Phone SIMs and network availability.
Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2025 9:32 pm
I've got a couple of old flip phones and am trying to use them at the house in France. Reception is always very marginal here, I often have to leave the house to get signal, but noticed that Phone A was getting signal in the house when Phone B was saying 'No Service' . This was mildly annoying, as most friends have the number for Phone B as my contact number and I've been missing calls, Both phones are on giffgaff, by the way.
So I decided to switch SIMs to allow phone B to use my preferred number.
Blow me if Phone B suddenly started getting signal, whereas Phone A was no saying 'No Service'. Does this mean that different SIMs have different reception capability, as the 'good' signal seems to have followed the SIM rather than following the phone. What gives? The SIM that has good signal is quite a few years newer than the poor one.
So I decided to switch SIMs to allow phone B to use my preferred number.
Blow me if Phone B suddenly started getting signal, whereas Phone A was no saying 'No Service'. Does this mean that different SIMs have different reception capability, as the 'good' signal seems to have followed the SIM rather than following the phone. What gives? The SIM that has good signal is quite a few years newer than the poor one.