bought a cell phone on EBay

[Rock'n Robin]

My verizon crapped out. I had the circuit city plan warranty. What I got from it, since my phone is no longer made, is $119.
Turns out $119 will only buy me the non-camera version of DD's phone. And I am NOT eligible for deals or upgrades until June 12--no exceptions. I could, of course, pay full price any phone, or pay Verizon $90 for a refurbished phone--no camera, bare bones model.
So for $91, I got an audiovox camera phone from a reputable dealer that I will have by mid-next week, and the Verizon guy at CC will activate it for me. I still have $28! Hurray for me!
Robin M.

 

[crazelion]

All had to do was buy a verizon phone take the chip out old phone put the new chip in the new phone.

I know it works because I just paid 10.00 dollars for a camera phone which is Cingular. That was I did with mind. My cousin show me how.

Putting on flamesuit now.

 

[Kirk]

All had to do was buy a verizon phone take the chip out old phone put the new chip in the new phone.

I know it works because I just paid 10.00 dollars for a camera phone which is Cingular. That was I did with mind. My cousin show me how.

Putting on flamesuit now.

Verizon is the only service I know of that does NOT operate by SIMM chip! Each phone has an ESN number that must be activated. Pro - stolen Verizon phones can only be activated by calling Verizon (I don't know if they lock out stolen phones). Cons - after paying a lot of money for a phone, it will only work with Verizon (I think they plan it that way).

 

[horseshowmom]

I've bought a couple of phones off ebay, and they were no problem. They were both used, so I got them very cheaply. I have Cingular, so I just switched out the SIM card, and they were ready to go. I buy all of my batteries on ebay too.

 

[mickeysgal]

Verizon is the only service I know of that does NOT operate by SIMM chip! Each phone has an ESN number that must be activated. Pro - stolen Verizon phones can only be activated by calling Verizon (I don't know if they lock out stolen phones). Cons - after paying a lot of money for a phone, it will only work with Verizon (I think they plan it that way).

You can activate them online at verizonwireless.com. My daughter got her cell wet and the phone died. We had an old phone and simply activated the ESN number online. Worked like a charm.

 

[SteeleTig]

Sprint PCS doesn't have a SIMM card either... unless they switched over since I bought a phone this past September. My DP's old phone was through Cingular and she had a SIMM card in that phone.

 

[Robinrs]

Good for you, Robin.

I used to sell Tracfones on eBay, did one heck of a business until Tracfone became to SLOOOOW to respond. Paid my rent for most of 2005!

 

[Toby'sFriend]

why would anybody flame you for replacing a cell phone?

I've bought 2 cell phones off of EBAY recently. The first was for my son who lost his phone. I purchased a SIMM chip from the same dealer, called the Cingular 800 number, and they activated the phone for me.

The 2nd phone was mine because I ran my old phone through the washing maching. My SIMM chip was still good. I went to the local Cingular store first, but he didn't have any refurbished phones on hand - he actually has to keep a waiting list for them. He suggested EBAY to me as a good avenue but told me to only buy from somebody with really good feedback.

 

[cats mom]

Verizon is the only service I know of that does NOT operate by SIMM chip! Each phone has an ESN number that must be activated. Pro - stolen Verizon phones can only be activated by calling Verizon (I don't know if they lock out stolen phones). Cons - after paying a lot of money for a phone, it will only work with Verizon (I think they plan it that way).

Yep, they will lock out stolen phones if you call and report them.

I know firsthand since DD had her nice, new camera phone for maybe a month when her purse was stolen.
The verizon CS rep speculated it was probably at the bottom of a trash barrel somewhere since it would be no good to anyone else.

Would have been nice if the fellow HS student who took it had at least dropped the phone in lost & found.
They got her ID, an i-pod mini and cash along with the purse, wallet and misc. stuff.