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Can I use a pay-as-you-go phone with my current SIM card?
07-09-2006, 05:57 PM
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#1
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,448
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Can I use a pay-as-you-go phone with my current SIM card?
I currently have a standard cell phone account with Cingular, $40/month for 400 minutes or something like that. I want to get a new phone, but I don't want to have to sign up for another 2 year contract with them (my old contract has run out, so I'm just month-to-month right now...I'm an old AT&T Wireless customer from before Cingular bought them).
My question is, I see that Cingular sells "GoPhones" or pay-as-you-go phones without any contract required. Can I buy one of these phones and just pop the SIM chip from my existing phone into it? Or are the GoPhones locked to only accept pre-paid SIMs? Also, would the fact that my current SIM chip still says "AT&T Wireless" on it be a problem? I'm sure that the GoPhones are locked to prevent you from popping in a T-Mobile SIM, but I'm not sure if they'll work with old AT&T Wireless customers.
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Re: Can I use a pay-as-you-go phone with my current SIM card?
07-09-2006, 06:50 PM
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#2
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 495
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Re: Can I use a pay-as-you-go phone with my current SIM card?
I think you have to change SIM cards, but I'm not positive. Usually my cingular guy is only a phone call away, but he left for his honeymoon in Jamaica this morning. Lucky guy.
__________________
Yelnad --"What you're paying for is an education, not a room at the Sheraton,and sometimes that education is uncomfortable."- Jim Terhune, Dean of Student Affairs, Colgate University
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Re: Can I use a pay-as-you-go phone with my current SIM card?
07-09-2006, 09:06 PM
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#3
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Losing my whump
Posts: 22,708
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Re: Can I use a pay-as-you-go phone with my current SIM card?
I think you need a new sim chip in your old phone or the new phone and sim chip.
Also, a lot of new sim chips cost as much as a new phone and new chip, including any switchover fees or other bullpuckey.
Is your old phone a TDMA phone?
By the way, if you call them up and tell them you're going to change carriers because you want a new phone, they might just give you one to keep you on. Keys are if you've been a long time customer, you're worth it for them to keep (in other words you pay a bit every month), and they think you're sincere about leaving. If they think you're fishing, they'll call your bluff.
if it doesnt work with the first CS rep you talk to, try another one...
Sometimes if you're on a cheap plan, they wont do it, but if you agree to upgrade to the next level, without a contract extension, they might kick you a basic phone.
On the other hand, they were giving away Razr's recently to people who would extend for 2 years. Not bad, its a nice phone. My wife loves hers, although I bought it outright for $150 and we use it with tmobile to go minutes.
__________________
Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Just another form of "buy low, sell high" for those who have trouble with things. This rule is not universal. Do not buy a 1973 Pinto because everyone else is afraid of it.
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Re: Can I use a pay-as-you-go phone with my current SIM card?
07-09-2006, 10:04 PM
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#4
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 607
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Re: Can I use a pay-as-you-go phone with my current SIM card?
Quote:
Originally Posted by soupcxan
My question is, I see that Cingular sells "GoPhones" or pay-as-you-go phones without any contract required. Can I buy one of these phones and just pop the SIM chip from my existing phone into it? Or are the GoPhones locked to only accept pre-paid SIMs? Also, would the fact that my current SIM chip still says "AT&T Wireless" on it be a problem? I'm sure that the GoPhones are locked to prevent you from popping in a T-Mobile SIM, but I'm not sure if they'll work with old AT&T Wireless customers.
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I had the same problem as you. I just ended up getting a phone out off of ebay. I'm not 100% sure, but I think they are locked to only work with Cinguarl. What kind of GoPhone do you want? If it's a Nokia phone, there are free programs off the net that will give you the unlock codes for your phone. I believe the most you'll pay to unlock a phone would be about $20.
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Re: Can I use a pay-as-you-go phone with my current SIM card?
07-10-2006, 08:15 AM
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#5
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,880
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Re: Can I use a pay-as-you-go phone with my current SIM card?
I'm going to get a tracfone in about a week so that the guy who bought my business can contact me when I'm away from home.
If one of you guys wants to refer me (we both get free minutes, right?) send me a private message.
__________________
Al
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Re: Can I use a pay-as-you-go phone with my current SIM card?
07-10-2006, 08:47 AM
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#6
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Losing my whump
Posts: 22,708
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Re: Can I use a pay-as-you-go phone with my current SIM card?
By the way, many locked phones can be unlocked at home, and if you're not the techhie type or cant find an unlock, there are a lot of businesses that will unlock your phone and update it to the current firmware for a fairly reasonable price. Many of those also have a lot of phones for sale.
__________________
Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Just another form of "buy low, sell high" for those who have trouble with things. This rule is not universal. Do not buy a 1973 Pinto because everyone else is afraid of it.
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