Cell Phone died what are my options?

[laseranimal]

ok so my wifes cell just died, we're on cingular so I took it back to them, its out of warrenty. My thought was that replacing it with a new phone to add to our plan would be more expensive After checking our info the sales guy told me that we're 2 months away from Cingular offering a new phone at a better rate then we'd get by just getting a new one now. I wanted to wait the 2 months and take the new phone, and in the meantime have my wifes # and SIM card plugged into my phone(which still works) and I'd just go without. However, the thought of me being leashless has the wife demanding that we need 2 phones and truthfully she's right. Is there any way we can get around the cost of a new phone?(without going the pre-paid route)

[El Chupacabra]

If your cell phone died, you should consult the Necronomicon and revive it as an undead phone. The new Motorola RAZROMBIE is a hit.

Do you have an indian burial site nearby?

[baxter]

You can go on ebay and get a really cheap unlocked phone. i just had to do that and it worked well.

[Conundrum]

You can have mine. My buddy had to switch carriers for work and gave me his pimp Cingular phone (he had to go to Verizon). My old one still works but the battery life is a little low but it should get you through a couple months. It should be an easy switch to throw your sim card in it. PM me if interested.

[Keoni]

It's basically more cellphone company bullshit. Bend over and take it like a man.

[fez]

go back to cingular, tell them that they need to give you the new phone now or when your contract is up in two months you will switch carriers. bet you get the new phone.

[MeatPuppet]

go back to cingular, tell them that they need to give you the new phone now or when your contract is up in two months you will switch carriers. bet you get the new phone.

^^^What he said. If that doesn't work, ebay or better yet, craigslist.

[Van_skier]

get a used phone and switch it to your account (but make sure it's the same phone company, otherwise, they won't do it ). If they want to charge you an activation fee, it's bullshit since it takes 2 minutes online and you can do it yourself (at least that was the case for Telus in Canada).

If you want a new phone, the cheapest option is to purchase one of the phones that they sell for the "pay as you go" plans and switch it to your regular plan. These phones are sold with a big discount to encourage sign-ups into these plans... (the phone I got was 100$ instead of the 200$+ if I just bought it as is)

[MakersTeleMark]

Sorry for the hijack, but I'm coming up on 2 years with my phone. Any advice for a new one?

Carrier: Verizon;
Preferences: Bombproof and maximizes reception;
Required Options: Speakerphone, minimal calander with reminder, alarm clock;
Don't really care about: Bluetooth, camera, games, ringtones, etc.

Current phone is a Nokia which I've been happy with.

TIA.

[ljm]

Take Conundrum's or post something in Gear Swap. I'm sure someone has something free/cheap they'll offer you. I did that for a broken Verizon phone a while ago. (Thanks Viva!)

[BigDaddy]

Sorry for the hijack, but I'm coming up on 2 years with my phone. Any advice for a new one?

Carrier: Verizon;
Preferences: Bombproof and maximizes reception;
Required Options: Speakerphone, minimal calander with reminder, alarm clock;
Don't really care about: Bluetooth, camera, games, ringtones, etc.

Current phone is a Nokia which I've been happy with.

TIA.

I switched to Verizon a few months ago (from Cingular... as in one f'n tower) and am so happy! My phone's a Motorola E815 and I love it. Don't think the razor is very good.

[cl1953]

Wejust went through the cell phone hell. One kid dropped his phone in the ocean. We went to cingular and asked to get a plain phone. Our 2 year sentence is up in Dec. They were willing to sell us a phone for $170. The next day the other kids phone crapped. We told them we would switch to verizon cause they gave us 4 phones for $40 and more minutes. Cingular said go. We did. Got decent phones , almost twice the minutes for about $20 more a month.

I asked what happens if you lose a phone. They said you own it for 2 years and will have to buy one at full price.

What a racket. Are any of these companies making money?

Look for the new motofone. Very thin. Coming soon.

[dfinn]

you expect them to replace your phone if you loose it? you aren't leasing the phone, that monthly fee you pay is for the cell phone service, not for the phone itself.

i think most carriers do offer cell phone insurance that will cover breaking it or loosing it, i think it's usually around $5 per month.

[TyWebb]

If you are willing to commit an hour to getting on the phone and demanding you talk to the manager, you'll eventually make your way to someone that can make a decision. Tell that person you want a new phone, you've been a loyal customer, why do only new customers get all the perks, I'll sign on for another year...etc, etc, etc...

You may have to give it to the guy a little bit , but you'll come out with a free phone, or a least a steeply discounted phone. There is no doubt that these companies make their money on monthly fees and airtime, not hardware sales. I've been with Tmobile for 11 years (when they were Aerial, then Voice Stream) and I am on my 12th free phone.

[Jumper Bones]

Cingular sucks the cock for customer service, however I'm happy with their service in the US and overseas. I mean I've gotten service, and good service at that, in remote areas of Iraq and Afghanistan for chrissakes. Surprised the shit outta me.

[72Twenty]

Well, if it's dead, it would feel good to keep it around for when you get that call from work that really pisses you off and you want to throw your phone into the lake, just throw the dead one and presto.

[iceman]

Well, if it's dead, it would feel good to keep it around for when you get that call from work that really pisses you off and you want to throw your phone into the lake, just throw the dead one and presto.

Good thinking, but I think I'd rather walk down a busy city street having a really loud pretend argument on the dead phone and then just freak out and throw it on the ground and stomp the bejesus out of it, all the while screaming obscenities. And then just walk away.

[The AD]

I switched to Verizon a few months ago (from Cingular... as in one f'n tower) and am so happy! My phone's a Motorola E815 and I love it. Don't think the razor is very good.

I don't think the E815 is available anymore. That's the one I wanted when I signed up last month and they told me that model had been discontinued. I got the LG VX5300 instead and have been happy with it so far.

[RShea]

Wejust went through the cell phone hell. One kid dropped his phone in the ocean. We went to cingular and asked to get a plain phone. Our 2 year sentence is up in Dec. They were willing to sell us a phone for $170. The next day the other kids phone crapped. We told them we would switch to verizon cause they gave us 4 phones for $40 and more minutes. Cingular said go. We did. Got decent phones , almost twice the minutes for about $20 more a month.

I asked what happens if you lose a phone. They said you own it for 2 years and will have to buy one at full price.

What a racket. Are any of these companies making money?

Look for the new motofone. Very thin. Coming soon.

Verizon has a few options if you need a new phone. If the contact is not up, most people I have talked to walk in and Verizon wants to extend the contract for 1 or 2 more years (depending on the deals and activation etc. fees out at the time) They usually have a very basic phone that is free after rebates and a 2 year contract. Or a few dollars with a 1 year contract. They also have a program called free every 2 years- you extend the contract again after the 2 year time is up and they give you up to $200 towards new phone etc. so with the rebates out there most of the time on all but the very highest end phones you end up pretty close to free equipment every 2 years.

[RShea]

Cingular sucks the cock for customer service, however I'm happy with their service in the US and overseas. I mean I've gotten service, and good service at that, in remote areas of Iraq and Afghanistan for chrissakes. Surprised the shit outta me.

For international the Cingular and T-Mobile GSM phones are the way to go. They are more popular outside the US and as others state you can switch the SIM card to go with some coverage in the foreign soil for much cheaper that roaming over there and getting hit with minutes.

If you want info on cellular- just like this forum for skiing and other topics goto;

http://www.howardforums.com and search and read through the threads by brand, carrier etc.