Buying phones online (not from company website)

[runrunrun]

My current plan with Verizon is about to run out and I'm looking around for possibly a new plan. I would like a smartphone but don't want to pay the 200 bucks for one. I have seen offers online but worry about the security and hidden fees/inconviences associated. For example, the site myrateplan.com offers the BlackBerry 7130c from Cingular for free with a new contract.

If I did then then had issues could I take it into a Cingular office and would they help me?

What about warrenties?

If I wanted a shared plan could I just get my phone and the plan then buy a cheap flip phone from a Cingular dealer and add it to the plan?

Has anyone bought a phone online and from where would people recomend?

[spum]

Technically, Cingular doesn't have to honor any sort of warranty in the store. Cell phone carriers offer in store warranty replacements as a convenience so that cell phone users don't have to ship their phones back to the manufacturer and be without a phone for 2-3 weeks. However, as long as the phone is purchased new, the manufacturer's warranty would be good for one year from the date of purchase. As for Cingular helping you if you bought your phone elsewhere...I don't see why they wouldn't. I guess it would depend on the store more than anything else. Some stores (this is all carriers, not just Cingular) suck at customer service and refuse to help people that didn't buy their phone from that store. If you had a problem and were not helped at one store, try taking it to a different store. Or calling customer service. You'll get help from someone for sure.

That was a bit long winded. Sorry, I really should be in bed right now...