Brandi says:
Recently my expensive T-Mobile Dash broke after only 7 months of use. I had to get another phone, so I went to my local T-Mobile store and browsed their selection, but was told I would only be able to get a "partial" discount on the price of a phone because I had gotten a discount several months before that, and you only get the full phone discount once every 22 months. Even with the meager discount they offered, the price of a new phone would have set me back at least $90 for all but the least expensive phone that was a little too basic for me.
I left and went and read some information online and found out that you can buy a packaged t-mobile phone that is sold as a "pre-paid" phone and simply insert your SIM car and have it work like any other phone. They had one model available with a camera (which was my only requirement) and I purchased it for $55.
When the salesperson was ringing me up, she started trying to set up the phone. I told her not to worry about it because I wasn't going to be using it as a pre-paid phone, but I was going to put my own SIM card in there. She got really quiet and sad that she would "have to pretend that I didn't hear that."
My guess is that they don't want it leaking out that you can do that, because even though the phones are cheaper, when they sell a phone as pre-paid, the price for minutes more than makes up for it.
I inserted my SIM card into the phone and it worked perfectly and just like any other new phone I would have purchased.
Don't worry, Brandi — T-Mobile is still making lots of money having you as a customer — and a happy one at that. We're sure they won't begrudge you the use of a prepaid phone.
What do you do when your phone breaks? eBay a used one? Unlock an old model? Does this tip work on other carriers? Share your phone emergency tips in the comments.
(Photo:NYCviaRachel)
]]>As far as the rep saying she would pretend she didn't hear that the phone was going to be used for a post paid account, that's because T-Mobile prohibits the use of Pre-Paid phones on a post paid account.
I worked in retail sales for T-Mobile for a while and was told by several different trainers and managers that prepaid phones were for use only with the prepaid service, however, I never knew of anyone (customer or rep) getting in trouble for offering or using this much cheaper alternative to replacing a full-cost phone.
Kudos to yall who have done this... excellent idea.
]]>I used to have 2 handsets I used a lot around 2000; my nice Siemens S11 (5 colour screen!) and some cheap motorola PAYG/prepay handset. The Siemens was my everyday phone, but if I was going somewhere the phone might fall, or get banged into something, into the moto it went.
]]>Oh, and skaperen, having 24 providers is great, if they all worked. Where I live now, the ONLY coverage comes from Verizon (and it's a good strong 3G signal)
]]>@jdmba: And have to walk to Wal-Mart and buy it instead.
]]>In fact, when the replacement failed a month later, they did it again, and then again :p I know they were sending it refurbished, but they also have a policy that if you get THREE falty replacement, as in, if all three of the phones they gave me to replace the original one, fail, they will give you a free upgrade.
The last one worked, or I'd be using a new G1. I was promised such by three managers. I also think, though, that the last one wasn't refurbished. They sent me a new one, I believe, to avoid the free upgrade rule.
Either way, I ended up with a new phone for free. Always call and ask.
]]>i have a tmobile blackberry curve 8320 for sale. hit me up if intrested. at aim is my email. this username.
]]>AT&T now has some prepaid devices that come with $15 of included airtime. If you pick one of these up and use it on your postpaid account, the system will automatically add 150 bonus airtime minutes to your account.
]]>@PGibbons:
You Rock.
First off do not go to walmart for these it is against their vendor license to sell the phone to you for this purpose. Some stores are smart enough to say no.
Secondly, if you read the terms of service you can be sued for doing this! The prepaid phones specifically state that they are for prepaid service only. They are usually made by companies other than the phone company and resold for a % of card sale kickbacks. These companies get very mad when people use the phone without the cards.
]]>It got hit by a car. I was riding my bike across a street, it slipped out and I heard it hit the ground. So when I got to the other side of the street, I turned around and CRUNCH! An SUV rolled right over it.
Believe it or not, I gathered up the pieces and put it back together and it somewhat worked. The phone only split into three pieces.
I did get a new one, though. The phones - and the minutes - are pretty cheap.
I barely use the phone, though. An occasional text or just to check what time it is.
]]>If you can wait a week for the phone, logon to My T-Mobile. For some reason you can get a new phone w/discounts every month as long as you extend your contract.
]]>Rarely have I been disappointed, and the ones who don't write back eliminate their scammy selves straight away.
]]>@MrEvil: I was able to put a Boost Mobile (Nextel iDEN)sim in a Nextel phone and it worked perfect, but wasn't able to get the Nextel sim to work in the Boost phone. Wanted a code. I guess that keeps the Nextel crowd from getting cheap Boost phones.
]]>@quail: The best thing to do (after you wipe all of your personal data) is contact a local service agency who will take them and give them to battered women's shelters. Remember, even if you have no service, you can still make a 911 call.
]]>I kept one phone for about 5 years before I was forced to upgrade. My current one is 3 yrs old. I know that there's recycling of cell phones, but not everything inside of them gets reused.
]]>@Sam Wille: Last I knew, yes, they still were not allowing pre-paid phones on their post paid contracts.
In fact, the last time I talked to a Verizon rep about it (I work for a company that provides service through multiple providers), they stated that if a customer wanted to do that, they had to have the pre-paid phone active for at least 6 months before they could put the prepaid ESN on the post paid account.
This is nothing new for me. This is something I've told people to do for YEARS, even as an AT&T rep (which may explain why I no longer work for them). I mean, honestly, if you don't have the money to spend for a $100 replacement, it's easier and much cheaper in the long run to buy a $10 cheapy, just to ride out the remainder of the contract, or until your upgrade eligibility date, whichever comes first.
Now, if you have the money to throw around for a $100, $200, $300 or more phone, well, then, by all means, more power to you, but personally, I don't have the money for that.
]]>@Sam Wille: Verizon's phones don't use SIM Cards, do they? I'd imagine that's a different situation that T-Mobile and AT&T since their phones do.
]]>The last two times I renewed my contract, I just kept my old phone in a drawer in case I ever needed a quick replacement. So far, I haven't had to resort to the old phone, since insurance has covered the times I've ruined my current phone and I can survive a day or two without a phone.
]]>I had another friend convert his Unlocked SLIVR to Go Phone by doing the same thing. Only buying the go phone for the SIM card.
Unfortunately I'm with Sprint, so swaps aren't quite THAT easy, but you can do an ESN swap from their website. I have a brand new Sprint RAZR in my desk drawer as a backup if my Touch Pro breaks (even with the insurance it still takes a while to get a replacement.). Nextel iDen phones are easy to swap too since they have SIM cards (but aren't GSM)
]]>That might be a handy device to look for online...
]]>If you can still activate a pre-paid phone on a post-paid account, that is good info to have. What I tend to do now is shop for pre-owned devices on Craig's List or eBay and hope for the best. (Clean ESN, no faults with the device, etc)
]]>Is Asurion the ones that Verizon uses? Not trying to say that your experience is untrue, but I used them once a couple of months ago and had an awesome experience. I had ripped the touch screen off my LG Dare, thinking it was a screen protector (long story lol). So I got online like on Wednesday night, did the claim on their website, paid my 50 bucks, and by 2pm the next day I had a brand new Dare in my hands. I know they say you most likely will get a refurb, and maybe i did, but it looked brand spanking new. Same box as a new one and everything. I was very impressed.
]]>Nope - but corporate policy would then prohibit her from completing the sale, and the OP would walk out with nothing.
]]>The only main provider I know that provides insurance for mobile phones is Asurion and I can tell you from having to deal with them as a Sprint rep, they have a reputation for poor customer service, botched claims, and misdirected phones.
]]>Last year, I was able to get the unlock codes for three phones instantly about 1.5 years into the contract (of a two year contract). The CSR handling my request expressed her surprise and told me that just two months ago (prior to my call at the time), there was a waiting period for the unlock code to be issued.
Unless AT&T changed policies lately, I assume that everyone else to use this to their advantage.
]]>Dynamics change, but people still seem to like summary assumptions anyway.
]]>I had to replace my phone twice and it was so simple - I just installed the program and within 20 mins, everythign was back.
Some people may find it horrible to pay $25 a year for that service but I know the pain in the butt of re-entering data is work more than $25 to me.
]]>T-Mobile prepaid to the rescue! My husband and I have a spare one for the next time one of our phones breaks.
]]>When my grandmother's phone broke, she just went to Walmart, bought a $30 prepaid AT&T phone and the guy there helped her put the card in. Piece of cake.
]]>For GSM carriers, the phone is nothing more than a shell for the SIM card. You can mix and match pre/post-paid, swap SIMs, or even cross networks if the phone's unlocked. It's no secret at all that you can do this (I'd have to try hard to find someone I know who doesn't know this...but then again, I'm an engineer). If you use anyone but At&T or TMobile in the US, then you're likely out of luck.
]]>No I don't work for myworldphone.com
]]>I use a nice ATT GoPhone (on my postpaid account) except when I am in a spot where there is a chance for damage to the phone (working on a car or construction), then I swap the sim to my trusty Nokia 6010 (TMobile). You used to be able to unlock Nokia phones (GSM) yourself, but they have made changes. Was able to unlock the ATT phone myself and when I went overseas, put a sim from a EU carrier on it and saved a bundle.
]]>Why? Is she legally bound to call the police or something? Are they not going to sell her the phone if she doesn't promise to use it the right way? There's no contract, right?
]]>On a semi-related note, when your contract is up, ATT and TMobile will give you the unlock code allowing you to sell your phone on ebay as an unlocked phone, which either carrier can use (in the united states).
]]>4mo later I dropped the phone on the cement floor in the gym's change room and it too was toast.
I'm really hard on phones - lucky I don't have pets or kids, eh?
]]>I had heard this technique also. Searching a local Craigslist for a similar carrier phone saves on the unlock issue unless the phone to be unlocked is same or better than the broken one.
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