Phone only contacts in 8.1?

[AdamInTx]

When I recently updated from a 7.8 device to 8.1 I was able to bring all of my contacts with me including ones that were just on the phone. However since upgrading to an 8.1 device I've found I cannot just create a phone contact, it wants me to make it an outlook contact. Numbers for things like my doctors office, kids soccer coach, boss, etc... don't need to be linked to a hotmail/gmail/facebook/etc account I just want a name attached to a number so I know who it is when they call and can pick a name from a list when i want to call them. Is this really not possible anymore in 8.1? It seems like a massive step backward.

 

[gpobernardo]

When I recently updated from a 7.8 device to 8.1 I was able to bring all of my contacts with me including ones that were just on the phone. However since upgrading to an 8.1 device I've found I cannot just create a phone contact, it wants me to make it an outlook contact. Numbers for things like my doctors office, kids soccer coach, boss, etc... don't need to be linked to a hotmail/gmail/facebook/etc account I just want a name attached to a number so I know who it is when they call and can pick a name from a list when i want to call them. Is this really not possible anymore in 8.1? It seems like a massive step backward.

True, your new contact entries don't need to be linked to any account, but what would happen in case your phone breaks down or if you lose your phone? Without your new contacts backed up to your Microsoft Account, you most probably will lose all of them (unless you have a copy of all of them). You would also be able to sync all your contacts across your devices that you have registered with the same Microsoft Account... or restore them in case you needed to reset your phone to factory defaults.

With these, I don't think it is really a "step backward". Besides, you can still create a "standalone" contact number without having to link them to, for example, Facebook... the only requirement is that your contact entry will be a server-backed-up, device-synchronizable, Outlook contact. If they get linked to their Facebook account automatically, you can always choose to unlink them.

 

[AndyCalling]

I was going to suggest copying the number to your sim card then deleting it from Outlook, but I can't find the option to copy it to your sim. You could try saving the numbers to your sim on your old phone and then putting it back in your new phone (I realise this is annoying, but just to see if you can...).

Does anyone know where the save to sim option is now?

 

[gpobernardo]

I was going to suggest copying the number to your sim card then deleting it from Outlook, but I can't find the option to copy it to your sim. You could try saving the numbers to your sim on your old phone and then putting it back in your new phone (I realise this is annoying, but just to see if you can...).

Does anyone know where the save to sim option is now?

Some users report seeing an "Export to SIM" feature under People Hub > Settings (Reference), but majority of the users (including myself) can't seem to find that option.

 

[AndyCalling]

I only have an import from sim option there. I'm on a UK 930. Same on my UK 820 (both denim). Why would it have an import but no export? This looks like a bug to me.

 

[Harrie-S]

I only have an import from sim option there. I'm on a UK 930. Same on my UK 820 (both denim). Why would it have an import but no export? This looks like a bug to me.

I do not think that not having a export to SIM is a bug.
Import is "needed" if you come from a "dumb-phone" to a "smartphone".
But in the current wp8 phones there are about 30 fields you can fill in in contacts and use a picture. And there is "no" limit for the amount of contacts.
So there is no way that you can store all this info on a SIM card.
So that is to me a good reason that there is no export to SIM (and why should you export them to a SIM if you use a MS account).

 

[AndyCalling]

It was always true that phones could store more contacts than the sims. One would usually export some numbers, individually. Or choose where to save each one on creation. There are times when a person wants to have data on them which they do not want to transmit across the globe freely. It does happen. And whilst a pen and paper solution will work we had thought we were beyond that these days.

Seems not in MS (MI5/CIA) world.

 

[Harrie-S]

It was always true that phones could store more contacts than the sims. One would usually export some numbers, individually. Or choose where to save each one on creation. There are times when a person wants to have data on them which they do not want to transmit across the globe freely. It does happen. And whilst a pen and paper solution will work we had thought we were beyond that these days.

Seems not in MS (MI5/CIA) world.

I kind of not agree because I fear the days are over for the people who want to do that. But even if you could export them to a SIM as soon as you switch on your phone "they" know. And maybe "soon" the days of SIM's are over if I have to belief Apple because I think that they work on a "build-in" SIM.

But back to the OP, people who do not want/like to use the "cloud" are not customers which are high on the priority list of companies like Microsoft so they will not fix these "bugs".

 

[AndyCalling]

Well, I suspect there is some kind of encrypted storage app to hold data like phone numbers. Check the store. Other than that, gotta wait for the Tor Phone of dreams. One day a custom rom will come...

I doubt the sim will go. We had sim free phones back in the analogue days and the networks don't want to go back to that proprietary mess. There's no need to fix what ain't broke.