Lost My Cell Phone

[strasfamily]

Need advice from some experts.

My hubby lost his cell phone a couple of weeks ago. We have T-Mobile and they had us buy a new card and gave us a loaner phone (which doesn't work very well). In order to get a new phone, we would have to wait until our contract is up so we don't get taken to the cleaners on the prices of their phones, and sign up for another contract.

My friend let me have a phone of hers, but there was no way to put the card in - it was a newer Nokia from AT&T. I'm thinking of just looking on E-Bay for a phone, but how do I know which ones I can use? I guess all phones don't use a card? Do I have to find one that says it is specifically for T-Mobile? I thought the wireless companies all sold the same phones.

Help!

TIA,

Tracey in AZ

 

[karebear1]

What kind of cell phone was it? I have just replaced my cell phone and still have my old one. We use T-Mobile as well. I don't have the charger anymore, but the phone is still good.

 

[jel0511]

The card is only one part of how a cell phone works. The card is a SIM card, which holds some of the cell-phone information, but not all of it. You can't just use anyone's phone and install the card, as the phone info has to be in T-Mobile's computer as well. You're unforunately stuck with the loaner phone, until you either buy a new phone from T-Mobile, or wait until your contract is up.

Edited to add: All cell phones don't use the SIM card yet, it is rather new technology. We just got new phones and these phones have SIM cards, but our old (less than a year old) Nokia's didn't. These phones are still sold, so they still don't have these cards.

 

[buzz2400]

Did you talk to a manager. When I lost my phone (verizon) they let me buy another at a reduced rate. They said they only do this one time. Also if they still insist on making you pay a very high price, threaten to leave when contract is up. Now that you can switch cell numbers from one company to another, the cell phone companies are trying to accomodate their customers so they can keep them. I also found out that when you ask a question to three different people (at verizon), you get three different answers. I would call them again and just tell them you lost the phone but you don't want to pay a fortune for a new one. You might get someone who is having a great day and might help you out. Good luck.

 

[strasfamily]

Thanks for everyone's help. I have talked to at least 4 different people at T-Mobile. The best we came up with was the loaner phone and buying the new card for $25. I guess we will just have to wait until our contract is up and sign again on the dotted line. It just makes me frustrated, these phone companies seem to have us by the you know what.

Tracey in AZ

 

[twinsmomplusone]

Here is a site that is like the Dis but for cellular phones and service.

Maybe you can get some information there


http://www.howardforums.com/


HTH

 

[tink2dw]

You can take the phone your freind gave you to a att store and they will turn it into a prepaid phone 1 month and then take it t-moble and see if they can get it to work on your contract. att has a $10 prepaid card.

 

[mudnuri]

This is why we have signal insurance. It covers our phone in case of damage or loss, with no $$ from us to get a new one, and have it activated.

DH has damaged 2 phones beyond repair, the 1.95 per month we pay is definetly worth it. All we have to do is go to our local US Cellular- and they activate a new phone for us, usually takes about 5 mintues tops. If we chose to go with a newer phone, (which DH has done) we pay the difference in price from the current damaged phone to the new one. I've lost mine before, but I just got the same phone again.

Worst part is entering the phone book, and setting up the voice commands again!

Brandy

 

[Amor4Pooh]

every so often tell you SIM card registration failed (for no reason)? I can't stand it! When it does, the only thing I can do to get it working again is turn the phone off and on again. This new technology really isn't all that great, I didn't know about it, but needed a new phone because the one I had would just do all kinds of weird things. I really would rather have gotten a new phone with no Global Satellite Positioning and SIM card, and not had these problems. Unfortunately, they ALL come with it for AT&T now, or so I was told when I asked. If you have an older phone without it- KEEP IT.
Amor4pooh

 

[HaleyB]

I lost my SprintPCS phone and just picked up a new one on Ebay. I got the same exact model I had lost because I knew I liked how it worked... I don't know how T Mobile works, but at Sprint PCS it has to be a NEW contract, renewals do not qualify for the free or deep discount phones. I was out of contract and they did nothing to try to keep me at Sprint... I was really mad until I priced out everyone else. Turns out my deal with Sprint is way better than anything out there now (even from Sprint). I have had service for over 3 years and Sprint locks your rate (even w/o contract).

 

[strasfamily]

Update -

I went ahead and bought on E-Bay the exact type of phone T-Mobile gave us as (for only $25). Hopefully it should work OK. When they gave us the loaner, all they did was snap off the back, put in our SIMM card and we were ready to go. So logic tells me I should be able to do the same with this phone.

Thanks for everyone's help!