moving chip to a newer phone

modhatter

Full time employment: Posting here.
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
945
OK, Here's the story. My mom who is 92 yrs. old has a Nokia cell phone that was given to her by my sister (who I no longer have any communication with) It is on one of those plans where you get the second phone for $10 more (family plan I guess) My mother is having serious trouble using this phone now because the buttons are very hard to push down and are very small. She has asked my sister if there is any way to change the phone, but has basically been ignored by her.

I would prefer not to have to buy a separate phone contract for a new phone, as I am up to my eye balls in current monthly expenses for her now. I opened her phone up while I was up there last week and wrote down all the information on the chip and inside of the phone. Chip says AT&T Cingular 4 K smart chip.

Is there any way I can move this chip to another phone that would be easier for her to operate while still maintain the same number and not disturbing the current plan. I know if I were to call AT&T to get information they will not be very agreeable to talking to me, since it is not my account.

Does anybody know how these things work?
 
Last edited:
If AT&T is the provider, you can use this SIM card in any AT&T cell phone or any other unlocked GSM phone. You can buy an instrument at any AT&T kiosk/store in a mall or craigslist or online for prices starting at $10 ( or even get a used one free as people toss away old models). Your best bet is to go to an AT&T store and they would be happy to help you switch instruments. Verizon or Sprint instruments would not work since they use CDMA technology.

Btw, you can always move to prepaid cell phone services which may turn out cheaper based on her usage.
 
Thank you Pixeilville. By "instrument" I assume you are speaking of a cell phone? Buying her a pre-paid would never work as she uses it too much and it would be costly. I did consider that. My sister has an unlimited plan and so this extra phone only costs $10 extra.

I was looking online for another one that looked like it had bigger numbers that had some separation between them, but wasn't sure if I had to stick to an AT&T only service phone. Can't seem to find one of those that look better than the one she has in a simple phone. They have another Nokia, but it is very similar. So what kind of "unlocked" phones can I look at?
 
Back
Top Bottom