Buy a cell phone on ebay?

[sk!mom]

Bought one for DD last summer. We were with Sprint and the process was easy and cheap. Got her a phone for $15 and activated it online. I wouldn't use ebay for an expensive phone. She used it without problem until her contract was up and we got her a new phone for xmas.

Use the same caution as normal when using ebay and you should be fine.

 

[javaj]

If you do this w/ Verizon, buy a phone off ebay & have verizon activiate it, does it restart your contract? We 1/2 way to the end of our 2 years, but DH's phone is really junky. They've tried to fix it a bunch of times, but it just won't hold a charge no matter what. I'd love to get him a new phone but don't want our contract starting over...thinking about switching companies at the end.

Also, if anyone has done this recently, if you buy an ebay phone & have it activated, do they upgrade your plan to make you buy the $9.99 data plan they force on you now?

Thanks!

No this doesn't extend your contract (contract only extends if you get a phone from Vz with special discounted pricing).

If you get a smartphone (Blackberry, Droid, etc), then you will be required to purchase a data plan, Im not sure what the minimum is - I thought it was 29.99 but that may be the Blackberry specific plan. This is UNLESS the phone was originally purchased from Vz before a certain date. We have a Palm Centro which is exempt from the data plan requirement because we got it a few years back. I'm no sure what the cutoff date is though.

 

[Pembo]

OP here...I ended up spending an hour on the phone with Verizon but I got a new phone for $75 and didn't have to change my plan or my contract. It was worth the phone call...Thanks to all who responded.

 

[bucket o' butter]

I recently bought 3 different cell phones from Ebay. We didn't want to sign a contract with AT&T due to my husband's job situation. I talked to them and they said if I bought a phone outright (even from Ebay) I would not have to sign a contract. It would be a month to month "contract". Anyway, I bought a phone for myself and DS and DD. I made sure the seller had good feedback and I also purchased the Square Trade Warranty for the kids ;phones. We have had them for two months now and all are working great, so I highly recommend it. Just do your research first.