1. #1
    anon3803
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    Alright this is my first post here, so please be nice . I've looked through a few threads and couldn't find anything addressing my problem. I've just completed a 1-year family plan contract with T-mobile back in May, and I am now paying month-by-month. I'd like to get a good deal on a new phone, and I saw nice T-mobile deals Amazon and LetsTalk.com.

    However I called T-mobile to make sure I could keep my number on my new phone, and the CSR basically said no. She said the only way I could keep my current number is to "upgrade" through T-mobile and proceeded to give me some very high prices ($149 for a T809, etc). I told her that was out of my price range and I could get much better deals elsewhere, and that was the end of that phone call.

    After giving it some thought, I called T-mobile again. This time I told the CSR that we've been in the market for new phones/family plan since we've been paying month-to-month, and my dad saw a good deal and jumped on it. He mostly uses the phone for emergencies (a bit of a lie ), and didn't care about retaining his current number. I on the other hand have many friends and colleagues that have my number, and I would really prefer to keep my number. The CSR was very nice and simply told me that I could just swap the SIM cards and "reboot" the cell phone. I thanked him and hung up.

    Now who's right in this situation? It makes sense that swapping the SIM card should work, and as long as I'm still using a T-mobile phone I shouldn't have to unlock the new phone, right? That brings me to my second question. . . If I buy a new plan online and swap SIM cards when I get my new phone, what happens to my new plan? Isn't the service plan connected to the phone number? If I keep my old number I'd have to keep my old plan right? Then would I have to pay cancellation to cancel my new plan that's linked to the new phone numbers that I don't plan to use? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks ya'll.


    See More: Upgrading T-mobile phones. . . just need to swap SIM?




  2. #2
    Shrocat
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    Re: Upgrading T-mobile phones. . . just need to swap SIM?

    The first CSR sounded like she needed to go to school. As long as you get either a T-mobile branded phone, or an unlocked GSM phone that uses 850 and 1900 MHZ bands all you have to do is put your sim in the phone. Of course, if you want to do more than just use it as a phone you will need to do some configuration with the unlocked phone. But that is not a big deal.



  3. #3
    anon3803
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    Re: Upgrading T-mobile phones. . . just need to swap SIM?

    Quote Originally Posted by Shrocat
    The first CSR sounded like she needed to go to school. As long as you get either a T-mobile branded phone, or an unlocked GSM phone that uses 850 and 1900 MHZ bands all you have to do is put your sim in the phone. Of course, if you want to do more than just use it as a phone you will need to do some configuration with the unlocked phone. But that is not a big deal.
    My main concern is how to work out the cell phone plans. . . If I buy new phones with a new plan online/3rd party what will happen to that plan if I just move the SIM card from my current phone over? Is there anyway to move the phone numbers to the new plan? Would it help if the new plan is in a different name (primary account holder)?



  4. #4
    Griffzan
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    Re: Upgrading T-mobile phones. . . just need to swap SIM?

    That's a can of worms right there, I thought of doing the same thing. Getting a plan through amazon because of the great prices, cancling within the 2 weeks and keeping the phone WRONG they'll want the phone back if you cancle and you'll also have to pay a restocking fee, although if you just wanted the phone and have someone else start the plan and use it then your fine with taking the phone and giving them say.... your upgraded phone through t-mo which isn't a bad idea to use with their plan. Also family plans are tricky as far as cancling them but being that currently your paying month to month wiith no real contract you could switch to a single plan and save some money, any more questions hopefully I covered everything if not let use know



  5. #5
    anon3803
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    Re: Upgrading T-mobile phones. . . just need to swap SIM?

    Quote Originally Posted by Griffzan
    if you just wanted the phone and have someone else start the plan and use it then your fine with taking the phone and giving them say.... your upgraded phone through t-mo which isn't a bad idea to use with their plan.
    I sort of lost you at this point. I currently have a family plan that I'm paying month-to-month since my contract has expired. . . Would it be possible to transfer my "old/current" numbers to the new plan that comes with the phones I would buy online? If so I would be fine. Swapping the SIM cards is easy, but cancelling the new plan would make it The month-to-month I can stop whenever I want, it's just that I don't want to lose the numbers I had with that plan.

    I really don't get why they make it so much more difficult to get a good deal if you want to upgrade your phone, especially after your contract has expired. I could go to Verizon, Cingular, or Sprint and port my number over and get a ~$100-150 phone for free (in most cases), but if I stay with T-mobile the only way I can keep my number is to upgrade through them or buy just the phone, either way it will cost me a very pretty penny.

    Anyways, thank you for all the help!



  6. #6
    secrecyguy
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    Re: Upgrading T-mobile phones. . . just need to swap SIM?

    You made me confused.

    You want to buy a new phone with a new plan? Right?

    You also want to keep your old SIM card to use on your new phone? Right?

    You also want to keep your phone number? Right?

    If that's the case, when you get a new phone and new plan, you will go back into a contract again. Yes, you can keep your old phone number.

    So what's the deal about keeping your SIM card? If it's because of the information you have on it, just copy the information you have on the old SIM card and re-enter it on your new phone and new SIM card.

    Now if you want a new phone without a contract, yes, you can do that. You can put the old SIM card into a new phone. You can still keep the old phone number.

    Depending on the phone, you may have to bring it to a T-mobile store to set up your new phone to work with the SIM card. For example, I had to bring my Sidekick 2 to get it to work. You also have to go to T-mobile website or go the store and change the information so they know which phone you are using.

    What kind of phone do you have now? What kind of new phone you planning to get?
    Last edited by secrecyguy; 07-04-2006 at 05:11 AM.



  7. #7
    Bourn Identity
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    Re: Upgrading T-mobile phones. . . just need to swap SIM?

    The CSR is right, in order to keep your same numbers you'll need to upgrade, not sign up for new plans. The only way to do it would be, either port your numbers to a different company, or upgrade your contract to get a discount on phones. You will not be able to sign up for new T-Mobile plans with current T-Mobile numbers. Maybe if you add on additional lines with new numbers, and then cut off your current numbers after that.

    If you don't want to upgrade your plan, then purchase the phones retail price. You may also buy unlocked or T-Mobile branded phones online somewhere.



  8. #8
    Griffzan
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    Re: Upgrading T-mobile phones. . . just need to swap SIM?

    From what I understand this is what he want's: He wants to 1:Keep his old # 2: Get the best deal for the phone he wants through.... from what I can see amazon or letstalk.com and 3:Stay with t-mobile. The problem I see is that those deals are through them only and if he starts a plan though them he won't be able to port his #. My offer was to start the plan with amazon (or whoever) and get the great deal on the phone, then upgrade his phone through t-mo and get whatever free phone their giving now, then swap phones, from what I see your interested in the deal on the phone not the plan (which I don't think is any diff from the plan prices t-mo offers) It seems that your on a family plan which in some cases can be more expensive then single plans and this 2 seperate plans may be to your benifit. Also being that your contract is up you can cancle your family plan and switch to single with no penalties.



  9. #9
    Bourn Identity
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    Re: Upgrading T-mobile phones. . . just need to swap SIM?

    Quote Originally Posted by Griffzan
    My offer was to start the plan with amazon (or whoever) and get the great deal on the phone, then upgrade his phone through t-mo and get whatever free phone their giving now, then swap phones, from what I see your interested in the deal on the phone not the plan (which I don't think is any diff from the plan prices t-mo offers) It seems that your on a family plan which in some cases can be more expensive then single plans and this 2 seperate plans may be to your benifit. Also being that your contract is up you can cancle your family plan and switch to single with no penalties.
    So what you're saying is, for him to add-on 2 additional lines so that he will have 4 then just switch the phones around? What will they do with the extra 2 lines?



  10. #10
    anon3803
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    Re: Upgrading T-mobile phones. . . just need to swap SIM?

    Quote Originally Posted by secrecyguy
    You made me confused.

    You want to buy a new phone with a new plan? Right?

    You also want to keep your old SIM card to use on your new phone? Right?

    You also want to keep your phone number? Right?

    If that's the case, when you get a new phone and new plan, you will go back into a contract again. Yes, you can keep your old phone number.
    Yes I want a new plan; No I don't necessairly want to keep my old SIM card, I just want my old number. And no T-mobile doesn't want to let me keep my old number especially if I buy it online and sign up for a new T-mobile contract. I'm already a T-moblie customer, and after shopping around it's pretty obvious that it is much cheaper to buy new phones/new plan online than to upgrade through T-mobile.

    Quote Originally Posted by secrecyguy
    Depending on the phone, you may have to bring it to a T-mobile store to set up your new phone to work with the SIM card. For example, I had to bring my Sidekick 2 to get it to work. You also have to go to T-mobile website or go the store and change the information so they know which phone you are using.

    What kind of phone do you have now? What kind of new phone you planning to get?
    Since I would be staying with T-mobile I don't think they would have to unlock my phone. My current (T-mobile) SIM card should work on all T-mobile phones. Right now I have a Samsung e105 (yes I know it's ancient) and I'm trying to decide between the Samsung T809 (T-mobile) and the Samsung MM-A920 (Sprint). I prefer the T809s bigger screen, but the A920 seems to get higher ratings online.

    Quote Originally Posted by Bourn Identity
    The CSR is right, in order to keep your same numbers you'll need to upgrade, not sign up for new plans.
    And there's no way around this? If that's the case I'll probably end up going with Sprint.



  11. #11
    Griffzan
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    Re: Upgrading T-mobile phones. . . just need to swap SIM?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bourn Identity
    So what you're saying is, for him to add-on 2 additional lines so that he will have 4 then just switch the phones around? What will they do with the extra 2 lines?

    No not that way, one he has a family plan that is expiered (sp) so he will pay no penalty if he cancles one and continues the other (while upgrading) and seeing that he has a family plan he needs (or maybe not) two lines and being that sometimes it's less expensive to have two seperate lines (being that someone may be using more minutes or it's just a less expensive plan. And he could get his own (single) plan from where ever for cheap with the cool phone, upgrade the ONE line on his family plan (as to not stick the other person with a old crappy phone) and cancel the other where it would make it a single plan with his old # (if he wants to keep it) then just swap sim cards so he has the old # in the new phone. From what I saw he was on a family plan which means he needs at least two phones so why pay more for one when you could pay less for both



  12. #12
    sonicbum
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    Re: Upgrading T-mobile phones. . . just need to swap SIM?

    Quote Originally Posted by Griffzan
    and cancel the other where it would make it a single plan with his old # (if he wants to keep it) then just swap sim cards so he has the old # in the new phone. From what I saw he was on a family plan which means he needs at least two phones so why pay more for one when you could pay less for both

    WoW, after reading this CLOSELY that is a brilliant idea!!!! slightly confusing, but it DOES make logical sense.... also, after doing this, they could then "merge" those seperate accounts, and get a family plan again



    just to tell you the WHY behind all this Anon>>>>



    the people on Amazon sell these phones (from god knows where ) on there with NEW service, because they get $$$$$$ from T-Mumble for signing up NEW customers, NOT "upgrading" them..... If you get one from them, you need to get a BRAND NEW number or they dont get paid for ****, or sometimes they allow you to keep your current # ONLY if it comes from another carrier.....





    good luck with all of that....



  13. #13
    Griffzan
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    Re: Upgrading T-mobile phones. . . just need to swap SIM?

    I knew it would make sense to someone, even though it is just a complex way of sticking it to the man



  14. #14
    jmirav
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    Re: Upgrading T-mobile phones. . . just need to swap SIM?

    this still doesn't make sense. When he cancels the old plan he loses those old numbers; the old plan holds those numbers.



  15. #15
    char777
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    Re: Upgrading T-mobile phones. . . just need to swap SIM?

    From my understanding most carriers will let you change your plan without extending your contract or getting a new number or whatever. I know you can change plans through My T-Mobile on their website (tmobile.com) any time you want.

    Now, as for the new phone. You can upgrade your phone on My T-Mobile, on the Customer Care Line, or at a T-Mobile retail store. The phone will be discounted and you will have to sign a 1 or 2 year contract. They usually will buy your old phone back, too. It's usually about $15-$50, but it varies.

    If you get a phone somewhere else without service, all you have to do to retain your phone number is to put in your old SIM card. If you buy an unlocked phone, you will not have to sign a new contract. From what I've read here Amazon's phones come with new lines (leading to new numbers) but this is completely unnecessary. In my opinion, it'd be much easier to just upgrade your phone through T-Mobile.

    As I briefly said above, all you have to do with your new phone is stick in the SIM card from your old phone. The SIM card tells the phone what the carrier is and what your phone number is. Depending on how you've added them, the SIM card may also contain some of your phonebook contacts.

    I hope that cleared up some stuff.
    Last edited by char777; 08-27-2006 at 01:51 AM.



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