A tale of two phones

Are you ready for this?

Ok, so because Orange were going to finish with their Phone Fund and I'd collected £18.50 in it, I decided to use the money to purchase a new phone while I was in the UK a couple of weeks ago. I just wanted a PAYGO cheap mobile, nothing fancy. I chose an Alcatel 3003G and took it back to my friend's house. By the next morning the screen was still saying Invalid SIM, which I understood should have disappeared within a 24 hour period.

I took the phone back to the EE shop and yes, the bloke did mention something about there having been a few problems with Alcatel, although with all different models... hmmm. But he swapped SIMs, putting my old card into the new phone and all was well.
(So that's my old SIM in my new phone.)

Until yesterday afternoon, when I realised that my new phone was again displaying the Invalid SIM message. So I did the usual stuff, taking the SIM out, wiping it blah, blah, but no good. I was phoneless. Well not exactly phoneless, but I don't count my Movistar mobile as I don't text or call the UK on it as it's too expensive, I have it just for emergencies and hospital appointments etc.

I couldn't try putting the SIM back into my old phone because it was in the village and we were at the Mas, but an hour ago I did try... and it still said Invalid SIM.
(So that's my old SIM in my old phone.)

Then I put the new SIM that came with the new phone, but didn't work in the new phone, back into my old phone (after wiping the terminals with my greasy fingers) and found that it worked perfectly.
(So that's my new SIM in my old phone.)

I am now receiving texts from Orange saying they've updated me, and a couple from family that couldn't be delivered yesterday evening. I would like to know what's going on, but maybe I shouldn't even care, at least I've got a working UK mobile. Maybe they've just been a long while - three weeks - registering the new SIM?

I suppose I should now try the new SIM in the new phone, except that I prefer my old phone!