vB Easy Archive - Where to buy a phone when you already have service/contract?

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Where to buy a phone when you already have service/contract?
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Posted by: David9799

I would like to get a new phone my contract is for 2 years and i've only had my phone for 5 months it cost $150.00 to cancel the contract.

I called the local Sprint store and asked how much for the A900 and they said $399! plus $37.00 i think for a upgrade? I guess they charge $37.00 to put your number on the new phone etc.

My wife wants the A900 and i want a differant phone maybe the A920.

My questions are.

#1
If i buy them off ebay once i get them do i just take it to the sprint store and tell them i want to use this phone now?

#2
Do i own the two phones that i have now? I don't remember what the contract said.

#3
Wouldn't it just be cheaper to cancel my contract and pay the $150 fee and re-sign up and get the phones we want for a lot less and then sell the phones we have to get some of the money back? I wonder how many people do this. I could almost break even that way i think.

Posted by: David9799

I'm sure someone has tried this before?

Posted by: MrWizard87

I'm pretty sure as far as CDMA phones go, you could buy it off ebay, call in Sprint, tell them you bought a new phone and want to use it. They will tell you to do a bunch of stuff with the phone, and then you should be fine from there.

Yes, you still own the phones. Once you sign the contract, the phones are yours, you don't need to return them or anything.

It might be cheaper, it all depends on what it's going to cost you for the phone on ebay. Factor in all of the charges/hassles and see if it is worth it to try to get the phone off ebay.

Posted by: nokiaman76

Ebay is good only buy from someone that allows returns and has a high feedback.

Posted by: Resource212

What you are looking for on Ebay is what they call an unlocked phone. It is not locked to an specific carrier and will pick up and service on your phones bandwith. 850-900- and 1800 for Cingular customers. Sprint may be different. However unlocked phones are generally more expensive then carrier phones so it may cost you the about the same. If it is unlocked and you currently have a sim card in your current phone all you do is switch out the sim cards and the new phone with work with no need to involve sprint. You do not want to cancel your contract if you plan to go back with sprint. Nextel's, which has now merged with Sprint, policies in the past were if you canceled your account you werent allowed back with them ever and it goes against your credit and credit score. I would check with Sprint's policies first.

Posted by: tealc

As long as you paid the termination fee, I do not think Nextel would bother with the credit bureau report. I had Nextel for a while and there was never such a provision in the contract. That is one of many reasons that the termination fee exists in the contract.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Resource212

What you are looking for on Ebay is what they call an unlocked phone. It is not locked to an specific carrier and will pick up and service on your phones bandwith. 850-900- and 1800 for Cingular customers. Sprint may be different. However unlocked phones are generally more expensive then carrier phones so it may cost you the about the same. If it is unlocked and you currently have a sim card in your current phone all you do is switch out the sim cards and the new phone with work with no need to involve sprint. You do not want to cancel your contract if you plan to go back with sprint. Nextel's, which has now merged with Sprint, policies in the past were if you canceled your account you werent allowed back with them ever and it goes against your credit and credit score. I would check with Sprint's policies first.