How do I?

When you use your Tesco Mobile for the first time, you will need to activate it to receive calls. It's easy to do, just follow these simple steps:

1. Switch on your phone and it will connect automatically to the Tesco Mobile network.
2. Set a PIN code for your phone that you can remember easily.
3. Once connected, your phone's in standby mode and you're ready to start talking.
4. Make a chargeable call to activate your phone, otherwise you won't be able to receive calls.

• Once your phone is activated we recommend that you:

• Register your phone's unique IMEI number at http://www.immobilise.com.
• Put an ICE (In Case of Emergency) number into your phone's directory.
• Set up your voicemail.

Your existing phone may be `locked' to work on the network you're currently with. You can tell it's locked if it doesn't work when you put the Tesco Mobile SIM card inside.

To get it unlocked so it will work on Tesco Mobile, it's best to contact your current network. Some may charge you for this, but it does vary.

Your Tesco Mobile SIM card will come with its own number printed on the back of the box. If you want to keep your current number though, follow the steps below:

1. Contact your existing network and ask for a PAC (Port Authorisation Code).
2. Once you have your PAC code, click on the link above and fill in the form before it expires.
3. We'll then transfer your existing number to Tesco Mobile.
4. Your Tesco Mobile takes about 1 working day, we'll send you an email confirming when the transfer will be completed.
5. Ensure you either make a note of all your contacts, or copy them to your phone otherwise you may lose them.
   

• On the day of your transfer, your phone number will be moved across to your new SIM card and you will loose network signal.  When this happens: 

1. Switch off your phone
2. Put the new SIM card into your phone
3. Switch your phone back on

When I transfer to Tesco Mobile will I lose the credits I still have with my old network?

Whilst your number is being transferred, use up any airtime credits you have with your current network. You can also start using your Tesco Mobile SIM card to make and receive calls using the temporary number.

You can access internet-style pages using WAP via your Tesco Mobile. So even when you're out and about, you can get news and sports results, download cinema listings, check your lottery numbers - the list is endless.

You will need a phone that is WAP enabled. If you've got a Tesco Mobile with the SIM that came with it, then all the settings you need for using WAP are already set up.

To access WAP services, simply:

1. Select 'WAP', access internet or services from your phone menu.
2. Select 'Home'.
3. The Tesco Mobile home page appears. Now you can choose what you want to do.
4. Depending on which type of phone you have you will access the information either by 'dial-up' WAP which is charged by the minute, or by GPRS which is the faster service charged by mega bytes.

Please note: Surfing the internet via GPRS isn't available on the Value tariff.

Will I need extra settings?
You may need extra settings if you transfer your SIM to another phone, or you bought a Tesco Mobile SIM card on it's own. Check which functions your phone has by looking through its in-built menu, the manufacturer's user guide or you can use the Tesco Mobile phone settings service.

The Tesco Mobile phone settings service will work out which settings you need and send them to your phone by text. You just need to enter your Tesco Mobile phone number and follow the step-by-step guide online. 

SIM cards now come in three sizes, standard, micro and nano. We’ll send you the right sized SIM when you buy or upgrade your phone. 

Standard SIM - Still used in most mobiles, particularly older models.

Micro SIM - First used in iPhone 4 and now in other smartphones.                             

Nano SIM - Only used in the iPhone 5 at the moment.

All our SIM only deals except for iPhone 5 come with a standard/micro SIM.

SIM adapters
A SIM adapter lets you use a smaller SIM in a phone that needs a larger SIM.

Why you might need a SIM adapter
You might need to use an adapter if you start using a different phone, for example if your smartphone is being repaired or has been lost or stolen.

Just place the smaller SIM into the adapter and then put the adapter into the SIM card slot in your phone.

How to order
If you need to order a different sized SIM card or a SIM adapter, please call us on 0845 300 6660.

How do I set up an online account?
Your online account will automatically be set up when you place an order.
If you've forgotten your password, please click on the forgotten password link on the site you’re trying to access and follow the instructions to reset it.

How do I log in to my account?
You can log into your Pay monthly account here.  You’ll need your username and password that were emailed to you when you completed your order.

What's available on my online account?

• View your usage this month
• View your bills
• Make a one-off payment
• Add or change your data bundles
• View previous orders
• View and print your contract
• Update your account details

How do I reset my account password?
If you've forgotten your password, please click on the forgotten password link on the site you are trying to access and follow the instructions to reset it.

We'll email and text your new reset password to you. Please note, the text will be sent to the mobile number of the main account holder.

Alternatively, you can follow our step-by-step guide on resetting your password .

How do I view my usage this month?

You can check your usage summary by logging into your Pay monthly account online. You'll just need your username and password and you can log in by clicking here.

Alternatively, you can follow our quick step-by-step guide on viewing your usage summary.

If you’re on a Capped tariff, you can also text ‘BALANCE’ to 2112 free from your Tesco Mobile. Please note, you’ll get a separate message confirming for the amount of minutes, texts, data and any top-up you have remaining.

How do I check my bills and payment details?

You can check your bills and view or change your payment details for logging in to your Pay monthly account. Check out our step-by-step guide on viewing your bills and payment details.

How do I check charges on my account?

You can check the charges on your account by logging into your Pay monthly account.

How do I make a one-off payment when my normal payment method has failed?
If you'd like to make a one-off payment, please log into your Pay monthly account. 

How do I query a payment I've made?
To check what payments you've made, please log in to Pay monthly account. If you have any queries, please call our Customer Care team on 0845 301 4455 or on 4455 from your Tesco Mobile phone. 

What is my account limit?

Our standard Pay monthly tariffs have an account limit to prevent you from running up large unexpected bills. If your usage exceeds your monthly allowance of calls, texts or data, you may reach your account limit.

We’ll text you to let you know if you’ve reached 90% of your limit and also if you reach your limit. If you do reach your account limit, your phone will be barred from making any calls and you’ll need to make a top-up. You can top-up using a credit or debit card at any time by calling 4444 free. Please note, it can take up to 6 hours for your call bar to be lifted following payment. 

I've reached my account limit, how do I remove the bar on my account?

If you do reach your account limit, your phone will be barred from making any calls and you’ll need to make a top-up. You can top-up using a credit or debit card at any time by calling 4444 free. Please note, it can take up to 6 hours for your call bar to be lifted following payment.

What's the high usage limit on my account?

The limit on your account depends on the tariff you're on. You can check your account limit using the table below:

We cap the amount you're charged for data usage in the EU at £40 per month.
This means that no matter how much data you use in any given month, whilst abroad in the EU, you’ll never be charged more than £40. If you reach the £40 cap, you'll be able to use up to 40MB of data without incurring any additional charges. Once you've reached the 40MB limit, a bar will be placed on your phone.

If you're abroad and unable to use your phone, you may have reached the 40MB additional allowance. To get this call bar lifted and accept further charges, please log in to your Pay monthly account or call our Customer Care team on +44 845 301 4455.

For more information on our Family perks click here.
If you’re an existing customer and want to check if you’re eligible for free Family perks, log in to your Pay monthly account and check the section under ‘My tariffs, bundles & Family perks’
If you want to add or change your Family perks, log in to your Pay monthly account.

• We offer a range of data bundles that you can add to your tariff to allow you to get great value for more data.
• Log in to your Pay monthly account to add or change your data bundle.

How do I cancel my contract?

Pay monthly SIM only
If you would like to cancel a Pay monthly SIM only contract, please call our Customer Care team on 0845 301 4455.

Pay monthly phones
You can return your Pay monthly phone for a refund and cancel your contract if you bought it within the last 14 days.

• If you bought online or over the phone, please call us on 0845 300 6660 to arrange your return.
• If you bought in store, please return it to the same store.

If it’s more than 14 days since you bought your Pay monthly phone, please call our Customer Care team on 0845 301 4455.

You can check your Pay as you go credit balance anytime you like, just call;

• dialling *#10# 
• or by using 'quick dial 2#'

(calls to these numbers are free from the UK)

To find out the balance of any free minutes or texts (you receive each month) by texting 'balance' to 2112.   We will then send you a text, to confirm the total of your remaining free allocation.

From 1st May 2012, if you top-up £15 or more in a month on our Triple Credit tariff, we'll give you one of our £5 bundles for free. You can choose from 150 minutes, 5000 texts or 500MB to be applied on the same date as your monthly anniversary date.  Click here for full details.

We offer a range of bundles to allow you to get great value for money. The bundles include 150 minutes, 5000 texts, 500MB and 1GB. The bundles are applied on a monthly basis and are paid for using your real credit. Click here for full details.

Every mobile phone has a unique IMEI number. You can find out your phones IMEI by either:

• Looking behind the battery.
• or dialling *#06# from your mobile, and the IMEI will be displayed on the screen.

It's important to make a note of your IMEI number in case your phone is lost or stolen. You might be asked for it when you set up phone insurance, and the police will need it if you report your phone as stolen.

If your phone is lost or stolen, call our Customer Care team straight away on 0845 301 4455 so you phone can be blocked to prevent anyone else using it.

We'll also send you another SIM card and transfer your mobile number and credit, so you can continue to use your phone.

The Tesco Mobile phone settings service will work out which settings you need and send them to your phone by text. You just need to enter your Tesco Mobile phone number and follow the step-by-step guide online. 

To find out more about how to use your phone, please visit the web site of your phone manufacturer:

• Apple
• BlackBerry
• LG
• HTC
• Motorola
• Nokia
• Samsung
• Sony Ericsson

If you have locked your phone or SIM card, you'll need to call the Customer Services team on 0844 879 5270, who will be able to provide a PUK (PIN Unlock Key ) to unblock it.

Using another network’s SIM in a Tesco Mobile phone

You’ll need to unlock your Tesco Mobile phone before you can use a SIM from another network in it.

Please call us to request an unlatching code. You put this code into your phone to unlock it from the Tesco Mobile network. An unlatching code is different from your PIN code, and you can only get one by calling our Technical Support line on 0845 300 6660.

If you activated your phone more than 12 months ago, it’s free to unlock your phone. If you activated your phone less than 12 months ago, it’ll cost £20.

Unlocking a Tesco Mobile iPhone
Pay as you go iPhones
iPhones on Pay as you go are free to unlock 12 months after activation. We’re sorry, but we don’t offer an unlocking service on iPhones activated less than 12 months ago.

Pay monthly iPhones
iPhones on Pay monthly are free to unlock at the end of your contract. Before the end of your contract it’ll cost £20.

Pay monthly phones (excluding iPhone)
Your Pay monthly phone is free to unlock at the end of your contract. It’s £20 to unlock your phone before the end of your contract.

Please contact our Technical Support line on 0845 300 6660 for more information on your qualifying period and applicable conditions & charges.

PLEASE NOTE:

• If you take your Tesco Mobile SIM card out of your iPhone for 10 days in a row, you’ll lose your free data bundle.

Tesco Mobile supports tethering for Android phones, but not iPhones at the moment.

Your Android phone needs to have Android 2.2 Froyo or later.
 
For Tethering using your USB cable, you’ll need a computer running Windows XP SP2 or later, Vista, 7 or Mac OS 10.5.7 or later.
 
For Tethering using Bluetooth, you’ll need a computer running windows XP SP2 or later, Vista, 7 or Mac OS 10.4.11 or later.
 
For Tethering using a Portable Wi-Fi hotspot, you’ll need a computer running windows XP SP2 or later, Vista, 7 or Mac OS 10.4.11 or later and Wi-Fi support.

Things to remember about tethering

• It uses up your battery quickly.
• It uses up your data allowance.
• Be careful that no-one else accesses your hotspot.

Using up your battery
Try to make sure you’ve got your phone charger with you and that you’re near a power point when you start tethering, as it uses up a lot of battery power.

Using up your data allowance
While you’re tethering and using your data allowance, you’ll get the normal alerts if you get near or reach your limit. If you’re going to do tethering regularly, you might get best value for money by logging in to your Pay monthly account online to buy a data bundle.

Others accessing your hotspot
To make sure no-one else uses your hotspot (and your data), please follow all the recommended security measures when you set it up.

Your mobile is set up to take messages as soon as you turn it on, so if you're not able to take a call, your voicemail will.

Switching voicemail on or off

• To activate voicemail: quick key 4#;or call 2905
• Turn off voicemail: quick key 5# or call 2915
• Listen to voicemail: quick key 1#call 905

Managing your mailbox

• Your mailbox can hold up to 40 messages.
• Each message can be up to 4 minutes long.
• All old and saved messages will be deleted after 30 days.

Using the main voicemail menu
You can set a range of preferences, such as whether you get a call or text when a message is waiting. You can also record your own message on voicemail for callers to hear. Here's a quick guide to using the Main Menu and to changing your preferences:

To access the Main Menu

1. Call 905
2. When voicemail answers press the * key.
3. Then select one of the options, detailed below;

• Select 1 to listen to your active greeting
• Select 2 to record a new personal greeting
• Select 3 to record a temporary greeting
• Select 4 to record a name tag
• Select 0 for help

• Select 1 change your message notification method
• Select 2 to change the date and time stamp after each message
• Select 3 to change the menu options played after each message
• Select 4 to change security settings

Changing your mailbox PIN

• Your default PIN number is 8705.
• You can change your PIN number the first time you access your voicemail.
• If you forget your PIN, call customer care and they will reset it for you.

(PLEASE NOTE: You need your PIN to pick up your message from a fixed-line.)

Mailbox shortcut keys

• Key 0 - Pause message
• Key 1 - Play previous message
• Key 2 - Save message (all messages are deleted after 30 days)
• Key 3 - Delete message
• Key 4 - Rewind 5 seconds (Useful if someone has left you a number which you need repeated)
• Key 6 - Fast forward 5 seconds
• Key 8 - Hear details of the message, such as who called you and when. You can choose to play this feature after each message.

  ---

Picking up your mobile messages from a landline phone

• Just dial your mobile number.
• Wait until Voicemail answers.
• Then press the * key and follow the prompts.

If you see a flashing envelope on your mobile - your SIM card memory is full. Please delete as many messages as you can and try again. Provided there are no network faults in your area and your mobile/SIM are not faulty, any undelivered SMS will come to your mobile within a few minutes (for information on how to do this, check your user guide).

Make your messages extra special by combining videos, photos and texts with Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS).  You will need a phone that is MMS enabled to send picture messages.

If you've got a Tesco Mobile phone and are using the SIM card that came with it, then all the settings you need for using MMS are already set up.
It's easy to create a multimedia message.  Here's a guide that applies to most mobile phones;

1. Take a video or photo (or select one already saved on your phone).
2. Go to 'options' and select 'insert'.
3. Select 'sound clip' and choose a pre-recorded sound clip to attach to the picture.
4. Send the message in the same way you send a text.

Please note: these steps may for certain phone models, so you might need to refer to the manufacturers website or the guide that came with your phone 

Will I need extra settings?

You may need extra settings if you transfer your SIM to another phone, or you bought a Tesco Mobile SIM card on it’s own. Check which functions your phone has by looking through its in-built menu, the manufacturer’s user guide or you can use the Tesco Mobile phone settings service.

The Tesco Mobile phone settings service will work out which settings you need and send them to your phone by text. You just need to enter your Tesco Mobile phone number and follow the step-by-step guide online.

Can any phone receive an MMS message?

Some phones without a camera can still receive, view and forward multimedia messages, you just won’t be able to take any pictures. Even if your phone isn't MMS compatible, you will get a text message with a web address and access code. This allows you to view what has been sent to you on the internet.

You can access internet-style pages using WAP via your Tesco Mobile. So even when you're out and about, you can get news and sports results, download cinema listings, check your lottery numbers - the list is endless.

You will need a phone that is WAP enabled. If you've got a Tesco Mobile with the SIM that came with it, then all the settings you need for using WAP are already set up.

To access WAP services, simply:

1. Select 'WAP', access internet or services from your phone menu.
2. Select 'Home'.
3. The Tesco Mobile home page appears. Now you can choose what you want to do.
4. Depending on which type of phone you have you will access the information either by 'dial-up' WAP which is charged by the minute, or by GPRS which is the faster service charged by mega bytes.

Please note: Surfing the internet via GPRS isn't available on the Value tariff.

Will I need extra settings?
You may need extra settings if you transfer your SIM to another phone, or you bought a Tesco Mobile SIM card on it's own. Check which functions your phone has by looking through its in-built menu, the manufacturer's user guide or you can use the Tesco Mobile phone settings service.

The Tesco Mobile phone settings service will work out which settings you need and send them to your phone by text. You just need to enter your Tesco Mobile phone number and follow the step-by-step guide online. 

• Managing your My Tesco Mobile account online
• Registering your Clubcard
• Setting up Parental controls
• Using the Ping me a pound service
• Upgrading your phone or switching tariffs
• Ways to top-up
• View our tariffs
• Call charges
• Using your phone abroad
• Terms and Conditions
• Details about Premium rate numbers