# The lonely phone post thread.



## Sasaferrato (Feb 11, 2022)

My phone just made the 'Text arrived' sound, but there is no text. It has happened a few times. 

Wi-fi Bluetooth and data are all off.

Anyone got any idea why?


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## Puddy_Tat (Feb 11, 2022)

my mobile occasionally does that, and it's some sort of pointless alert from one of the app things that's on there.

it's annoying.


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## Sasaferrato (Feb 11, 2022)

Puddy_Tat said:


> my mobile occasionally does that, and it's some sort of pointless alert from one of the app things that's on there.
> 
> it's annoying.


Thanks, that makes sense. I keep wi-fi and Bluetooth off, that way I charge it once every ten days.


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## Epona (Feb 11, 2022)

Yeah mine does that, it's usually that something on there has an update waiting or something (I think).


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## two sheds (Feb 11, 2022)

I don't actually use my mobile (no reception in valley). Did however go to a funeral a couple of years ago and for some reason took it with me. Nobody was ever likely to phone me because I don't actually use my mobile (no reception in valley) but I took the battery out


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## Epona (Apr 12, 2022)

two sheds said:


> I don't actually use my mobile (no reception in valley). Did however go to a funeral a couple of years ago and for some reason took it with me. Nobody was ever likely to phone me because I don't actually use my mobile (no reception in valley) but I took the battery out



I quite liked that Jack Dee series, Bad Move - a lot of stuff was explained by them being "in the dip" - something that I can relate to from where I grew up.  Still no phone reception there.  And it has a microclimate thing going on where it is colder than the surrounding areas, plants flower later, they get the first frost about 3 weeks earlier etc... so that particular theme in the show always made me chuckle


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## two sheds (Apr 12, 2022)

Was talking to someone who moved to a village up the road he said he liked living there but one thing he didn't like was the no mobile reception. It's one of the things I particularly like


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## Sasaferrato (Apr 12, 2022)

I knew this thread would turn out to be wildly popular... 

The Sas family has a pair of Samsung ao2s phones, today Mrs Sas wanted a number, so I wrote it down and sent it by text.

Is there a way of sending a number, indeed the whole contact detail, from one phone to the other?


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## Throbbing Angel (Apr 12, 2022)

You can share contacts from the Contacts app in your phone Sasaferrato 
You can send the contacts file or just the contacts details as text in an SMS or email or WhatsApp or whatever you have installed.


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## Sasaferrato (Apr 12, 2022)

Throbbing Angel said:


> You can share contacts from the Contacts app in your phone Sasaferrato
> You can send the contacts file or just the contacts details as text in an SMS or email or WhatsApp or whatever you have installed.


Ta.


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## two sheds (Apr 12, 2022)

writing them down and texting sounds easier tbh


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## UnderAnOpenSky (May 15, 2022)

I think it's a shame the current trend is for on screen fingerprint scanners. Used to much prefer it behind the phone on my old Samsung. It's worked fine on my P30 and Pixel, but when you apply a screen protector gets far more hit and miss.


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## two sheds (May 15, 2022)

couldn't someone who nicked the phone just photograph the screen for the fingerprint and 3D print your finger? Or steal your finger while they're stealing your phone


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## farmerbarleymow (May 15, 2022)

two sheds said:


> couldn't someone who nicked the phone just photograph the screen for the fingerprint and 3D print your finger? Or steal your finger while they're stealing your phone


You need to use alcohol rub to remove any trace of your fingerprint after unlocking the phone - just in case someone tries to do that.


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## two sheds (May 15, 2022)

i.e. every time you use it?


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## farmerbarleymow (May 15, 2022)

two sheds said:


> i.e. every time you use it?


Yes, you can't be too careful with these things.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (May 15, 2022)

two sheds said:


> couldn't someone who nicked the phone just photograph the screen for the fingerprint and 3D print your finger? Or steal your finger while they're stealing your phone



If they're willing to chop of my finger I'll happily give them the pin code.

Think you struggle to get amount of detail needed. The phone certainly does with the screen protector.


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## Epona (May 16, 2022)

This is probably the most stupid phone question in the history of stupid phone questions:

I have a phone that is on my OH's contract with EE.

I have no data included with that contract.  This is mostly fine.

If I wanted to occasionally buy say £5 or £10 worth of data, how would I do that?  I kind of know how it works for PAYG phones, but not for ones on a contract where it is not your contract and you don't want to pay for monthly x amount of data because you'd only use it occasionally and that would be a complete waste of money and just want an occasional top up.


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## two sheds (May 16, 2022)

I have a giffgaff account and have had £10 on it for the last three years or so  they tell me every six months or so that I need to use it, so I use it and they then email me saying that they're very happy that I'm on the right tariff. 

sorry, not sure whether this will help


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## farmerbarleymow (May 16, 2022)

Epona said:


> This is probably the most stupid phone question in the history of stupid phone questions:
> 
> I have a phone that is on my OH's contract with EE.
> 
> ...


I think you can 'gift' data to another number on EE - not sure if this includes numbers that are part of the same contract, but worth checking their site to see if this would work.  That's assuming your OH has data on his number.


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## Epona (May 16, 2022)

farmerbarleymow said:


> I think you can 'gift' data to another number on EE - not sure if this includes numbers that are part of the same contract, but worth checking their site to see if this would work.  That's assuming your OH has data on his number.



He does have data for his phone but uses it himself, I just want to occasionally buy some for myself - he would buy me some data but he's rarely around due to shift work and I am like 95% certain that he has no idea how to log into his account with EE (if he even remembers his account name/password) and actually do that.  I basically just want to get an occasional £5 worth of data.   If I try to do it direct from my phone it wants a username and password which I am fairly sure even OH doesn't know himself (just because - our internet acct with BT is the same bloody story!!)

(I've never really had a need for data as I am mostly at home and can use my PC here or my phone via wifi, but as I've got more into the bird watching thing it would be useful to have a small amount of credit to use apps like Bird.net to identify bird song/calls while I am out and about)


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## farmerbarleymow (May 16, 2022)

You can do it via the app - but that will need him to log in.  There should be a way of resetting the password though.









						How do I gift my data and set controls?
					

Find out how to gift your data - the easy way to move spare data around all your family’s devices.




					ee.co.uk


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## Epona (May 16, 2022)

farmerbarleymow said:


> You can do it via the app - but that will need him to log in.  There should be a way of resetting the password though.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Is there no way to just buy a card at a shop and enter the code on my phone like I used to do for PAYG calls/texts back in the day?

That would be ideal - I don't mind that I am on OH's contract (have no income to pay for my own), but I would like to be a bit in control of some aspects of my life without getting him to sort it, if that makes sense 

(While avoiding eye-rolling because I want to be able to use Bird.Net)


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## farmerbarleymow (May 16, 2022)

Epona said:


> Is there no way to just buy a card at a shop and enter the code on my phone like I used to do for PAYG calls/texts back in the day?


No idea tbh - it's many years since I used PAYG.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (May 16, 2022)

Epona said:


> Is there no way to just buy a card at a shop and enter the code on my phone like I used to do for PAYG calls/texts back in the day?
> 
> That would be ideal - I don't mind that I am on OH's contract (have no income to pay for my own), but I would like to be a bit in control of some aspects of my life without getting him to sort it, if that makes sense
> 
> (While avoiding eye-rolling because I want to be able to use Bird.Net)



Does your phone have duel sim? The easiest way to do what you want would be a second sim and buy a cheap bundle when you need data.


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## Throbbing Angel (May 16, 2022)

Epona said:


> Is there no way to just buy a card at a shop and enter the code on my phone like I used to do for PAYG calls/texts back in the day?
> 
> That would be ideal - I don't mind that I am on OH's contract (have no income to pay for my own), but I would like to be a bit in control of some aspects of my life without getting him to sort it, if that makes sense
> 
> (While avoiding eye-rolling because I want to be able to use Bird.Net)



There is - this still exists - the issue you have is that that system is for PAYG not contract SIMs - which is what you have by the sounds of it.

The post office sells these top-up codes - maybe ask in there?


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## UnderAnOpenSky (May 16, 2022)

Also worth adding that whilst you can buy extra data for a contract, it's often very expensive, as what they want you to do is upgrade the plan to one with more data.


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## Throbbing Angel (May 16, 2022)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Does your phone have duel sim? The easiest way to do what you want would be a second sim and buy a cheap bundle when you need data.


^^^ this ^^^ = route of least agg


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## Epona (May 16, 2022)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Does your phone have duel sim? The easiest way to do what you want would be a second sim and buy a cheap bundle when you need data.



Not a scoobie tbh 

It's a Samsung Galaxy A21s


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## UnderAnOpenSky (May 16, 2022)

Epona said:


> Not a scoobie tbh
> 
> It's a Samsung Galaxy A21s



Frustratingly it appears that it comes in both single and dual so you might have to pop open you sim tray and have a look. It will look like this if you do, with the third bigger hole being for a memory card.


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## Throbbing Angel (May 16, 2022)

Epona said:


> Not a scoobie tbh
> 
> It's a Samsung Galaxy A21s



Settings >> Connections >> SIM card Manager.

I _think_ it lists the number of slots there, even if one of the slots is empty.  I can see both of mine in there.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (May 16, 2022)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Settings >> Connections >> SIM card Manager.
> 
> I _think_ it lists the number of slots there, even if one of the slots is empty.  I can see both of mine in there.



Yes. That is an easier solution.


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## Epona (May 16, 2022)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Settings >> Connections >> SIM card Manager.
> 
> I _think_ it lists the number of slots there, even if one of the slots is empty.  I can see both of mine in there.



Oh fantastic, thank you!

Yeah it says:

SIM Card 1
and under that
No SIM Card (which is greyed out).

So that means I can just buy a PAYG SIM purely for data, and keep the contract SIM for calls and texts? (Which I get free, so no desire to change that arrangement!)


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## Epona (May 16, 2022)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Frustratingly it appears that it comes in both single and dual so you might have to pop open you sim tray and have a look. It will look like this if you do, with the third bigger hole being for a memory card.
> 
> View attachment 322907



Oh so THAT's where a memory card goes!  I could do with one but wasn't sure what type or where it would be inserted - might get one at the same time.  I take a lot of photos which quickly eat up space.

Thank you!  (I really am a bit of a dunce about mobile phones)


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## UnderAnOpenSky (May 16, 2022)

Epona said:


> Oh so THAT's where a memory card goes!  I could do with one but wasn't sure what type or where it would be inserted - might get one at the same time.  I take a lot of photos which quickly eat up space.
> 
> Thank you!  (I really am a bit of a dunce about mobile phones)



They are stupidly cheap these days as well, so if you have a phone with a slot it seems a shame not to. Don't forget to back them up though - be a shame to loose the pics if something happened to the phone. Google really wins here for convivence, but if you've got an Amazon Prime account you also get unlimited photo storage.


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## Throbbing Angel (May 16, 2022)

Epona said:


> Oh fantastic, thank you!
> 
> Yeah it says:
> 
> ...



Excellent - 2 slots -  and yes, it does mean that     HAve you got a SIM provider in mind?


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## Epona (May 16, 2022)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> They are stupidly cheap these days as well, so if you have a phone with a slot it seems a shame not to. Don't forget to back them up though - be a shame to loose the pics if something happened to the phone. Google really wins here for convivence, but if you've got an Amazon Prime account you also get unlimited photo storage.



Thanks, yeah I save any photos I like to my google drive


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## Epona (May 16, 2022)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Excellent - 2 slots -  and yes, it does mean that     HAve you got a SIM provider in mind?



I haven't, this is the first I realised that it might be an option so have given it absolutely zero thought - recommendations welcome! 

I'd just be wanting fairly small amounts of data top-up probably to use Bird.net on the go, check bus times/travel updates, and use google maps occasionally.  I don't tend to be glued to my phone or uploading videos and photos all day - can do that when I get home and am on the wifi network 

(As previously mentioned, I don't need calls or text on it, I get UK calls and texts free on my contract)


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## UnderAnOpenSky (May 16, 2022)

Epona said:


> I haven't, this is the first I realised that it might be an option so have given it absolutely zero thought - recommendations welcome!
> 
> I'd just be wanting fairly small amounts of data top-up probably to use Bird.net on the go, check bus times/travel updates, and use google maps occasionally.  I don't tend to be glued to my phone or uploading videos and photos all day - can do that when I get home and am on the wifi network
> 
> (As previously mentioned, I don't need calls or text on it, I get UK calls and texts free on my contract)



I think Giff Gaff is very popular, my OH was with them for years and £10 gets you 15Gb which lasts a month. If you don't want to pay through the nose most providers make you buy a "bundle" that expires after 30 days.









						Get your giffgaff SIM too
					

I just ordered a giffgaff SIM card. Get your giffgaff SIM card too so we can call and text each other for free.




					www.giffgaff.com


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## Lazy Llama (May 16, 2022)

EE do addons for pay monthly contracts. 








						What are pay monthly add-ons?
					

Find out all about pay monthly add-ons - packages of minutes, messages, data and services you can add to your account.




					ee.co.uk


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## Throbbing Angel (May 16, 2022)

Epona said:


> I haven't, this is the first I realised that it might be an option so have given it absolutely zero thought - recommendations welcome!
> 
> I'd just be wanting fairly small amounts of data top-up probably to use Bird.net on the go, check bus times/travel updates, and use google maps occasionally.  I don't tend to be glued to my phone or uploading videos and photos all day - can do that when I get home and am on the wifi network
> 
> (As previously mentioned, I don't need calls or text on it, I get UK calls and texts free on my contract)



YOu mentioned top up vouchers upthread - the Post Office do that for these companies





						Mobile Top Up | Post Office
					

Whatever your network, you can buy instant E Top-ups using a card linked to your phone or E-vouchers to activate and top-up your mobile with the Post Office.




					www.postoffice.co.uk
				




SIM Sherpa - expert help picking your next mobile deal and Uswitch a great for finding deals


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## UnderAnOpenSky (May 16, 2022)

Lazy Llama said:


> EE do addons for pay monthly contracts.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I forgot that. I do remember then being expensive though. Wad definitely an owch moment if I went over when I was with them, but might be fine for epona if she only needs a tiny bit.


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## Throbbing Angel (May 16, 2022)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I forgot that. I do remember then being expensive though. Wad definitely an owch moment if I went over when I was with them, but might be fine for epona if she only needs a tiny bit.



1pmobile runs on the EE network and is lots cheaper


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## UnderAnOpenSky (May 16, 2022)

Throbbing Angel said:


> 1pmobile runs on the EE network and is lots cheaper



No, that you can add data to an existing EE contract as bolt on.

I actually wanted to stick with them, but they know they are best and just aren't competitive anymore for what I wanted. When I looked into the resellers, it turns out they don't quite get the full service.


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## Epona (May 16, 2022)

Hmm well I am with EE, if I'm going to be paying for a bundle on a monthly basis rather than topping up a small amount as and when I want it, then I might be better off prodding OH to find out what it would cost to add data for me to our contract


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## Puddy_Tat (May 16, 2022)

the PAYG thing I have with giffgaff for spare phone is genuine PAYG, not a bundle that only lasts a month.  The only obligation is you must do something that's chargeable at least once every X amount of time (can't remember if it's every 3 months or every 6 months) or it turns in to a pumpkin

having said that, i think EE do a genuine PAYG as well - mum-tat does not use her mobile very often (it's not a smart phone, so it may be different if there's data involved) and just has to top up now and then, not every month)

wonder if it's just a case of digging a bit deeper to find this sort of deal rather than more profitable ones where you do pay x amount per month?


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## Epona (May 17, 2022)

Puddy_Tat said:


> the PAYG thing I have with giffgaff for spare phone is genuine PAYG, not a bundle that only lasts a month.  The only obligation is you must do something that's chargeable at least once every X amount of time (can't remember if it's every 3 months or every 6 months) or it turns in to a pumpkin
> 
> having said that, i think EE do a genuine PAYG as well - mum-tat does not use her mobile very often (it's not a smart phone, so it may be different if there's data involved) and just has to top up now and then, not every month)
> 
> wonder if it's just a case of digging a bit deeper to find this sort of deal rather than more profitable ones where you do pay x amount per month?



Thanks for that, I'll carry on looking if there are deals like that around.  I can't really be paying for something every month when I only want to use it probably a few times during that period (and we're a fairly low-income household so can't really be taking on regular payments for stuff that we're not going to get good value from in terms of usage) - so a genuine PAYG thing is probably the only option that would be feasible.


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## Epona (May 17, 2022)

Thanks to looking stuff up due to the advice here I found some reviews of the phone which detailed how to switch the camera to a higher resolution - feeling like a right muppet now 

But will definitely need a memory card if I am going to do that regularly


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## two sheds (May 17, 2022)

Puddy_Tat said:


> the PAYG thing I have with giffgaff for spare phone is genuine PAYG, not a bundle that only lasts a month.  The only obligation is you must do something that's chargeable at least once every X amount of time (can't remember if it's every 3 months or every 6 months) or it turns in to a pumpkin
> 
> having said that, i think EE do a genuine PAYG as well - mum-tat does not use her mobile very often (it's not a smart phone, so it may be different if there's data involved) and just has to top up now and then, not every month)
> 
> wonder if it's just a case of digging a bit deeper to find this sort of deal rather than more profitable ones where you do pay x amount per month?


Have remarked but I do like giffgaff, I've had £10 that's lasted a good three or more years. Every 3/6 months they send me a message to tell me I need to make a phone call, I do, and they reassuringly tell me I'm on the right tariff. They use the O2 network.


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## Epona (May 17, 2022)

two sheds said:


> Have remarked but I do like giffgaff, I've had £10 that's lasted a good three or more years. Every 3/6 months they send me a message to tell me I need to make a phone call, I do, and they reassuringly tell me I'm on the right tariff. They use the O2 network.



I'm completely ignorant about the amount of data I'd be likely to use, for the things I've stated I'd be using it for - but typically and approximately I go out birdwatching/biodiversity monitoring once a week so it would be useful to be able to use bird.net and other species identification apps while out and about.  I maybe go to somewhere unfamiliar which would be when I'd be likely to panic en route and need to look bus times or find a map probably - oh I don't know, once every couple of months if that?  So I doubt that is enough to be wanting to buy a monthly package of x amount of data.

I think the giffgaff 10p per MB one is probably most suited to what I want - they say 6 months inactivity on their website, so that looks fine to me.  If I find I am using more at any point, it would be very easy to buy a bundle from them OR add data to my contract with EE (and that requirement would likely be if I was working and thus more able to afford a regular payment anyway).

What is the likelihood that I have to go through any unlocking nonsense with EE to be able to use a 2nd SIM?

Thanks a lot everyone for your help, this has been a most useful discussion!


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## Epona (May 17, 2022)

Epona said:


> What is the likelihood that I have to go through any unlocking nonsense with EE to be able to use a 2nd SIM?



nvm, found where to check this on the EE website and it's unlocked - I know they are these days but I've had this phone for a while now so needed to check that first!

EDIT: I've ordered a giffgaff SIM   I may be back with questions about getting it set up properly, looks like in the phone settings I can tell it what to use each SIM for, I don't want to fuck up and start getting charged for calls or summat   (Not that I make that many, but still, occasionally am forced to batter my way awkwardly through a phone call and I'd hate to have to pay for it  )


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## Epona (May 17, 2022)

Just thinking, if it is possible to mix and match the monthly plans and pure PAYG I might just buy the basic £6 monthly one for the first month and test stuff out to see how much data things require, that will give me some sort of idea without rinsing through a £10 top up in a week or something.  I daresay the feasibility of doing this will become apparent when I get the SIM and register.


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## two sheds (May 17, 2022)

No idea of the data costs, sorry- I just use mine as an emergency phone on the rare occasions I go out and need one. I'm sure what you've decided on will be fine though,


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