Need help buying unlocked phone.

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
C

Coldkilla

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2004
3,944
0
71
So my cell phone was stolen, think it'd be easy getting it replaced and renewed? Nope. Now I have to buy a phone at retail price in all retail stores and some phones range up to 400+ dollars. I heard from someone was all I would have to do is buy an "unlocked" phone and a new "smart" card. I was wondering: A. Is this easy for a non-tech person to do? B. Will it cost me an arm and a leg?

I saw this RAZR phone on eBay (same as my old phone) for a somewhat decent price:
eBay Link

Say I bought that, what steps would I use to get this phone to work on my current family plan (cingular).

Thanks.
 
C

Coldkilla

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2004
3,944
0
71
That simple? How much is a SIM card? Where can I buy one? Is there anything special about a SIM card as per my contract that would require me to do anything special in order to make it work?
 
I

isekii

Lifer
Mar 16, 2001
28,578
3
81
Originally posted by: Coldkilla
So my cell phone was stolen, think it'd be easy getting it replaced and renewed? Nope. Now I have to buy a phone at retail price in all retail stores and some phones range up to 400+ dollars. I heard from someone was all I would have to do is buy an "unlocked" phone and a new "smart" card. I was wondering: A. Is this easy for a non-tech person to do? B. Will it cost me an arm and a leg?

I saw this RAZR phone on eBay (same as my old phone) for a somewhat decent price:
eBay Link

Say I bought that, what steps would I use to get this phone to work on my current family plan (cingular).

Thanks.
Click to expand...


what steps would you need to take.
that phone is already unlocked.
just pop in a sim card and you're good to go
 
I

isekii

Lifer
Mar 16, 2001
28,578
3
81
Originally posted by: Coldkilla
Really!!!?? w00t. This is 110% true? Any margin of error?
Click to expand...

Of course.
you can always put the sim card in the wrong direction
 
J

Juice Box

Diamond Member
Nov 7, 2003
9,615
1
0
All you have to do is go to Cingular, say your phone was stolen and that you need a new SIM card (usually $10-$15 IIRC). Buy an unlocked phone from ebay, pop in the card, and you're good to go.
 
C

Coldkilla

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2004
3,944
0
71
:) Thanks so much. I just remember reading some insane complex thing about SIM cards and activating.
 
Hyperlite

Hyperlite

Diamond Member
May 25, 2004
5,664
2
76
Originally posted by: isekii
Originally posted by: Coldkilla
Really!!!?? w00t. This is 110% true? Any margin of error?
Click to expand...

Of course.
you can always put the sim card in the wrong direction
Click to expand...

:laugh:

$400? what did you have? V3m's from vzw are only like $250 or something now, free with NE2 and contract renewal. just got mine Tuesday.

but damn verizon for everything else regarding CDMA and phone software...
 
A

akshatp

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 1999
8,349
0
76
Buy the unlocked phone from AT FS/FT I just sold a bunch of brand new RAZR's there. Screw ebay!
 
B

BrianH1

Platinum Member
May 24, 2005
2,199
0
0
Originally posted by: akshatp
Buy the unlocked phone from AT FS/FT I just sold a bunch of brand new RAZR's there. Screw ebay!
Click to expand...

QFT. I bought my razr from akshatp and its great. Thanks again.
 
n7

n7

Elite Member
Jan 4, 2004
21,281
4
81
Originally posted by: isekii
Originally posted by: Coldkilla
Really!!!?? w00t. This is 110% true? Any margin of error?
Click to expand...

Of course.
you can always put the sim card in the wrong direction
Click to expand...

:laugh:

Man that cracked me up :D
 
T

tk149

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2002
7,253
1
0
How do you know if a phone is unlocked? I have a work phone that I'm not using anymore because my employer switched from Verizon to Cingular. My employer told me to do anything I want with it. I think it's unlocked but I'm not sure.

It's a Samsung sch-i830 PDA/phone, and I'd like to sell it and recoup some of the money I spent on accessories for it.
 
A

akshatp

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 1999
8,349
0
76
Originally posted by: tk149
How do you know if a phone is unlocked? I have a work phone that I'm not using anymore because my employer switched from Verizon to Cingular. My employer told me to do anything I want with it. I think it's unlocked but I'm not sure.

It's a Samsung sch-i830 PDA/phone, and I'd like to sell it and recoup some of the money I spent on accessories for it.
Click to expand...

When people refer to unlocked phones, they generally are talking about GSM phones that utilize SIM cards. Verizon phones will only work on Verizon in the US, unfortunately.
 
M

MazerRackham

Diamond Member
Apr 4, 2002
6,572
0
0
If you have Cingular, make sure whatever GSM phone you buy does 850 and 1900 MHz. Not all GSM phones do 850 MHz, which is the one you really want if you have Cingular.
 
A

Aimster

Lifer
Jan 5, 2003
16,129
2
0
If u r gonna pay $150 for a phone..


get the MPX220

& then go download the NES/SNES EMU and ROMS
Flash the system ROM (surrealnetworks.com)
go get some backgrounds from (modaco.com)

& while u are at it go get a better video player such as tcmp (surrealnetworks download section).

much better than the razor.
 
JEDIYoda

JEDIYoda

Lifer
Jul 13, 2005
33,986
3,321
126
Originally posted by: Aimster
If u r gonna pay $150 for a phone..


get the MPX220

& then go download the NES/SNES EMU and ROMS
Flash the system ROM (surrealnetworks.com)
go get some backgrounds from (modaco.com)

& while u are at it go get a better video player such as tcmp (surrealnetworks download section).

much better than the razor.
Click to expand...

exactly
 
T

tk149

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2002
7,253
1
0
Originally posted by: akshatp
Originally posted by: tk149
How do you know if a phone is unlocked? I have a work phone that I'm not using anymore because my employer switched from Verizon to Cingular. My employer told me to do anything I want with it. I think it's unlocked but I'm not sure.

It's a Samsung sch-i830 PDA/phone, and I'd like to sell it and recoup some of the money I spent on accessories for it.
Click to expand...

When people refer to unlocked phones, they generally are talking about GSM phones that utilize SIM cards. Verizon phones will only work on Verizon in the US, unfortunately.
Click to expand...

The phone does CDMA and GSM. It was specifically chosen by the company because it can be used internationally, although I never got a chance to use it outside the U.S. Do I still need to unlock it?
 
Spineshank

Spineshank

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2001
7,728
1
71
Its also not hard to unlock the phone yourself. I bought the W810i from Cingular and then unlocked it.
 
C

Compton

Platinum Member
Feb 18, 2000
2,522
1
0
My phone died when I was still under contract with Cingular. I bought a Tmobile to go phone from Target and unlocked it (Nokia 6101). Its a cheap phone but it was on clearance so I don't think I could've done much better for the price.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom