Advice needed re Punting SIM

[Cliveyboy]

Hi, I'll start off by saying thank you to everyone that replied to my last thread about whether less services were on offer for oldies. I found the replies very helpful.

I have another question:

I can't justify sorting a dedicated punting phone as i probably won't be able to do too much punting due to not being able to milk off the cash on a regular basis. Anyway I noticed mention on the wiki about using a SIM card.

My question is. What are the logistics involved in using a separate SIM card. Is it just a matter of swapping the card on my phone when I need to?

Would text messages and call log for the punting SIM only be available when that SIM is inserted. I'm not sure how that works.

Does anyone else use this method?

[daviemac]

Hi, I'll start off by saying thank you to everyone that replied to my last thread about whether less services were on offer for oldies. I found the replies very helpful.

I notice you didn't acknowledge any of the replies, posting a question then disappearing from the thread is not the way the site works.

Not a journo or researcher gathering information are you?   

[scutty brown]

don't mess around with dual SIM phones, it'll only be a matter of time before you get confused and start using the wrong number, or get your contacts mixed

Just buy a second cheap and simple unlocked phone like one of these
External Link/Members Only

you can the put whatever SIM you prefer in it

[Cliveyboy]

I notice you didn't acknowledge any of the replies, posting a question then disappearing from the thread is not the way the site works.

Not a journo or researcher gathering information are you?   

I appologise for not knowing how the site works. I didn't realise I was supposed to reply to everyone. Is there a help section or some other resource I can read that explains how the site works? I read the wiki and it gives a format for posting reviews, but not etiquette for asking questions. Also, no I am not a Journo. I'm actually a software developer. So many apologies again.

[Cliveyboy]

don't mess around with dual SIM phones, it'll only be a matter of time before you get confused and start using the wrong number, or get your contacts mixed

Just buy a second cheap and simple unlocked phone like one of these
External Link/Members Only

you can the put whatever SIM you prefer in it

Thank you. I will look into that.

[daviemac]

I appologise for not knowing how the site works. I didn't realise I was supposed to reply to everyone. Is there a help section or some other resource I can read that explains how the site works? I read the wiki and it gives a format for posting reviews, but not etiquette for asking questions. Also, no I am not a Journo. I'm actually a software developer. So many apologies again.

You aren't supposed to reply to everyone, but some further input after the initial question shows you are still active on the thread and not just throwing something out there then sitting back and watching the reaction.

[PuntyMcPunter]

If you can’t justify spending £30 one time on a burner phone (doesn’t need to be a smartphone) then how can you justify spending £80+ every time on a fuck?

[Darren101]

He didn’t say he wouldn’t part with £30 for a 2nd phone. He said he’d look into it. 

Smartphone can be handy with some SPs as they send pics and vids of how to find them but need to be extra careful with what Google or iCloud accounts are logged in and what info is shared automatically. Not absolutely required but I have many spare smartphones after upgrades, etc.

[big-al93]

He didn’t say he wouldn’t part with £30 for a 2nd phone. He said he’d look into it. 

Smartphone can be handy with some SPs as they send pics and vids of how to find them but need to be extra careful with what Google or iCloud accounts are logged in and what info is shared automatically. Not absolutely required but I have many spare smartphones after upgrades, etc.

Although he did say he'd look into the phone Scutty suggested, in his OP he said he couldn't justify sorting a separate phone due to an expected low volume of punting.

Agree for most a smartphone is probably a better bet. I bought one of these cheap phones once when I'd left my phone at home and wanted something cheap for a couple of days. It was a horrible experience after using a qwerty keyboard for years. Also whatsapp ect can be handy and even RCS messages to text over wifi and not use up your credit.

Just make sure it's factory reset, especially if it's an old personal phone, and you set up a separate google account to run it,so that it doesn't link back to your main phone.

[Demon8]

I know you are expecting a low volume, but just get a <150£ smartphone. You can leave your personal phone somewhere safe and still use your punting phone for directions.

If you don't live alone you can also get a phone which looks very similar to your personal phone, if not the same model if you're a cheapass like me. Nothing more suspicious looking than a dumb phone obviously used as a burner.

[Jujy78]

A lot of latest phones have a 2 SIM facility or can download an Esim and switch over when needed.

[Cliveyboy]

I know you are expecting a low volume, but just get a <150£ smartphone. You can leave your personal phone somewhere safe and still use your punting phone for directions.

If you don't live alone you can also get a phone which looks very similar to your personal phone, if not the same model if you're a cheapass like me. Nothing more suspicious looking than a dumb phone obviously used as a burner.

Now you mention it I do have an old Nexus 6P knocking about somewhere. I tried to root it a couple of years back and ballsed it up. It doesn't boot anymore. It has recovery installed on it so I could have another go at reinstalling it. It would still be good enough.

[advent2016]

A lot of latest phones have a 2 SIM facility or can download an Esim and switch over when needed.

Most E-SIM capable phones I've tried recently (last 4 years) can have 6 E-SIM slots with 2 active. One of the good things about E-SIMS is you can erase them remotely or swap them between phones. Shops like CEX you can get a very capable E-SIM phone with a 5 year warranty for about £80

[Cliveyboy]

You aren't supposed to reply to everyone, but some further input after the initial question shows you are still active on the thread and not just throwing something out there then sitting back and watching the reaction.

Thanks for the heads up. And I'm definitely not a journalist. I'm just someone who's not been getting any for years and was convinced he was going to wither away and die with his only 2 friends being pornhub and his right hand. But honestly, I'd considered the working girI option years ago but was always under the impression that there were 2 types. Those that hung around on street corners and escorts. I'd always assumed escorts were for wealthier people and my only option would be the girls on the street. That wasn't really a viable option though, as I had no Idea how to approach the problem. I have trouble starting and maintaining a conversation with even my friends at the best of times let alone approaching a woman on the street and talking about the logistics involved in buying sex. I've even tried to research and find stuff out about how it works with street girls, but there seems to be so little info much of it conflicting. Anyway, luckily during my info hunt, I came across the punting wiki. Then from there this website. Then the AW and Vivastreet sites. They seem to predominantly focus on escorts and massage. Now I've seen the prices, the reviews, and the logistics of It, It made me realise my dream of getting off was actually doable hence here I am. However I'm still in the dark about the street girls. Like whether you get the same sort of services like RO and stuff. Anyway, I'm rambling now. I only replied to thank you for your pointer and I've spilled my life story, lol.

[daviemac]

However I'm still in the dark about the street girls. Like whether you get the same sort of services like RO and stuff.

You do realise that 'kerb crawling' to pick up street girls is one of the few things in this game that is illegal for punters to do don't you?

Go to a brothel, book a prostitute for an incall or outcall is all perfectly legal as long as the girl isn't under 18, trafficked or coerced.

[Cliveyboy]

A quick update, I managed to get my old Nexus 6P up and running. I managed to flash it with a custom version of Android 10 and it's not running too bad. it's deffo up to do what I need. I looked for a cheap SIM but it looks like you can't get the ones where you pay a set amount  and they were valid for 90 days. Unless of course I'm looking for the wrong thing. Or I may just be getting confused I'm not sure if the one I had with a 90 day expiry was a data only SIM.

[Devon450]

I've just got a voda payg in mine, the majority of SP's use whatsapp so can message / call on there, so I very rarely use any credit at all.

[Darren101]

I've noticed PAYG SIMS are harder to come by in shops and even on some of the network websites as I couldn't find one when I last checked.  A lot of them have been replaced with 30 day expiring ones. Are they going to die out?

[tynetunnel]

I've noticed PAYG SIMS are harder to come by in shops and even on some of the network websites as I couldn't find one when I last checked.  A lot of them have been replaced with 30 day expiring ones. Are they going to die out?

I’m just having the same issue. My old 3 payg sim has expired after not topping up in time (I know) and whatever I look at now seems to require me to provide my name and address during the process of being sent an eSIM or when topping up a physical sim. I found a great deal for £2.90 a month wit( an eSIM but although I’ll be paying each month by (Revolut) card they are insisting on an address

Is there still a way to buy a payg sim and top it up, and stay anonymous?

[big-al93]

I've noticed PAYG SIMS are harder to come by in shops and even on some of the network websites as I couldn't find one when I last checked.  A lot of them have been replaced with 30 day expiring ones. Are they going to die out?

Most are supplied to work with a 30 day pack as standard, but you can normally cancel the pack and go to a purely payg system.

[El Jefe]

I’m just having the same issue. My old 3 payg sim has expired after not topping up in time (I know) and whatever I look at now seems to require me to provide my name and address during the process of being sent an eSIM or when topping up a physical sim. I found a great deal for £2.90 a month wit( an eSIM but although I’ll be paying each month by (Revolut) card they are insisting on an address

Is there still a way to buy a payg sim and top it up, and stay anonymous?

I think you can still buy ASDA Mobile sims anonymously in ASDA stores which are on the old PAYG setup (not bundle), current rates are 15p per min for calls and 10p per min for texts, could probably buy credit in ASDA at the same time.

On that topic, is ASDA Mobile the last remaining sim on the old PAYG? Are there any that are cheaper than ASDA 15p per min for calls and 10p per min for texts?

[Cupid Stuntz]

I’m just having the same issue. My old 3 payg sim has expired after not topping up in time (I know) and whatever I look at now seems to require me to provide my name and address during the process of being sent an eSIM or when topping up a physical sim. I found a great deal for £2.90 a month wit( an eSIM but although I’ll be paying each month by (Revolut) card they are insisting on an address

Is there still a way to buy a payg sim and top it up, and stay anonymous?

I recently scored a PAYG sim for 99p in Asda. It comes with a top up card that you can buy credit with anywhere that displays the top up sign. I made a new email addy with a false name to register it to but you don't have to put any address, personal or bank details in. It costs £4 a month for unlimited calls and texts. No data though although that is available but I've not needed or looked into how much that is. You do need to top up every month but tbh £4 a month is cheap for peace of mind.

I had a Lebara sim before that and if you don't sign up for one of their packages the call and text charges are astronomical so that only lasted a month before it was binned!

External Link/Members Only

[El Jefe]

I recently scored a PAYG sim for 99p in Asda. It comes with a top up card that you can buy credit with anywhere that displays the top up sign. I made a new email addy with a false name to register it to but you don't have to put any address, personal or bank details in. It costs £4 a month for unlimited calls and texts. No data though although that is available but I've not needed or looked into how much that is. You do need to top up every month but tbh £4 a month is cheap for peace of mind.

I had a Lebara sim before that and if you don't sign up for one of their packages the call and text charges are astronomical so that only lasted a month before it was binned!

External Link/Members Only

I don’t think you need to register the top up card online to use it, you just call 2732 to link the top up card with your SIM.

[RearrangeGinger]

What I do,

I have a £3.99 a month lebara sim, put it in second slot only when needed. I also use this for anything where I dont want a number to work after business is concluded, such as selling things on Facebook.

On my Samsung any calls or texts made with the second sim are clearly marked with a 2 next to them so the cleanup is quite easy. I will also put the SIM back in a day or two later just in case someone has accidentally text or left a voicemail, so if the SIM were found there wouldn't be anything popping up when inserted into a phone.

I don't use WhatsApp or anything although on my phone you can have a second copy of WhatsApp running with the second sim, it's just more setting up to do every time and messages could be stored anywhere on the phone.

Under the phone case is a great place to keep the sim and sim tool when not in use.

[Jazzy99]

I also use this for anything where I dont want a number to work after business is concluded, such as selling things on Facebook.

Not sure if this is a good idea. Are you implying that you are using the same number for punting and for "punters" on Facebook buying your stuff? This could connect your punts back to you. In any case, best to use separate punting phone and number exclusively for this purpose.

I did the dual SIM switch before and accidentally called an agency using my real number. And once I wasn't as thorough cleaning up and when I connected my phone to Android Auto my last punt visits on Google maps came up and also couple of texts. LOL, I got another phone the day after.

[tynetunnel]

I think you can still buy ASDA Mobile sims anonymously in ASDA stores which are on the old PAYG setup (not bundle), current rates are 15p per min for calls and 10p per min for texts, could probably buy credit in ASDA at the same time.

On that topic, is ASDA Mobile the last remaining sim on the old PAYG? Are there any that are cheaper than ASDA 15p per min for calls and 10p per min for texts?

I recently scored a PAYG sim for 99p in Asda. It comes with a top up card that you can buy credit with anywhere that displays the top up sign. I made a new email addy with a false name to register it to but you don't have to put any address, personal or bank details in. It costs £4 a month for unlimited calls and texts. No data though although that is available but I've not needed or looked into how much that is. You do need to top up every month but tbh £4 a month is cheap for peace of mind.

I had a Lebara sim before that and if you don't sign up for one of their packages the call and text charges are astronomical so that only lasted a month before it was binned!

External Link/Members Only

Thanks lads, Asda it is! 

[FiveKnuckles]

Jump on fleabay and buy a O2 classic 321 PAYG SIM for 99p. (3p calls, 2p txt, 1p meg data).

You can buy top-up vouchers for £10 at any convenience shop with a green top-up sign.  It's anonymous.

Down load the app and use a Mickey mouse name to register.  You would get adult internet access unless you age/identity but get around that with a free VPN.

Make 1 call within 180.days to keep the SIM active.   

*Bonus.  Download the O2 'priority app'.  You can get a Greg's coffee and savoury for £1 each per month.  Plus other offers

[Cliveyboy]

Damn, I didn't realise you could still get those. I thought they'd been discontinued by O2. Does that mean that even though they're discontinued by O2 they'll still support them?

[FiveKnuckles]

Damn, I didn't realise you could still get those. I thought they'd been discontinued by O2. Does that mean that even though they're discontinued by O2 they'll still support them?

still supported.  there's a 'register by' date on the cards and my last one read Nov 25. 

321 sims no longer sold in O2 shops, so it's only a matter of time before they end the supply to third parties and we just ride the wave until they decide to longer offer it.

[clittielicker]

A quick update, I managed to get my old Nexus 6P up and running. I managed to flash it with a custom version of Android 10 and it's not running too bad. it's deffo up to do what I need. I looked for a cheap SIM but it looks like you can't get the ones where you pay a set amount  and they were valid for 90 days. Unless of course I'm looking for the wrong thing. Or I may just be getting confused I'm not sure if the one I had with a 90 day expiry was a data only SIM.

Tesco sim only is long lasting, you only need to make a call or text every 3 months and the credit stays. Get the sim switched to the low user tariff for best price calls and texts.
Other option is to use Smarty phone sim which is around £5 per month

[advent2016]

A quick update, I managed to get my old Nexus 6P up and running. I managed to flash it with a custom version of Android 10 and it's not running too bad. it's deffo up to do what I need. I looked for a cheap SIM but it looks like you can't get the ones where you pay a set amount  and they were valid for 90 days. Unless of course I'm looking for the wrong thing. Or I may just be getting confused I'm not sure if the one I had with a 90 day expiry was a data only SIM.

There's an Android 11 port
External Link/Members Only

[tynetunnel]

Jump on fleabay and buy a O2 classic 321 PAYG SIM for 99p. (3p calls, 2p txt, 1p meg data).

You can buy top-up vouchers for £10 at any convenience shop with a green top-up sign.  It's anonymous.

Down load the app and use a Mickey mouse name to register.  You would get adult internet access unless you age/identity but get around that with a free VPN.

Make 1 call within 180.days to keep the SIM active.   

*Bonus.  Download the O2 'priority app'.  You can get a Greg's coffee and savoury for £1 each per month.  Plus other offers

Update: thanks @fiveknuckles for this amazing advice. I went onto a certain auction site and bought an O2 321 Classic for £1. But it gets better, there was an 80p voucher. So I paid 20p. And they sent me 2 SIMS’s. Expire April 2026.


Went to the corner shop with a crisp plastic £10 note and got a top up voucher, sat outside and topped up. All working, all good. Absolutely legendary. I haven’t yet downloaded the app and probably won’t. Thanks again @fiveknuckles 

[FiveKnuckles]

I haven’t yet downloaded the app and probably won’t. Thanks again @fiveknuckles 

Download the O2 priority app.  Greg's pie and hot drink £1 each, every month. 🤤

[Cliveyboy]

There's an Android 11 port
External Link/Members Only

Thanks. I downloaded and installed that. It worked like a charm. Now running android 11

[Cliveyboy]

Update: thanks @fiveknuckles for this amazing advice. I went onto a certain auction site and bought an O2 321 Classic for £1. But it gets better, there was an 80p voucher. So I paid 20p. And they sent me 2 SIMS’s. Expire April 2026.


Went to the corner shop with a crisp plastic £10 note and got a top up voucher, sat outside and topped up. All working, all good. Absolutely legendary. I haven’t yet downloaded the app and probably won’t. Thanks again @fiveknuckles 

I did that. Don't know how they can co it. It's coming second class post. So how can they make any money when they only charged me 20 pence with free shipping.Not sure if it's actually arrived yet though as I had it shipped to my work address and I'm currently on holiday.

[Cliveyboy]

Update: thanks @fiveknuckles for this amazing advice. I went onto a certain auction site and bought an O2 321 Classic for £1. But it gets better, there was an 80p voucher. So I paid 20p. And they sent me 2 SIMS’s. Expire April 2026.


Went to the corner shop with a crisp plastic £10 note and got a top up voucher, sat outside and topped up. All working, all good. Absolutely legendary. I haven’t yet downloaded the app and probably won’t. Thanks again @fiveknuckles 

Mine just turned up. They sent me 2 as well with the same expiry date. Must have been the same seller.

[tynetunnel]

I did that. Don't know how they can co it. It's coming second class post. So how can they make any money when they only charged me 20 pence with free shipping.Not sure if it's actually arrived yet though as I had it shipped to my work address and I'm currently on holiday.

Mine just turned up. They sent me 2 as well with the same expiry date. Must have been the same seller.

It’s great isn’t it?  enjoy!

[The_Don]

I’m just having the same issue. My old 3 payg sim has expired after not topping up in time (I know) and whatever I look at now seems to require me to provide my name and address during the process of being sent an eSIM or when topping up a physical sim. I found a great deal for £2.90 a month wit( an eSIM but although I’ll be paying each month by (Revolut) card they are insisting on an address

Is there still a way to buy a payg sim and top it up, and stay anonymous?

In London some corner shop still sell sim cards (normally 50p to £1). just buy a £10 top up (using cash) and use it to send a text and call once a month. Tend to keep the card going for some time. But I mostly buy a new one and bin the old one, once it down to the last bits of credit. For punting sim. 

[Munter84]

Hijacking this thread, apologies.

Has anyone else had difficultes with Tesco mobile in the last week or so? That's what I use in my punting phone (as it's easy to get a PAYG SIM and top ups can be anonymous, cash-over-the-counter). It's served me well until recently, whereupon it's become a complete piece of shit. This has coincided with a bunch of texts advising the service is "changing" (read: becoming worse and/or more expensive, I speak fluent corporatese). I've been reduced to hotspotting from my main phone, which kind of defeats the purpose of the punting phone.

I'm neither a tech wiz nor a complete luddite, but this one has me stumped. I've checked all the obvious settings, checked I have credit, mobile coverage, etc.

[InMefan]

Hello thought I'd post on this thread. My phone supports dual SIMs. I have a physical SIM which is for Vodaphone. I attempted to get an E-sim via the Vodafone app to use as my 2nd sim but it kept saying it would replace my existing number.
Is it better to just use the E-Sim with a different provider I.e. O2, EE etc and do that as pay as you go?

[deg_dilemma]

Anyone else see that Sky offer for £1/month?

It's for unlimited calls/texts but only 1Gb data a month. Could be useful as a punting or spare SIM.

[scouting]

Jump on fleabay and buy a O2 classic 321 PAYG SIM for 99p. (3p calls, 2p txt, 1p meg data).

You can buy top-up vouchers for £10 at any convenience shop with a green top-up sign.  It's anonymous.

Down load the app and use a Mickey mouse name to register.  You would get adult internet access unless you age/identity but get around that with a free VPN.

Make 1 call within 180.days to keep the SIM active.   

*Bonus.  Download the O2 'priority app'.  You can get a Greg's coffee and savoury for £1 each per month.  Plus other offers

I'll add my thanks to FiveKnuckles for this