kalidust Posted August 30, 2004 Posted August 30, 2004 I need a good deal on a cell phone (even a refurbished one) that I could use with Cingular. Thanks! Karen
kalidust Posted August 30, 2004 Author Posted August 30, 2004 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.
AFB Posted August 31, 2004 Posted August 31, 2004 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....?
AFB Posted August 31, 2004 Posted August 31, 2004 Anyway, here are some phones http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/12758971/ref=w_zr_pho_fb_nex/103-4448074-4187805
RossMAN Posted August 31, 2004 Posted August 31, 2004 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?
Brad Posted August 31, 2004 Posted August 31, 2004 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 and see if you can find a deal.
AFB Posted August 31, 2004 Posted August 31, 2004 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 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.
AFB Posted August 31, 2004 Posted August 31, 2004 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 :)
Brad Posted August 31, 2004 Posted August 31, 2004 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?
RossMAN Posted August 31, 2004 Posted August 31, 2004 How long do you have left on your current contract?I'm also wondering this.
kalidust Posted August 31, 2004 Author Posted August 31, 2004 I'm in my contract till June 2005. How would I know if mine is GSM?
kalidust Posted August 31, 2004 Author Posted August 31, 2004 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.
Brad Posted August 31, 2004 Posted August 31, 2004 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.
kalidust Posted August 31, 2004 Author Posted August 31, 2004 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.
Brad Posted August 31, 2004 Posted August 31, 2004 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.
Brad Posted August 31, 2004 Posted August 31, 2004 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)
kalidust Posted August 31, 2004 Author Posted August 31, 2004 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
Pliablemoose Posted August 31, 2004 Posted August 31, 2004 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.
kalidust Posted August 31, 2004 Author Posted August 31, 2004 How is locking/unlocking done? What does the locking do?
Brad Posted August 31, 2004 Posted August 31, 2004 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.
kalidust Posted August 31, 2004 Author Posted August 31, 2004 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?
Brad Posted August 31, 2004 Posted August 31, 2004 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.
Pliablemoose Posted August 31, 2004 Posted August 31, 2004 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.
kalidust Posted September 2, 2004 Author Posted September 2, 2004 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?
Pliablemoose Posted September 2, 2004 Posted September 2, 2004 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.
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