Question about AT&T Go Phones

[bucket o' butter]

A friend's son was recently in a car accident. Thankfully no one was injured, but his cell phone bit the dust. Just had PLPD insurance so it won't cover his broken cell phone and AT&T wants to charge him almost $400 to get a new one. I thought I remembered that you could buy one of the AT&T Go Phones and just switch Sim cards. Before I have them spend $100 on a GO phone, I just wanted to make sure this is true. Just let me know.

Thanks!

 

[gibsontrio]

You sure can! I have a ATT contract and use a go phone ( my contract phone fell apart) I purchased a nice refurb on ATT wireless website. If you call them and ask them they will tell you you cant, but you can. You can either buy them at walmart or online. If you purchase online dont enter your login for your account, they wont let you purchase them that way.

 

[bucket o' butter]

He definitely wants a texting phone. Preferably with a pull out keyboard. I have found only one so far with a slide out keyboard. Called the LG Neon. There is also the LG Prime that has a virtual keyboard. Does anyone have one? And if so, would you recommend it?

 

[toomanycars]

He definitely wants a texting phone. Preferably with a pull out keyboard. I have found only one so far with a slide out keyboard. Called the LG Neon. There is also the LG Prime that has a virtual keyboard. Does anyone have one? And if so, would you recommend it?

Hi, I am glad he was not hurt, phones can be replaced, but children cannot. Newegg is a great place to get your kid a replacement phone for ATT. Our children kill a cell phone each year. Here are some links to help you.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16875998431

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16875176184

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16875209177

 

[jgreco]

You can buy lots of pre-owned phones on Ebay for a good price. We upgraded DS iphone so I put his old one on Ebay. So there are a lot of people selling just due to upgrading.

And, thank God he is OK. How scary!

 

[Tink9295]

Hi, I am glad he was not hurt, phones can be replaced, but children cannot. Newegg is a great place to get your kid a replacement phone for ATT. Our children kill a cell phone each year. Here are some links to help you.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16875998431

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16875176184

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16875209177

We have bought go phones to replace broken ones more than once.

Don't buy the Quickfire (The first link). We had one. It had issues with the charger and melting. My DD had one and it didn't last very long.

 

[LadyBeBop]

I know my daughter has bought several refurbs at the ATT store. So it can be done.

However, won't the auto insurance cover the cost of replacing the phone? I'd look into that.

 

[Order66]

My kids have the LG Prime GoPhone. They are happy with them but they are only 11. It's a small light phone and the call quality is fine. One of my sons is a talker and he has no complaints over his phone. The other is a texter and he has no complaints over the keyboard. However when I try to use it I find it is more difficult. The touch screen is no where near as easy to use as my android phone, but it can be adjusted for sensitivity. You can load music and videos fairly easy and they each have a few games and no problems playing them. It also has a camera that's what you'd expect on a phone of this price. Acceptable close pictures in good light.

We bought them on sale at Best Buy for $59 with $50 airtime, so net cost of phone $9. Even at $59 it would be worth the money, but would I seek this out of all the choices available for my primary phone? Probably not, but if it's only temporary until he can upgrade to a better phone, it's an alright phone and certainly one of the better choices for those on the ATT pre-paid plan. They like it because it's "cooler" looking than your basic phones.

I'd also suggest ebay. I have purchased phones from sellers with no complaints. Just make sure the phone is compatible with ATT or unlocked. Drop in the sim card and go.

regards

 

[crazelion]

I have a LG Prime and I love my phone. The call phone is great. I used google voice number to text free. I have data on my phone not texting.

ATT store does not get my business. I buy off ebay, amazon, and walmart.

Go to ATT wirless website. Go to prepaid phones and click which one buy. When check out remove simple plan plan and checkout. That is how bought my mom Nokia 2330 phone for 5.00 dollars.

They have the patatech link for 29.99 refu.

 

[bucket o' butter]

I know my daughter has bought several refurbs at the ATT store. So it can be done.

However, won't the auto insurance cover the cost of replacing the phone? I'd look into that.

It covered his girlfriend's phone because it was considered part of the "property damage" of the PLPD, but won't cover his phone since he is the one being insured. They looked into that immediately, but it was a no go.

 

[gibsontrio]

I also have a Pantech texting gophone, but the keyboard is always out (looks just like a blackberry) Bought it refurb for $38. If you buy a gophone and put the sim card in the minutes that came with the phone will be applied to your contract! Just know that once you put your sim card in the phone ( or put the go phone sim card in ) you cannot use it any other way. You cant use it as a gophone, then use it as a contract phone, so if someone used it on ebay as a gophone, then is selling it you cant put your contract sim card in and use it. So I would buy it from walmart or online new.

 

[momof1princess]

OP, you can definitely buy a go phone and use the old phone's sim card in it. one of DD's basketball teammates lost his cell phone, and his mom bought him a used one (same exact brand and model of phone that he lost) off e-bay. she then went to the AT&T corporate store (it MUST be a corporate store, NOT an authorized retailer) and they replaced the SIM card for free.