Upgrading iphone. Old handset...

[clam]

I'm about to get an iphone 4s, but there's nothing wrong with the 3GS I currently have. DH, a complete technophobe, is considering having it, but by his own admission rarely uses a mobile and has to get me to send texts to people from his current payg handset as he "can't be arsed" to work out how to do it efficiently and quickly himself. Reckons he might check the cricket scores if he has internet access but that's about it.

Anyway, is it as simple as that, to just hand it over once I've removed my SIM? Does he have to buy a new payg sim, or can he just put his current one in the 3GS and go? Sorry to sound so ignorant, but I've not done this before and I don't quite "get" how payg could cover accessing the internet and emails etc.. Would he have to change his number?

If he's on the same network as you, I think he should be able to just continue using his SIM in your old phone (with his same number).

Not same network, no. He's T-mobile/Virgin (?) and I'm O2. And he doesn't have a contract, just Pay As You Go.

When I upgraded to a 4s DH got my 3GS - he has a TMobile SIM which is £10 a month.

DH is a self confessed technophobe, but after a few months is starting to use the iPhone a lot more.

I've set them up so that things like To Do lists sync on both phones which is useful.

That's what I want to do wit icloud.

It's really useful - we have a shopping list and a 'stuff to do' list that syncs on both phones, then separate lists as well.

I use the same itunes account for both which means that you can use any app on both phones without having to buy it twice

If you're on O2 your 3GS will be locked to that network. O2 will undo this for free.
You can either fill out a form on the website or give them a call.
Once they've unlocked this (it's done by Apple and might take a day or two), put DH's SIM in and hook up to iTunes. You'll get a message to say that's it's unlocked and away you go.

"I've not done this before and I don't quite "get" how PAYG could cover accessing the internet and emails etc..."

Probably at the cost of an arm and a leg on PAYG.

It may be worth seeing how much he spends in the first couple of months (as he starts to maybe do some searching online, listen to radio etc, via the web) and then see if switching to a contract or just moving to another network/SIM might be worthwhile (and he should be able to move his number there too, so don't be put off if it is the case another network has better deal).

Does he use £15 of calls a month? I'm on O2 p&g and get free texts and free web as long as I top up by £15 a month.

When I got mi iPhone 4 I gave DD my old 3G - it was easy to unlock, I did it via chat on the O2 website, I think it cost £10, and Dd then used it with her own Vodaphone sim.

15 quid a month gives 600 minutes, 3000 texts and "all you can eat" on Three (SIM 600 contract, a SIM-only deal)

(Not that I work for them, but it's plenty enough for my needs and my sister has an identical contract, first month free I think, and should mean she has adequate use while she is away from home and landline, living in a flat).