vB Easy Archive - What do mortals do?

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What do mortals do?
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Posted by: Boy Racer

I'm not an employee of a business that has a Premier account.

I used my upgrade last February/March on my personal phone on my family plan, settling on a CU500 after repeatedly being told I had to get a PDA data plan to get a Palm 680 or 750. Even though I don't use the phone for business, or tether it to a laptop as a modem.

Stupid rule, CingT&T.

So I'm unsatisfied with the interface on the CU500 to send text messages/e-mails (like I knew I would be when I got it). I want a qwerty keyboard PDA-style phone.

How do I upgrade to a 750? It's expensive to buy one outright from CingT&T, or at the Palm Store* for that matter.

Am I relegated to taking my chances on eBay? Will I be able to buy a 750 and swap my SIM into it and go from there?

I don't mind extending my contract if need be; I don't mind buying a branded phone (I guess: what's the benefit to unbranding a GSM phone?); I don't mind buying from CingT&T directly so long as they don't hose me into getting the PDA data plan.

Would anyone in the Atlanta area be interested in making a straw purchase for me?

What are my other options?

*who's bright idea was it to put a Palm Store in the Atlanta airport beyond the security check? You need to have a boarding pass and photo ID to get through security! Even the cheapest one-way plane ticket sure adds a lot to the cost of a new PDA phone!

Posted by: ~~Tito~~

Ebay my friend or other websites to buy cheap phones. Lol the airport shore screwed you lol.

Posted by: Surrea|

ebay or craigslist (or hofo!) usually has decent prices for phones
mere mortals can sell their souls to someone with premier access too.

But yes, typically ones that are sold are unlocked so you can just swap your sim. I've never had any problems with phones off ebay, but they are typically used, and you're always taking your chances to some extent with a used phone.

Posted by: Boy Racer

Crap. The unlocked ones are the expensive ones!

Posted by: jomo25

I thought someone once mentioned the whole Premier program is based on the domain name of your email address. And I could swear that someone said that if you have an email address via someone like Cox Communications (your normal broadband email address), that that email would actually qualify for Premier.

So, not sure if you might be able to qualify if you have a non-free email address whose company has an agreement with AT&T/Cing.

Posted by: Boy Racer

Quote:

Originally Posted by jomo25

I thought someone once mentioned the whole Premier program is based on the domain name of your email address. And I could swear that someone said that if you have an email address via someone like Cox Communications (your normal broadband email address), that that email would actually qualify for Premier.

So, not sure if you might be able to qualify if you have a non-free email address whose company has an agreement with AT&T/Cing.

Negative, Ghostrider. I tried again, once at a page using zip code and once at a page using cellular telephone number, both with my Comcast e-mail address.

Posted by: SprintNewbie

you could add a line for $10 and get the Treo at the new customer price and just switch the sims, however you will have to change to a family plan as well and may be more expensive in the long run, but will save you from getting hit all at once right now.

Posted by: Fresh-Popcorn

Get a cheap arse go-phone for $10 or $20, activate it and use the $10 credit up, put your Cu500 on ebay and see if you can get $100 for it, (dont know what the going rate on the Cu500 is right now).
Then use what you sold the Cu500 for towards a used 750 on ebay or whatever means.
This way you will still have a backup phone with the gophone and get your 750 cheaper after you sell the Cu500.

Why buy the gophone?
So you can have a phone to use when you sell the main phone.

Posted by: Boy Racer

Quote:

Originally Posted by SprintNewbie

you could add a line for $10 and get the Treo at the new customer price and just switch the sims, however you will have to change to a family plan as well and may be more expensive in the long run, but will save you from getting hit all at once right now.

Hmm... I already have the family plan (me, wife & mom). So I wouldn't have to sign up.

Can someone tell me how much it would cost for me to add a line with a Treo?

Would they let me add a line with a Treo without adding the $44.95 data plan? I already have the $19.99 plan for my (now defunct) CU500. They wouldn't let me upgrade in the past to a PDA style phone without adding the corporate data plan.

Posted by: ironhayden08

If you want the $100 rebate (online) or $150 (in store), you will have to have a data plan. Also, the PDA Personal data plan is $39.99 and comes with unlimited internet and 1500 messages. Unless you need enterprise e-mail, there is no reason to get the $44.99 PDA enterprise plan.

Depending on your rate plan, your add-a-line would be either $9.99/mo or $19.99/mo (really old plans). There might be a $26 activation fee as well.

Posted by: Boy Racer

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironhayden08

If you want the $100 rebate (online) or $150 (in store), you will have to have a data plan. Also, the PDA Personal data plan is $39.99 and comes with unlimited internet and 1500 messages. Unless you need enterprise e-mail, there is no reason to get the $44.99 PDA enterprise plan.

Depending on your rate plan, your add-a-line would be either $9.99/mo or $19.99/mo (really old plans). There might be a $26 activation fee as well.

My $19.99 plan is the Media Max 200 plan for use with the non-PDA smart phones.

So there is now a non-corporate plan for PDA usage, but it's $40/month? I didn't know that.

So, if I am forced to purchase a PDA-style data plan with the add a line PDA phone, my net bill would go up $29.99 or more (-$19.99/month MM 200 plan - $4.99/month insurance + $39.99/month PDA data plan + $9.99/month for the added line + the asociated taxes for the new line). Plus the activation fee.

<sigh> I may just get a cheap-o pay as you go phone and use my old CU500 SIM in it until I can save a few bucks and decide what I'm going to do.

Of course, I may say screw it, just go buy a new unlocked phone off eBay with a credit card and pay it off at 22% interest for the next 10 months. I mean I can pay Cingular or pay Mastercard. I'm gonna get it in the end (literally) one way or the other. I haven't found a reasonable alternative yet...

Posted by: wpbear

Just for a reference point on Premier the Prices are:

Refurb 680: $79.99
Refurb 650: $99.99
Refurb 8525: $199.99
New 8525: $399.99
680 Crimson New: $299.99
680 Non-Camera New: $299.99
680 New: $299.99
750 Non-Camera New: $399.99
750 New: $399.99

No rebates needed or allowed. All upgrade prices.

Posted by: garrym13

Wirelessly posted (SAMSUNG-SGH-I607/I607FG1 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 4.01; Windows CE; Smartphone; 320x240) UP.Link/6.3.0.0.0)

ATT calls the blackjack a pda. I ordered one off the premier website and did NOT have to get a data package. I ended up getting one a few weeks later on my own. I know that may not help your situation, but I would try to order it and not get a data package.

Posted by: Boy Racer

I am not premier eligible. I am just a guy with a phone... no corporate account to make me eligible or anything.

A refurb 680 would be perfect for me...

Posted by: garrym13

Wirelessly posted (SAMSUNG-SGH-I607/I607FG1 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 4.01; Windows CE; Smartphone; 320x240) UP.Link/6.3.0.0.0)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boy Racer

I am not premier eligible. I am just a guy with a phone... no corporate account to make me eligible or anything.

A refurb 680 would be perfect for me...

oops, i did not read properly ignore my post.

Posted by: ironhayden08

You can buy an unlocked, no-contact Treo 680 from palm on their web site for $399. Not bad if you ask me.

Posted by: Boy Racer

This is the best deal on an unlocked, NIB 680 I've found so far:

http://electronics.pricegrabber.com...phoneid=1000181