Family plan cell phones

[Mommee]

When you add a line to a family plan, does that line have a separate contract end-date or does it go by the main lines? My mom added my son to her plan several months after she started her contract, and I have no idea when DS's contract is up! (and she's at work so I can't ask her right now..) DS's phone broke and he wants to buy one on Craigslist, which I don't think is a good idea.

 

[msmayor]

The Family Plan I have with T-Mobile assigns separate contracts to each separate phone...right now, with four phones on the plan, I have four separate contract end-dates due to the different times each phone was added.

Sprint works the same way.

I'm not sure about other plans.

 

[taximomfor4]

We have AT&T (started as Cingular). Our family plan has all different end dates, too.

 

[Diabolicdesire]

AT&T puts each phone under a separate contract. They will charge more for a new phone if you are still under contract. AT&T prepaid cell phones can be used and are not very expensive, you just buy the phone and out your sim card in. They are not the latest/ greatest phones but both my DD use them and they are fine.

 

[SaraJayne]

We have a US Cellular family plan and mine and DH's phones don't have contracts. The phone we just added (our son's) does have a 2 year contract.

 

[windycitymom]

If the phone is less than one year old, then he should be able to get a replacement from his phone co. at no charge. Also, if he's in the 18 month of his contract, he should be able to get a new, free phone if he signs another two-year contract.

I've sold our cell phones on craigslist (because we switched carriers and there was no need to keep the old phone as a backup). Walmart also sells replacement phones! The cheapest one is like $29 but there are fancier ones. We took the Walmart phone to our phone store (ATT), and they swapped out his old data sim card and activated the new Walmart phone at no extra charge.

 

[Mommee]

DS is three weeks out from his one-year warranty. This phone was new in August (first one died while under warranty) and is doing the same thing the first one did They told him $35 to diagnose, plus the cost of repairs. It's simply not worth it.

He's with Sprint, and they won't give him any money off a new phone for signing a new contract because his "plan" is less that $20/mo (it's 19.99 for the line)

I don't think Sprint phones have cards that can be swapped out

 

[dawson5]

we have sprint. have you looked to see if there are any problems with that phone? my boys all had the rumor. one of theirs, the screen started flashing and then turned white. we did not have the insurance plan on it, but it was a known problem and they swapped it out for $35. Same thing happened to one of the others, but he didn't take care of his phone and they charged us $50 for that (was missing little rubber plugs on some of the holes.). The $50 was cheaper than the $90 they wanted to charge us for replacement. They both ended up with new phones.

FYI We have bought phones from Craigslist without a problem. My son bought his Samsung Moment through CL. He asked about a clear ESN, but when he went to buy it, he asked the seller to meet him at the Sprint store to check and switch to the new phone right then and there. Hubby bought a month old blackberry for me through someone at his work. The guy's girlfriend wasn't happy texting on it, went back to a rumor. I think they also sell refurbished phones.

If you don't mind me asking, where in Michigan are you? We have some rumors laying around here, if you're close enough I would gladly give one to you. I just seem to be moving them around the house.

 

[Mommee]

DS's phone is the Rumor 2. Maybe he misunderstood and it was $35 total? I'm several hours from the Indiana border but thanks

I never thought of having them meet at a Sprint store.

 

[dawson5]

I would ask. Ours presented with the problems that were widespread. We told them what it was and they had ran into it before. Probably should have been a swap for selling a problem phone, they had had them for over six months. I thought the $35 was reasonable.

Bummer on being a few hours away. Seriously, they are just sitting here. I was wondering what to do with them the other day. Might just reset to original settings and donate to a women's shelter. They've all upgraded their phones to either our old ones or ones they bought themselves, we really don't have a need for them and I think we're eligible for upgrades now anyways.