Cell Service

[xrated]

I currently have T-Mobile but there service went to crap, so I can opt out on my contract.

We have balckberrys and that allows us to have perfect recption at home with the T-Mobile at home deal.(just get a signal from the wireless router). So we really really like that and love the phones but outside the house our service is going to crap.

We are looking at ATT but the website sucks. Anyone know if we can use our current blackberrys or would we have to buy new ones?

 

[zach477]

Im no expert in the subject, but when I bought my phone off ebay and did the research I dont believe you can not use a phone sold by one provider for service from any other provider.....unless it has one of those card deals (I dont know the formal name...like i said, im no expert). I know if you have for example a TM plan and someone else also is on TM, you can remove your card and place it in the other phone and if someone were to call you the phone with your card would ring. Even if it does have that card, i dont know if that is changeable with different providers (take out provider A card and replace with provider B card). I know through verizon right now you can get a blackberry storm for like $49...if you went with a new provider and can get a new phone for cheap, you can sell your old phones on ebay or craigslist. I sold my 2 yr old verizon i760 for $125 on craigslist after about a week.

 

[NorthMNSledder]

I'm not sure about being able to use your new phones on a different network, I'm almost positive you won't be able to. But just about everybody has the buy one blackberry get one free promo going right now and I know you can get the Storm or curve from Verizon for $49 and I bet AT&T is the same.

I currently have Verizon as they are the only ones that work just about every where in northern Minnesota. Other then Cell2000 they are the only ones that work at our cabin just south of Baudette.

I just picked up a storm last week and so far I'm very happy with it.

Good Luck!

 

[jsledder]

I'm not sure about being able to use your new phones on a different network, I'm almost positive you won't be able to. But just about everybody has the buy one blackberry get one free promo going right now and I know you can get the Storm or curve from Verizon for $49 and I bet AT&T is the same.

I currently have Verizon as they are the only ones that work just about every where in northern Minnesota. Other then Cell2000 they are the only ones that work at our cabin just south of Baudette.

I just picked up a storm last week and so far I'm very happy with it.

Good Luck!

I absolutely hate my Storm!!! Will be getting the Tour as soon as my renewal is available in Dec.

I've tossed around the idea of switching to AT&T (Alltell around here) and have heard that while it might be good in some area's, Verizon seems to be better in more area's... I've got the "Network Extender" from Verizon, and around the house we have excellent service, it hooks up to your Cable internet and GPS signal.

 

[Beels]

I absolutely hate my Storm!!! Will be getting the Tour as soon as my renewal is available in Dec.

I've tossed around the idea of switching to AT&T (Alltell around here) and have heard that while it might be good in some area's, Verizon seems to be better in more area's... I've got the "Network Extender" from Verizon, and around the house we have excellent service, it hooks up to your Cable internet and GPS signal.

Why?

I've had mine since the spring and love it. Sure, they have a few little quirks, but nothing a couple patch programs didn't fix.

 

[xrated]

I think ATT uses the SIM card like T-Mobile so we are hoping we can just swap cards out. Guess I'm going to the ATT store after work to ask some questions.

 

[jsledder]

Why?

I've had mine since the spring and love it. Sure, they have a few little quirks, but nothing a couple patch programs didn't fix.

It was nice at first, thought it would take some getting used to... but after all this time it still sucks trying to type out an email. It takes forever to change from the Horizontal position to the vertical position.... I just don't like it. I'd rather have the keys where you can actually feel the letter you are pressing.

 

[Surly1]

AT&T does use a SIM card just like T-Mobile. So you can use the same phone (this avoids the two year contract) you will just need a new SIM card from AT&T. When I travel internationally I switch SIM cards in my BlackBerry to go to a local network in the country I'm travelling (usually Europe, mostly Ireland). This gives me a different phone number (local to them) and always works fine.

The cell war seems to be on between Verizon and AT&T, and there are alot of changes coming in the future. At&T owns the newest towers that can be upgraded easily, where Verizon has been buying out all the little small town companies with the old towers, that need major upgrades (but is providing immediate coverage for these areas). Also Verizon has been selling off portions of the state of MN to AT&T (Bemidji area right now) due to they own too much of the state of MN, and the wonderful FCC does not like that.

Thats about all I know in this area.

 

[xrated]

surly they told me last night I couldn't reuse my phone...may have to ask again, the chick wasn't too helpful.

 

[Sturgis Sledder]

surly they told me last night I couldn't reuse my phone...may have to ask again, the chick wasn't too helpful.

If you would have asked the "chick" the right question you would have gotten the right answer! Go in and ask " say I'm trying to text my bff like 200 times a minute about that cute guy in the new Twilight movie, while I'm in BFE, what phone and service is the best?"

 

[NorthMNSledder]

If you would have asked the "chick" the right question you would have gotten the right answer! Go in and ask " say I'm trying to text my bff like 200 times a minute about that cute guy in the new Twilight movie, while I'm in BFE, what phone and service is the best?"

My head hurts now!!!

 

[dmkhnr]

I'm almost positive that you will have to have your t-mobile phone unlocked so you can run the att sim card.
Get an att plan and try it out, you have 30 days to cancel if you wish. If you put the new sim card in, and the phone doesn't work, jump on craigslist and check under the cell phone section. Depending on where you live there are several people who will unlock your phone for you. (should be $20).

How do you get your blackberry to answer calls off your wireless router? I have att and a blackberry 8900 and use my wireless router at home for a browser connection, but need to use the carrier to make/recieve calls.

 

[Surly1]

Typically they will tell it won't work. They want to sell you a new phone, and get your two year contract. If for some reason it doesn't work, just send it in and get it unblocked (World of Wireless here in the Twin Cities can help you with that). I have switched phones many times with people (I get a new one, friend wants the old one) and all that we do is switch the SIM card. In fact lots of times you can go to Target and get a pay by the minute phone (cheap, but handy when you drop yours in a large cocktail), slap in your Sim card, and you are back up and running.

They are trying to pull the same stuff on my dad right now in Bemidji. Verizon bought out Cell2000 about a year and half ago, said he needed to upgrade his phone, now Verizon sold off their towers to ATT, now they want him to come upgrade his phone. He is still using his old phone from the Cell2000 days (it is a digital phone), and it works just fine.

 

[xrated]

I'm almost positive that you will have to have your t-mobile phone unlocked so you can run the att sim card.
Get an att plan and try it out, you have 30 days to cancel if you wish. If you put the new sim card in, and the phone doesn't work, jump on craigslist and check under the cell phone section. Depending on where you live there are several people who will unlock your phone for you. (should be $20).

How do you get your blackberry to answer calls off your wireless router? I have att and a blackberry 8900 and use my wireless router at home for a browser connection, but need to use the carrier to make/recieve calls.

you have to turn your wifi connection on and scan for your home wireless...my phone then reads UMA for service...i dunno it maybe a T-mobile thing as I have their router. But I can get the UMA service off my parents router, in-laws, hell even BW3s.

Surly I may go with what you say. Thanks