can you successfully swap phone whilst under contract?

[Juno]

my sidekick3 is giving me strange acts lately and i think it's time for me to get a new phone however, i'm still under contract till december 2008.

i just want to know if i can swap phones without a problem. i've never tried that so i'm technically n00b and i'm deaf!

if i receive a lot of 'aye' responses, i'll try and swap my sidekick3 for a blackberry curve.

BADA BING!

 

[uli2000]

Usually, you can swap a tmobile phone with absolutely no problems, but in you case, it may take contacting CS. The reason being is that the sidekicks run all data thru Danger's servers. No other devices will be able to do data thru the servers. You will have to get ahold of Tmobile to have them change you over from a sidekick to a BIS plan for the blackberry. I believe the cost is the same, but the change has to be made by tmobile.

edit: Im guessing you are suppling your own Curve. Since you still have 7 months or so on your contract, I dont think Tmobile will let you extend you contract and get a new phone at a discounted price this soon. You will either have to get one on your own (ebay, craigslist, ect.), or pay retail for one from Tmobile.

 

[Juno]

i called CS this earlier afternoon and they transferred my call to asurion tech support. i hung up afterwards.

asurion = cell phone replacement company.

i didn't think of myself under danger's server. i'll go to a local t-mobile store and see what i can do.

 

[pm]

You can swap phones all you want... what you usually do not get, though, is a particularly good deal on a new phone from T-Mobile since they already have you locked into a contract. But if you are willing to pay for a phone, then it's easy to swap... just get an unlocked (or T-Mobile USA locked) phone and swap SIM cards... no need to even call customer support.

 

[onlyCOpunk]

You can but they will make sign a new 2 year contract.

 

[uli2000]

Originally posted by: pm
You can swap phones all you want... what you usually do not get, though, is a particularly good deal on a new phone from T-Mobile since they already have you locked into a contract. But if you are willing to pay for a phone, then it's easy to swap... just get an unlocked (or T-Mobile USA locked) phone and swap SIM cards... no need to even call customer support.

Its a little diffrent with the sidekicks as they use a proxy from Danger (sidekick makers). Danger wont allow a non sidekick device (or a unregistered sidekick) to access data thru their servers. You can take a sidekick sim and place it in any other Tmobile or unlocked phone and have voice service, but you cant use the data unless you call Tmobile (it may require a new sim altogether, Im not sure if its a special sim or not for the sidekicks). And since the OP stated he was hearing impaired, Im sure data is the most important thing. Best bet is to go to a tmobile store and tell them you want to switch from the SK to another phone. They will be able to either change it over themselves, or contact data CS to make the change for you.

A good quote from the faq in the Danger subforum of hofo:

I HAVE TWO PHONES AND WANT TO SWAP MY SIM AND USE THEM INTERCHANGABLY. DO I NEED TO TRADE PLANS EACH TIME?
Not necessarily. If you just want to use SMS (MMS is NOT included) on your other phone, you can keep the SK Data Plan. Any mobile web, AIM or MMS used will be charged accordingly as if you had no data plan (because you really don't, you only have the SideKick Data Plan...and you're not on a SideKick).

So it looks like if all you do is sms, just pop your sim in your new phone, but for data, you are gonna have to talk to Tmo about switching to another data plan (BIS or BES for the Curve).

 

[pm]

Thanks for the correction, Uli. I didn't know about SK data plans.

 

[Deeko]

Its very easy to switch between TMobile's 3 data plans - TMobile Internet, Blackberry Internet, and Sidekick internet. Which one you want obviously depends on what device you have. You can switch online...just log on to tmobile.com and click add/change your plan. No need to call them or to go into the store (Just did it recently when I switched from a Curve to an N95).

This is, of course, assuming you've acquired a phone. You'll get a terrible deal mid-contract from T-Mobile, so look on ebay, or Amazon, or some other website that sells unlocked phones. Then it's just a matter of swapping the SIM card and changing your data service.

 

[Juno]

i'm thinking about buying a used blackberry curve model 8320 and go to tmobile store to have everything changed.

is this the best move?

 

[Deeko]

If you don't mind going to the store, sure.

 

[Juno]

i just read your previous post, i didn't know i can change plan thru online. i just tested it out myself, it's wicked.

i guess it's time for me to shop a used blackberry curve 8320. i'm just hoping i can keep my email address domain (@tmail.com) since the rest of my blackberry friends got their addresses changed to @*carrier*.blackberry.net, i think it's rather too long.

 

[uli2000]

But the good thing about blackberry, is you wont need to email them, you can pin them.

 

[Juno]

nevermind