I need a good deal on a cell phone (even a refurbished one) that I could use with Cingular.

Thanks!
Karen

Hi Karen,

What's your budget and zip code?

Zip is 70570 and I would like to spend less than $75 if possible.

My current cell is a Nokia 6340i and Cingular says I can't get an upgrade. I dropped this one a few times and it got messed up. I would have to pay at least $170 to get a new phone through them.

Have you looked at Amazon? Many time you can get a new phone AND MONEY BACK if you sign up for another year. Atleast that is how it works with AT&T and they == Cingular now, so....?

Anyway, here are some phones

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/12758971/ref=w_zr_pho_fb_nex/103-4448074-4187805

Have you looked at Amazon? Many time you can get a new phone AND MONEY BACK if you sign up for another year. Atleast that is how it works with AT&T and they == Cingular now, so....?
But I wonder if she would qualify for any of these offers since she is an existing customer, not a new customer?

Exactly. I assume she is locked into a contract for some length of time so it's not like she can just close the account and sign up as a new customer.

If your Cingular service is on a GSM network, you should just be able to get any cheap unlocked GSM phone, remove your SIM card from the Nokia, pop it in and you're set. I don't know if you have GSM because your Nokia works with both GSM and TDMA networks.

Amazon also offers several Cingular-compatible phones with no contract, such as this Sony Ericsson model for $115:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/wireless/B000260ARU

(see on the right where it lets you buy it without a contract).

If you are willing to get a used phone, I'd say check HowardForums (http://howardforums.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=64) and see if you can find a deal.

Exactly. I assume she is locked into a contract for some length of time so it's not like she can just close the account and sign up as a new customer.

If your Cingular service is on a GSM network, you should just be able to get any cheap unlocked GSM phone, remove your SIM card from the Nokia, pop it in and you're set. I don't know if you have GSM because your Nokia works with both GSM and TDMA networks.

Amazon also offers several Cingular-compatible phones with no contract, such as this Sony Ericsson model for $115:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/wireless/B000260ARU

(see on the right where it lets you buy it without a contract).

If you are willing to get a used phone, I'd say check HowardForums (http://howardforums.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=64) and see if you can find a deal.



No, most of them will let you do it if you sign up for another year or so. We've done it countless times.

No, most of them will let you do it if you sign up for another year or so. We've done it countless times.


As always, make sure to call up Cingular before you do this :)

Yes, there is always that option. You have to decide if it's worth it to be locked in for that additional time, especially if they don't want to offer you any kind of deal now - what happens if the new phone breaks in 9 months time?

Personally I'd rather pay a little bit for a phone and be done with the contract sooner, but it depends on what kind of service they provide you with. How long do you have left on your current contract?

How long do you have left on your current contract?
I'm also wondering this.

I'm in my contract till June 2005.

How would I know if mine is GSM?

No, most of them will let you do it if you sign up for another year or so. We've done it countless times.

I asked if I could extend my contract at this time and I was told that I couldn't.

How would I know if mine is GSM?

Does your phone have a little tiny card inside it (about half the size of a postage stamp)? You may have to remove the battery as the slot is sometimes under it.

Does your phone have a little tiny card inside it (about half the size of a postage stamp)? You may have to remove the battery as the slot is sometimes under it.

Yes it does.

Then it is GSM, so you should be able to take that card out and insert it in any unlocked (or Cingular "approved") GSM phone. There is that model at Amazon I linked above, or search eBay or HowardForums.com for an unlocked GSM phone with any features you may need. Depending on your needs, you could get an older model for well under $50 shipped.

Thanks Brad and others :)

Glad we could help :)

If you wanted to go the real-cheap route, here is a used version of your current phone on eBay that you could probably get cheap:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=64355&item=5716917523&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Read the part about the button cover being missing - you could just use the one on your existing phone. Put your SIM card in there and it should work.

Otherwise there should be tons of options on eBay (do a search for unlocked gsm phone) and HoFo (and Amazon if you want to pay a little more)

Brad, by changing the SIM card, would I still need Cingular to do anything with it?

One of the things that is wrong with my current phone is the on/off buttons missing :(

I lost my phone a few months ago, got a replacement from eBay.

And no, Cingulair doesn't have to do anything, just swap out the little card to any other phone that's compatable with Cingulair (or that says "unlocked") & you're good to go.

My Nokia was orig intended for AT&T, I unlocked it (easy on most Nokia's) & use it on T Mobile's network, just swapped out the SIM card.

How is locking/unlocking done? What does the locking do?

An unlocked phone means it can be used with pretty much any GSM provider (Cingular, T-Mobile, etc...). Phones that are locked to a certain provider will only work with one provider, so you either need and unlocked phone or a phone locked to Cingular.

I never knew so much about cell phones - LOL

I had taken my phone to a Centennial provider before to see if I could use the phone with them. The sales person there said that the phone was specifically programmed for Cingular. Since the phone has the SIM card, then that would mean that the phone is unlocked -- correct?

No, the phone is most likely locked to Cingular, so only Cingular SIM cards would work with it. There are places that can unlock phones for a fee, but in your case you are better off just getting another phone.

Thanks Brad :)

If you purchase a Nokia:

2100
2190
3210
3310
3315
3330
3350
3390
3395
3410
3610
3810
5110
5110i
5130
5190
5210
5510
6090
6110
6110i
6130
6138
6150
6150e
6190
6210
6250
6290
7110
7190
7290
8210
8250
8290
8810
8850
8855
8890
9000
9000i
9110
9110i
2110
2300
3100
3300
3510
3510i
3530
3590
3595
5100
6100
6200
6310
6310i
6390
6500
6510
6590
6600
6610
6650
6800
7210
7210i
7250
8310
8310
8390
8910
8910i
9210
9290

That is "locked" to a carrier other than Cingulair, send me a PM & I'll walk you through "unlocking" it.

Another question -- I just recently moved to a new location in the same city. Appears that there are some areas around here that the reception is either poor or dead. Are there phones that have better reception?

Another question -- I just recently moved to a new location in the same city. Appears that there are some areas around here that the reception is either poor or dead. Are there phones that have better reception?

Yes, typically cell phones with antennas have slightly better reception, but not always.