topic Re: FW500 - Emergency Back UP Telephone in Digital Home Phone

FW500 - Emergency Back UP Telephone

JoRo1948 — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 18:18:06 GMT

I have just become the proud owner of a FW500 telephone. This phone works as a conventional digital-landline phone, but if there is a power cut it automatically switches over to being a 4G mobile phone. .

The leaflet which accompanied the phone states it has a SIM card already inserted which is loaded with "a limited number of minutes" and should be used only in an emergency. Does anyone know how many minutes are available with this SIM?

Is it possible to replace the SIM supplied by EE with another of my choosing, not necessarily a different network, just one with lots of minutes that I could use as and when I wish.

Finally, a very trivial matter but I like to know these things. Can anyone tell me where the microphone is situated for the hands-free operation? Is it the hole near the SIM card slot?

As always, I am grateful for any and all replies.

Re: FW500 - Emergency Back UP Telephone

JimM11 — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 20:11:43 GMT

@JoRo1948 Start here and go, see what you can work out.

BT FW500 Hybrid Back Up Phone (117693) | EE Store

Digital Voice Motorola FW500 Hybrid phone | BT Help

Re: FW500 - Emergency Back UP Telephone

JoRo1948 — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 21:46:52 GMT

Thank you for your response.
I have looked at both links. Unfortunately neither elaborate on the number of minutes available or whether I could use a different SIM card. However, I was pleased to see that EE will replace the battery in the phone if it fails. There is no mention of any charge being made.

Re: FW500 - Emergency Back UP Telephone

XRaySpeX — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 23:52:24 GMT

@JoRo1948 : Can you move the SIM to a mobile phone & then text AL to 150 from it?

No EE SIM is loaded with "a limited number of minutes" for more than a month unless you keep paying for it. On PAYG, which I would assume it is, a mins add-on lasts just 30 days or alternatively you would have to keep buying a pack of allowances incl. mins which would also last 30 days.

You should be able to replace it with another of your choosing but as I say you would need to top-up an EE SIM every 30 days. Most other network SIMs would be similar; O2 certainly is.

Re: FW500 - Emergency Back UP Telephone

JoRo1948 — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 16:02:19 GMT

Thank you for your reply.

Thank you for your reply. I agree with everything you say about the SIM card. However, I haven't tried to remove the SIM yet.

The phone was accompanied by a couple of booklets from the manufacturer, Motorola. One is a user guide and the other is information for BT or EE customers. In the latter there is a diagram showing how to insert the SIM card. It adds that if the phone has been "provided by BT or EE the SIM will already have been inserted before you receive it." There is also another leaflet from EE which gives the emergency mobile number and the SIM number and summarises the more relevant information in the Motorola user guide. None of them provide any information about the SIM other than that which I have previously stated.

There is nothing about paying for a SIM. The last paragraph in the leaflet states that if the battery pack needs replacing "Contact the 'Need some help' section and we will replace them."

Re: FW500 - Emergency Back UP Telephone

XRaySpeX — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 16:20:51 GMT

Yes, I didn't find much more when I Googled it.