an update for the newer, larger capacity, SIMs.
	__________________ As human right is always something given, it always in reality reduces to the right which men give, "concede," to each other. If the right to existence is conceded to new-born children, then they have the right; if it is not conceded to them, as was the case among the Spartans and ancient Romans, then they do not have it. For only society can give or concede it to them; they themselves cannot take it, or give it to themselves.