| gymeni |
| If you already have an active cell phone account with a particular company but want to upgrade that device can you purchase a phone elsewhere (Wal-Mart, Best Buy, etc.) to use with your present account? I was an AT&T customer when Cingular bought them out. They've told me that in order to upgrade my phone I would also have to switch to one of the Cingular plans because my current plan is still an old AT&T one (which also happens to be better than any that I can currently get with Cingular -- another sore spot with me but I digress). Seems like I ought to be able to shop for the best deal for a phone of my choosing, as long as it's one that is known to work with my company's service, and call it a day. I'm hating the phone I currently have (Motorola V220). |
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| N_Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by gymeni
If you already have an active cell phone account with a particular company but want to upgrade that device can you purchase a phone elsewhere (Wal-Mart, Best Buy, etc.) to use with your present account? I was an AT&T customer when Cingular bought them out. They've told me that in order to upgrade my phone I would also have to switch to one of the Cingular plans because my current plan is still an old AT&T one (which also happens to be better than any that I can currently get with Cingular -- another sore spot with me but I digress). Seems like I ought to be able to shop for the best deal for a phone of my choosing, as long as it's one that is known to work with my company's service, and call it a day. I'm hating the phone I currently have (Motorola V220).
You should be able to move your SIM into any "unlocked" GSM phone.
But all the bargains will be on locked phones sold with service. |
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| gymeni |
quote:
Originally posted by N_Jay
You should be able to move your SIM into any "unlocked" GSM phone.
But all the bargains will be on locked phones sold with service.
Without sounding all shady here, are "unlocked" phones legally and readily available? |
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| jdeanski |
quote:
Originally posted by gymeni
I was an AT&T customer when Cingular bought them out. They've told me that in order to upgrade my phone I would also have to switch to one of the Cingular plans .........
Actually the little secret is dispite the ad claims of the "all over network" AT&T is a different network from Cingular and uses a different phone. Depending where you live the Cingular network is better than the old AT&T one. I don't think AT&T phones are sold anymore and the plan is to migrate everyone to the Cingular network. I may be wrong on this but it is what I have come to understand. |
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| N_Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by jdeanski
Actually the little secret is dispite the ad claims of the "all over network" AT&T is a different network from Cingular and uses a different phone. Depending where you live the Cingular network is better than the old AT&T one. I don't think AT&T phones are sold anymore and the plan is to migrate everyone to the Cingular network. I may be wrong on this but it is what I have come to understand.
I think the V220 is GSM so it is already on the "new" network.
You are referring to the old "TDMA" network, that used the V60 (and other) phones. |
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| N_Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by gymeni
Without sounding all shady here, are "unlocked" phones legally and readily available?
Yes, just more expensive due to not being subsidised by a carrier. |
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| ramirami |
quote:
Originally posted by gymeni
Without sounding all shady here, are "unlocked" phones legally and readily available?
yes... but they are expensive...
you dont like the cingular plans even with Rollover ?? |
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| gymeni |
quote:
Originally posted by ramirami
yes... but they are expensive...
you dont like the cingular plans even with Rollover ??
It's not so much that I am resistant to the Cingular plans -- even though the one I currently have is far superior to anything Cingular offers (I was able to get all kinds of non-expiring additional minutes and I pay nothing for nights that start at 7 p.m., for example). I do hate having to play The Game when I want to do something as simple as upgrading the phones on my account. For any particular phone available through Cingular, I get quoted a different price over the phone with them, on their website, or at a Cingular store, and this makes no sense to me. To top it off, I'm what Cingular calls a "Premier" customer because of my affiliation with the government, and certain, more desireable phones cost me more at the Premier price than they do in other places and even sometimes more than for an unaffiliated customer coming in off the street.
(To top it off I just got my bill for my quarterly dental insurance premium and that always makes me salty, too!) |
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| ramirami |
quote:
Originally posted by gymeni
(I was able to get all kinds of non-expiring additional minutes and I pay nothing for nights that start at 7 p.m., for example).
if you want to keep your old plan the only option is to buy an unlocked phone...
its legal and all comanies sell it... but its expensive since providers discount the phones with their plans... any GSM phone will work... |
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