Worth keeping T-Mobile prepaid active when switching carriers?

[eelton1]

I'm on T-Mobile prepaid, with Gold Rewards status so that my minutes last a year. I'm switching to AT&T postpaid (not looking forward to the AT&T network, but my work is paying for it and the Captivate cost 1 cent through Amazon).

Is there any reason to keep my T-Mobile account active? Maybe as a backup or emergency phone? It looks like I could buy $10 a year so that the minutes would roll over. I currently have $27 in the account, which I would lose if I let the account expire.

[25jive1]

I vote "keep it". $10 per year is the cheapest in the business. You spent $100 to get GR... why waist it?

[phonetic]

I would definitely keep it! Just $10 a year to keep a phone, number, and account alive - what's the downside?

[eelton1]

Thanks, I'll probably keep the prepaid account.

A small disadvantage is not being able to port my phone number. That's not a big deal, though, since I've been trying to use my Google Voice number instead of the cell number.

[adam917]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9700/5.0.0.862 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

I say keep it. I actually have 2 prepaid lines with T-Mobile even though my primary line is a T-Mobile postpaid. They are mainly for spare phones, etc. Also I use them in Canada instead of increasing my postpaid bill for that period (rates are the same). Also, should we get data on T-Mobile prepaid, us with already established accounts should be set ahead of time.

[CaptSmokey6]

I agree. It's well worth it to keep your tmobile prepaid account alive for $10 per year, you can't beat this price anywhere. You'll never know when you'll have to use your tmobile prepaid account again.

[shawnlg]

Keep it and put it on the $1 plan. Then, if you need a line for evening calls, you get unlimited after 7PM for $1. That's the only thing I use my old prepaid line for. I have evening installs for work I do at home, and it's nice to not tie up my home phone for these.

[Telekom]

I'm on T-Mobile prepaid, with Gold Rewards status so that my minutes last a year. I'm switching to AT&T postpaid (not looking forward to the AT&T network, but my work is paying for it and the Captivate cost 1 cent through Amazon).

Is there any reason to keep my T-Mobile account active? Maybe as a backup or emergency phone? It looks like I could buy $10 a year so that the minutes would roll over. I currently have $27 in the account, which I would lose if I let the account expire.

It's only $10 a year. Why would you cancel it? There may come a day when you need an extra phone for one reason or another. You probably spend more on a couple beers than you would to keep the line active.

[TXLady]

I have a line that I've never actually used that I keep active just because I like the phone number on it and if I ever need another line, I want that phone number.

[James30154]

Keep it. Ten dollars a year is the cheapest backup possible. Also, you may not stay with your employer.

[eelton1]

Also, you may not stay with your employer.

Good point! I'll want to minimize expenses while I'm unemployed.

I did decide to keep it.

[jakelewis]

I'm in a similar situation (gold rewards, $40 credit) and I'm moving to PagePlus as I need data and call forwarding.

However, I really need to port my t-mobile phone number over to the pageplus account - is there any possibility of keeping the t-mobile account alive (with a new number obviously)?

[dbusguy]

Glad you kept it. I'm a CDN and I keep my T-Mobile active for when I travel south. Always handy to have an American number when checking in or renting a car. Can't beat 10 bux

[SnowyWhite]

Keep it and put it on the $1 plan. Then, if you need a line for evening calls, you get unlimited after 7PM for $1. That's the only thing I use my old prepaid line for. I have evening installs for work I do at home, and it's nice to not tie up my home phone for these.

You know I love the $1 a day for my long winded evening calls.

Google has this new thing, Google Talk or something close and they let you make calls free from your computer to anyone in the US or Canada for free. You don't have to use your phone for this.
I have been using this for a few days now and it's great, much better than Skype in my opinion, I have tried Skype and am not a fan.

25Jive1 was talking about it on another thread a few days ago and I decided to try it.
Sound quality is great and it's really easy to use and installing it wasn't difficult at all.

This saves me the $1 a day when all I want to do is talk from home.
I will still use the $1 a day when I am out and want to talk with my Mom or other people in T~Mobile but for just yakking this is great, works all day long too. I do not have to wait until 7pm to talk off T~Mobile

[phonetic]

I'm in a similar situation (gold rewards, $40 credit) and I'm moving to PagePlus as I need data and call forwarding.

However, I really need to port my t-mobile phone number over to the pageplus account - is there any possibility of keeping the t-mobile account alive (with a new number obviously)?

Sounds like you would need T-Mo cooperation to do this, but it seems like they would want to keep you as a customer. They can definitely give you a new number for your existing T-Mo device, so the only question is whether they'll then port its former associated number for you. There could be technical or infrastructure problems that make that difficult or impossible, I suppose.

Give CS a call (or several - different reps sometimes give different answers) and report back! Good luck.