Potentially daft question about SIM only deals

[OriginofSpecies]

My mobile phone contract has expired. I want to keep current handset and switch to a SIM only deal with same network provider (cheaper but more data/texts/minutes each month).

Do I keep the same SIM card and they just change the details of the new contract at their end and apply it to my account?

Or will they post me a new SIM card to put in my phone?

You keep the SIM and they just change your tariff.

Just wondering how quickly I can get on the new deal. If it can all be sorted in a quick phone call to my service provider today, then I'll do that.

But I'm away next week, so don't want to wait for a new Sim to be posted. If that is the case I might go to my local carphone warehouse and get it sorted in store.

@scottishdadofthree great, thanks for that

I have always had to have a new SIM card.

@KnifeAngel even with same network provider?

I've personally found that doing it in person is the easiest way. With my phone company, I can keep the same sim, the tariff just gets added to my bill. I can also keep the same sim card and change my number as well.

And occasionally I get better deals if I go into store rather than on the phone.

Yes I have had it with Vodafone and my mum changed with Tesco last week and had to have a new SIM.

We just moved provider to Tesco. Same handsets, new SIM cards and a much cheaper deal for more data.

I did this with EE and I didn’t need a new sim, did it all with an online chat and it changed to the new sim only tariff immediately.

We have a new sim only deal with o2 every year. We keep the SIM card and we can sort it out on the website and it starts immediately. I think you can probably speak to your provider on the phone too.

Thank you all. I did it all online in the end, very painless!

We have a great SIM only deal with Sky, there are lots of really good deals around.