will Cingular activate a phone i already have?

?

I bought this phone from Aol Mobile and when i tried to activate it cingualr told me that my name nor my mobile # that was provided to me through Aol mobile was in there database. I really like this phone so i wanna know if i take it to Cingular store would they activate it for me as to give me a new plan and everything?

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as long as the phone is GSM and compatable with Cingular's network or if not Cingular branded but unlocked, i don't see why not.

the phone is GSM its a samsung e317 how do u know if its unlocked?

test your phone with a sim card from an activated phone like T-Mobile, if you're able to dial out your phone is unlocked, if it asks for a subsidy code then it's locked.

ok can i do this with an AT&T phone? If so if i take the sim card out and put it in the other phone will i have to put in a code or something?

Originally Posted by Iamafanoftasia

ok can i do this with an AT&T phone? If so if i take the sim card out and put it in the other phone will i have to put in a code or something?

Yes you can...

if it asks for a code then that means your phone is locked.

ok this is gonna be my last question

Ok when i go to switch the chip back will it work fine in the orginally phone?

yes just re install your sim card and you'll be all set.


were you able to call out on the phone in question?

see the phone that i have is not activated and i dont think its ever been activated

what do i do to do reinstall the sim card

Originally Posted by Iamafanoftasia

see the phone that i have is not activated and i dont think its ever been activated

what do i do to do reinstall the sim card

ok now i'm not quite following you, the same way you took that ATT sim card out of the phone, just put it back in and then turn on your phone.

i mean will i have to put in a code or something in

well neva mind i tried it and it said phone is restricted

Originally Posted by Iamafanoftasia

well neva mind i tried it and it said phone is restricted

that means is locked.......

so that mean cingular aint gone activate it?

Originally Posted by Iamafanoftasia

so that mean cingular aint gone activate it?

ok, let me clear something up for you:

see the way a GSM phone works is that it's programed to work with a certain provider only, in this case AOL MOBILE (not sure if that's GSM but never the less) so that's what they refer to as being locked....locked to that provider.

now if you unlock that phone you can now use it with any GSM provider but what you will need is an activated SIM card, once that sim card is activated by starting a contract or by way of pre-paid service, you insert that activated sim card into your unlock phone and it will now recognized it and you'll be able to use it with that carrier....makes sence?

so in this case you can now take that unlocked phone to Cingular and either buy a prepaid card or start service with them to get an activated sim card that you can now use with your unlocked AOL MOBILE phone.