Cell Phones

(This might be taboo so Mods, I apologize in advanced if this isn't allowed. )

But has anyone ever bought an unlocked cell phone from eBay -or anywhere else? If so, how does it work compared to your carriers locked phones? Do you ever have issues with it?

Reason I ask is I found a phone I really like and my carrier currently doesn't have anything, well unique. So I was looking into either changing carriers or getting an unlocked phone.

Just wondering if anyone has.

Thanks!

Sony Ericsson are happy for their phones to be unlocked - they publish the codes online!

They work just as it would locked down to one network!

Not sure if this answers your question, but I have a cell phone that I totally love, but it is no longer made. I just bought a duplicate phone with extra batteries and accessories for about 25% the original phone cost on eBay, and now I have a spare in case mine gets broken. All I need to do is put my SIM card in it, and I'm good to go!

My service contract expired about 3 years ago, and I'm not interested in locking into a new contract, which I would have to do if I bought a new phone from them, so now I have exactly the phone I want in duplicate!

I use a Net10 cell phone.I don't have to worry about getting stuck in any contracts.

My current (3-year-old) cell phone was "unlocked" when I bought it. I just put my SIM card in, and was ready to go. My nephew, who seems to get a new cell phone every year, always buys the "unlocked" ones, too, and passes the "old" one on to his sister, mother, etc.. I actually think that's the trend here. Most stores offer the ones that aren't locked; it's not illegal, or anything. The "locked" ones are just cheaper, as the providers are subsidizing the cost in return for a contract. I constantly see my students "borrow" somebody else's cell when their batteries are low, and just stick their own SIM card in.
You shouldn't have any trouble whatsoever.

Thanks everyone! I think I'll surf around some more tonight. That's the thing too...I'm not sure that I want to get stuck in a contract. My carrier use to be cool with only 1 year contracts, but just recently they changed to 2 year. For me, 2 years is a lot of time!!! Plus I was considering changing carriers because of someone else's plan...they do offer a little more unique and better quality phones (according to Cnet reviews).

I'm glad to hear that the unlocks have not problem functioning though. I wasn't sure if reception was bad or better, or if I would have problems getting into my voicemail.

Originally Posted by lunasmom

Thanks everyone! I think I'll surf around some more tonight. That's the thing too...I'm not sure that I want to get stuck in a contract. My carrier use to be cool with only 1 year contracts, but just recently they changed to 2 year. For me, 2 years is a lot of time!!! Plus I was considering changing carriers because of someone else's plan...they do offer a little more unique and better quality phones (according to Cnet reviews).

I'm glad to hear that the unlocks have not problem functioning though. I wasn't sure if reception was bad or better, or if I would have problems getting into my voicemail.

Click to expand...

No, it won't work differently from one with a SIM lock. I've had a "pre-paid" cell phone for about 7 years now, and am really satisfied with it, as I use it infrequently. There's no longer a minimum
amount of credit, or a fixed period after which your credit 'expires", where I live, though.

ok well, the one thing i did not see anyone talk about. was

what type of service do you have.
what type is the phone, CDMA, GSM.
what freq does the phone use VS what does your compines in your area use. IE GSM 850,1800,1900.

how i have never gotten one from EBAY, i have gotten a few off the vendors in different asian countries. all them have been unlocked.
At frist i could only use the phones i had picked up in thailand and indo.
but as GSM finally started to catch up here in the US i was able to after much fighting to get them here to just sale me the sim card for the GSM phone.