Barely Working Cellphone, still in contract. Getting a new one?

[n666]

I got a phone from online and subscribed with Verizon for a year. I like the service and all but my phone is falling apart. Now i want to get a new one and keep the number and the service.. can i just get a phone anywhere and make it work?

Whats the procedure?
First time i gotta do something like this.. thanks in advance.

 

[bonkers325]

if you get a new phone before your contract expires, i believe it costs you extra $$$. im not sure about the specifics though, i only have a month till my contract expires

 

[bigrash]

If you want to keep service with Verizon, you gotta buy a phone from them and u can keep the #

Or you can buy a phone somewhere else, get a different provider and ask for your # to be transfered.

 

[etalns]

I believe what he means is, can he take the sim card out of his current phone and put it in any other cell phone and have it work? Or is there more to the process?

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: bigrash
If you want to keep service with Verizon, you gotta buy a phone from them and u can keep the #

Or you can buy a phone somewhere else, get a different provider and ask for your # to be transfered.

You can do this online.
All it takes is typing in your new Phones ESN.

 

[blazerazor]

You have to have a phone that they use, you call them up and will walk you through it. You will have to take the phone apart and give them the sim/smart card numbers. Really easy.

Ask your buddies, maybe someone will have an old one that will work. Once your contract is up you can sign up for another one and get a free or cheap phone.

 

[CVSiN]

Originally posted by: n666
I got a phone from online and subscribed with Verizon for a year. I like the service and all but my phone is falling apart. Now i want to get a new one and keep the number and the service.. can i just get a phone anywhere and make it work?

Whats the procedure?
First time i gotta do something like this.. thanks in advance.

Verizon use sprint like phones. no SIM chips so you have to buy another phone from them and have your information moved to it..
phone companies that use SIM enabled phones you can by any unlocked phone and put your chip in it and do not need the phone company to help.

 

[Triumph]

You can buy a new phone from Verizon or one of its distributors, or a used phone that has been unlocked. Unlocked phones can be programmed to work on different networks, but not all phones can work on all networks. I went through the same thing as you about a month ago, wanted a new phone but stayed with Verizon. I found out that places like amazon and letstalk.com don't deal with existing customers. I also found that brand new phones are ridiculously expensive if you don't sign a contract, and used phones really aren't much cheaper. After going around and around, I ended up buying my phone at Radio Shack and only signing a 1 year contract. If I had bought the same phone and plan at Verizon, it would have cost me $100 more.

If you are ok with signing a 2 year contract, there's many phones you can get for free. If you don't want to sign a 2 year, you'll have to do some more digging to find a deal. And if you don't want to sign any contract, you're outta luck, stuck paying almost full price for a phone ($200-300).

 

[codeyf]

Just go to Craigslit or (god forbid) eGay. CL always has new/used phones without service for considerably less than retail. And because it's equipment only, you just call up Verizon when you have your new phone in hand and they'll make the change for you.

 

[n666]

Originally posted by: codeyf
Just go to Craigslit or (god forbid) eGay. CL always has new/used phones without service for considerably less than retail. And because it's equipment only, you just call up Verizon when you have your new phone in hand and they'll make the change for you.

So that's what i've been wondering about. I can buy a phone (that works with Verizon) and then call the company and have them port my info and all?

I still have like 7 months on my contract.

Another option: Can i get a new phone and sign another 1 year contract, resulting in 1 year and 7 months contract and a new phone but same # ?

 

[zerocool1]

Originally posted by: Qosis
I believe what he means is, can he take the sim card out of his current phone and put it in any other cell phone and have it work? Or is there more to the process?

Verizon doesn't use GSM, so there's no SIM its CDMA IIRC.