Plans

A sim only subscription is a telephone subscription consisting of a sim card only. There's no phone. You need a SIM card to be able to call, text and/or surf the mobile internet.

Benefits sim only

The biggest advantage of a simonly subscription is that it is usually (much) cheaper than a mobile subscription. After all, you only pay for call minutes, text messages and/or internet, not for a mobile phone. This could add up to ten a month.

Another big advantage is that there are sim only subscriptions with a duration of one month. With a subscription+mobile you have a contract for at least 1 year, with sim only you can also opt for monthly. By the way, there are sim only subscriptions with a duration of 1 and even 2 years, here you are even cheaper every month even if you deliver something in terms of freedom. If you want to compare the sim only, choose in the filter for the duration you want.

For whom sim only?

Sim only is especially useful for those who already have a phone. Your current phone is still working fine but you want to be able to make calls or save on your current monthly costs.

But even those who want a new mobile phone can only consider sim. Order a separate device and a sim only and you will be cheaper at the end of the running time. The costs for the phone are included in the monthly subscription fee and you usually pay a little more for that. Disadvantage is that you lose a lot of money in advance.

Make sure your phone is simlock free

Anyone who's ever bought a loose phone is pretty sure it's simlock-free. You can put in any SIM card you want. Phones that are taken out in combination with a subscription regularly contain such a simlock. The device will then only accept a SIM card from that provider.

Unlock code request

After one year you can request an unlock code from your provider to remove the simlock. For this you need an IMEI code; the unique code of your mobile phone. You can request this by calling *#06#.

Sim only providers

Almost all providers that also offer subscriptions with phones also sell simonly subscriptions. In addition, there are providers who only focus on simonly. Examples are Lebara, Budget Mobile, Simyo and Youfone. Not every provider has its own network, some use the network of others, so-called MVNO or Mobile Virtual Network Operator.

Simyo, Ben and Hollandsnieuwe are owned by KPN, T-Mobile and Vodafone respectively of the above mentioned providers, the rest are all independent.

Difference sim only and prepaid

The terms sim only and prepaid are sometimes used interchangeably leading to confusion. In both cases you also only get a SIM card without a phone. The difference between simonly and prepaid is that with simonly you pay afterwards and with prepaid in advance. With simonly you get a bundle every month, with prepaid you have to buy a top-up card to be able to call / text and surf the internet.

Sim only and number retention

If you take out a new sim only subscription, you can always bring your old number with you. You will then remain available to family, friends and acquaintances on the same number. When applying for a sim only subscription you will always be asked if you want to bring your old number. Make sure that requested information such as current provider and phone number are entered correctly.

In case of number retention, the new provider will cancel your current subscription for you. Don't ever do this yourself. If you do, you run the risk of losing your cell phone number. Please also take into account the notice period of your current contract. Even if you are contract free, it can take a month before your number is ported to the new provider.

You will often receive a new SIM card from the new provider right away. This one has a temporary phone number. You will receive a date from your new provider on which your phone number will be transferred. A time when you can't say when this happened, takes into account that you will be offline for some time. Portioning is almost instantaneous. If your mobile no longer has a range, chances are that your number has been ported. Then insert the new SIM card into your device.

Oude telecom providers

Providers come and go. For example, you may be looking for a provider that no longer exists, has gone bankrupt or has switched to another brand. Examples of this are;