Where to buy AT&T Phones

[joeshmofro]

Anybody know of a good place to buy phones that will work with AT&T plans. Cingular told me that cingular phones won't work on my plan. I would switch to a cingular plan, but with my current plan is awesome and nothing cingular has touches it. My only thing is that I DO NOT want to buy one from ebay.

Thanks

[ua549]

You can purchase any unlocked GSM phone.
You can purchase any locked GSM phone and a) pay to have it unlocked or b) unlock a some Nokia models yourself with available software.

Some phones require hardware to unlock them.

www.howardforums.com is a good starting point for gathering information.

I have 2 unlocked Motorola phones. One was purchased totally unlocked and the other was originally on T-mobile and they provided the unlock code for the SIM just before I moved that line to Cingular.

[Boneycat]

I bought my AT&T phone off a guy from craigslist. I was able to meet him, throw my sim chip in and make sure it worked. I'm w/ you though that I have an awesome rate plan that cingular refuses to even touch, so it looks like I'm stuck.

[unclescrooge]

uhm...this just changed this week. cingular is now ATT.

but i don't know how this'll affect their phones.

[Boneycat]

uhm...this just changed this week. cingular is now ATT.

but i don't know how this'll affect their phones.

Heh I remember when SBC bought Cingular last year and how SBC was going to assume AT&T's name, thus Cingular becoming AT&T after they bought AT&T just a bit earlier. It just cracks me up.

[ImaNihilist]

Many phones can be unlocked by simply entering an unlock code. I did this with four Nokia 6800s when we moved from AT&T to Cingular. They still made me buy new phones though, because they wouldn't send me just the sim cards.

[ua549]

The issue is not the name but the network plan. If you want to upgrade your phone and keep a plan on the old AT&T Wireless you have to get a phone with the SIM lock truned off, i.e., non-subsidized phone, or get a SIM locked phone unlocked via one of several methods. It is not a difficult task.

Select a phone based on the features you want.

Discuss the phone and/or provider.

[unclescrooge]

well the poster asked "where he could buy an att phone"

ebay, craigslist, and a few other sites sell used gear. just keep in mind it is used so you may need to buy things to enhance your experience.

att, best buy, compusa, and other retailers sell cell phones but you should beware of sites run by inphonic/wire2fly.

i have been looking for a new phone and have read nothing but bad things about inphonic/wire2fly.

in short...my understanding is that this company goes out of its way to deny you the rebates that your were promised when you purchased your equipment. you can read about these problems at the following locations:

http://forums.cnet.com/Cell_phones/5...ssageID=340172

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...060801810.html

http://www.al.com/business/birmingha...600.xml&coll=2

i know that ymmv but i prefer to let people understand the downside completely before they do business with them.

[ua549]

AFAIK you cannot purchase a new phone that is specifically on the old AT&T Wireless network. The old AT&T SIM cards are grandfathered into the Cingular (or New AT&T) wireless network. The SIM cards are not interchangable unless the handset is unlocked.

[Boneycat]

AFAIK you cannot purchase a new phone that is specifically on the old AT&T Wireless network. The old AT&T SIM cards are grandfathered into the Cingular (or New AT&T) wireless network. The SIM cards are not interchangable unless the handset is unlocked.

This is true. TMK there has not been an AT&T phone sold in about a year as they want to get everyone onto the new Cingular (now AT&T again) service.

[joeshmofro]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I really appreciate it. I went to a verizon store last night just to check things out and before I knew it I was a verizon customer. I didnt even have to call cingular. Verizon cancelled the old at&t(cingular) plan and ported over the old numbers to my new phones. Overall it was one of the best customer service experiences I've ever had. It was the complete opposite experience I got when I talked to cingular. Plus I got 4 free samsung phones to boot.

[Boneycat]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I really appreciate it. I went to a verizon store last night just to check things out and before I knew it I was a verizon customer. I didnt even have to call cingular. Verizon cancelled the old at&t(cingular) plan and ported over the old numbers to my new phones. Overall it was one of the best customer service experiences I've ever had. It was the complete opposite experience I got when I talked to cingular. Plus I got 4 free samsung phones to boot.

Would you mind telling us what plan you had under AT&T? I have been an AT&T customer for years so after each time my plan expired they would offer me like 400 anytime free minutes additionally to keep me. After a few extensions I have my plan at $39.99/mon w/ 1200 anytime minutes and unlimited off peak minutes all on a nationwide plan. Cingular won't touch that. Was Verizon able to do any sort of matching for you?

[yngwie98]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I really appreciate it. I went to a verizon store last night just to check things out and before I knew it I was a verizon customer. I didnt even have to call cingular. Verizon cancelled the old at&t(cingular) plan and ported over the old numbers to my new phones. Overall it was one of the best customer service experiences I've ever had. It was the complete opposite experience I got when I talked to cingular. Plus I got 4 free samsung phones to boot.

I assume they didn't bother to explain to you that if you want to increase your minutes, you have to sign a new contract. If you're in the first year of your contract, they charge you extra. Verizon's customer service is OK, it's their contract terms that suck more than any other company.
I just switched from Verizon to Cingular in Nov. Verizon's service is pretty good around here, but Cingular's has been better. Their "fewest dropped calls" ain't no joke.
With Verizon we had 800 anytime mins for ~$95 when you add in taxes & fees. We now have 1400 anytime mins for $10 more a month.

[Boneycat]

I assume they didn't bother to explain to you that if you want to increase your minutes, you have to sign a new contract. If you're in the first year of your contract, they charge you extra. Verizon's customer service is OK, it's their contract terms that suck more than any other company.
I just switched from Verizon to Cingular in Nov. Verizon's service is pretty good around here, but Cingular's has been better. Their "fewest dropped calls" ain't no joke.
With Verizon we had 800 anytime mins for ~$95 when you add in taxes & fees. We now have 1400 anytime mins for $10 more a month.

Damn $100 for 1400 mins...I'm not touching my plan anytime soon if that's what the rates are now a days.

[ImaNihilist]

I assume they didn't bother to explain to you that if you want to increase your minutes, you have to sign a new contract. If you're in the first year of your contract, they charge you extra. Verizon's customer service is OK, it's their contract terms that suck more than any other company.
I just switched from Verizon to Cingular in Nov. Verizon's service is pretty good around here, but Cingular's has been better. Their "fewest dropped calls" ain't no joke.
With Verizon we had 800 anytime mins for ~$95 when you add in taxes & fees. We now have 1400 anytime mins for $10 more a month.

The Cingular/AT&T network gets the best coverage in majority of the US as long as you have a 850MHz/1900MHz phone. Really, it's the 850MHz band that allows Cingular to have the best coverage because it goes where other frequencies don't reach.