new phone and sim card help

i could use some help,

i have had my eye on a new phone and don't want to wait and trade up. i am not sure how to go about it with cingular. so here is the question:

if i buy a cingular compatable phone, can't i just put my sim card into it and then thats it? do i have to get the phone from cingular and pay some sort of activation fee? if not then who sells the sim compatable phones that i don't have to hassle with any fees? also, if i can only go through cingular, why do they make me wait to trade up if i am willing to pay for it?

i need help, i'm just a stupid novice!

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The sim from your cell phone will work in any cell phone from the same carrier, or an unlocked phone.

i guess i just don't know where the best place to go to buy a cingular phone is on the net. i don't think i can get around getting a new plan on their website.

You can buy a phone from Cingular w/o a plan, but it's going to be at full retail price. There are a lot of places where you can buy cell phones. But since they are not included with a contract, they are going to cost more. If you're on a budget, I'd consider eBay. Just make sure the seller is reputable and is able to do a refund/return if the phone is deffective. You can also check out Craigslist in your area. You might be surprised to see some really good deals there. Some sellers don't know the value of certain phones, and sell them dirt cheap just to get rid of them.

Originally Posted by sterlingbliss

i guess i just don’t know where the best place to go to buy a cingular phone is on the net. i don’t think i can get around getting a new plan on their website.

Cingular is in the business of selling cell service. In order to get you to use that service they will give you a phone at a discount. However, they will not do it a second time unless you buy or upgrade your service. It costs them too much. And this is true of all carriers.
Just buying a phone you will want to look on ebay or check craigslist, or other areas for used cell phones.

Originally Posted by Shrocat

Just buying a phone you will want to look on ebay or check craigslist, or other areas for used cell phones.

What is this "craigslist" that I hear about?

craigslist.org

Originally Posted by dogthenine

What is this “craigslist” that I hear about?

Craigslist is a nifty website. Nothing fancy, plain text and an occaisional picture. What they do have are forums for various discussions, and a very large want ad section. And it is localized. In other words you can get wantads, and some discussions, that are for your area only, and other discussions that allow people from all over the country.

yea, you deal with people and you meet up with them. And dont forget if ur gonna buy a phone for cingular make sure it supports both 850 and 1900 bands for better reception.

by the way, has anybody bought from craigslist yet? hw did the transaction go?

Did eight transactions of buying/selling cell phones...got most of my phones from dealing with sellers who posted ads in Craigslist. But it's just eBay or any other swap meet that you deal with. Mostly you get good sellers, and sometimes you might run into a shady seller. The good thing about it is that you can test out the item before you pay. And if you don't like it, you can always back out. Bad thing about it for the seller is that sometimes you're going to come across flakers. But great site overall.

Got a couple of jobs and sold and bought stuff off of craigslist. As always, make sure you know what you are getting before you buy. Also got a free monitor, lasted me for close to two years before I replaced it and passed it on.