Need options on my broken Motorola phone

I own this T720 (so does my husband). Mine recently dropped out of my pocket and onto the cement, causing the screen to internally shatter. How sweet. I am starting to have trouble with the phone (receiving calls) and I am fed up with not being able to see the screen any longer.

I know that I can get an insurance claim for $50 and replace the thing, but we were going to upgrade this year, but our upgrade date is not until the winter, and I am sick of my phone now.

If I would pay for the ins. claim, I would still have to fork over $$$ to buy a new phone come upgrade time, plus my contract would change (it would go up enough to piss me off).

If I say the heck with it and just upgrade now, I would have to buy 2 new phones now at the "middle price" (the difference from the middle to the cheapy price is approx. $50 --- for each phone -- they sure like to make their money any way they can), and my contract would go up at least $10 if not more.

So, I am considering upgrading phones by purchasing one on EBAY, but I really don't know how that works beyond placing my SIM card in the new phone.

My questions are as follows:

1. Would my SIM card work in any Motorola phone accepted by Cingular?

2. What would I have to do beyond placing a SIM card in the phone -- would I have to activate it with Cingular for a nominal fee?

3. If I have to activate it for a fee, would I have to re-do my contract anyway because they see it as a new purchase anyway?

4. Do you think it would be cheaper in the long run to suck it up and just buy a new phone through Cingular and let that be the end of the problem?

I am really clueless on the workings of a cell phone (internally) beyond replacing SIM cards ... and I want to be more versed on it. I have asked several reps about various items (not pertaining to this) in the past, and I get a totally different answer from each .... what I can tell about them, however, is that the majority of the workers here locally are teeny boppers that look as though they have no idea what they are doing, but try and come off that they understand and know anything and everything there is to know about the provider / service ... which I find hilarious.

So, I am digressing here ... if anyone can help, please do. I am getting tired of the phone and it's problems!

Hi,

okay, it sucks that you broke your phone, and it's a good thing you have the insurance, replacing it without would have been more expensive.

Here's your options: use the insurance, tough it out till you're upgrade eligible, or sign another contract now, and get the one-year price for the phone. Personally, I'd go with the insurance. $50 to get you through the winter isn't so bad.

In answer to your questions:

1) your sim will work in any Cingular phone, as long as it accepts a sim card ( which means it uses gsm technology ) it doesn't have to be just a Motorola.

2) you don't have to do anything except put your sim in another phone, but for it to work best, call in so we can update the equipment on your account.

3) if you are flat out buying a phone, there's no fee or contract. If you upgrade, you get a discount on your phone for signing a contract. That's how the upgrade works. When you upgrade, there is a one-time fee that will appear on your bill. Do not -repeat- Do not pay the upgrade fee to a store.

4) You will get the best phone from Cingular. It will have a warranty on it in case it's defective. You can get a phone other places, but it's very much caveat emptor.

Good luck.

Okay, what if I choose to purchase from cingular.com would it be the same as purchasing from a store? Just wondering!

BTW, thanks for the quick reply ... DH and I are going to talk it over and see what we are going to do now that I have clearer options.

cingular.com will have the best prices for phones. You may need to call the help desk to purchase outright, or to upgrade early. A store will be the most helpful for going over your options.

Your welcome, I'm glad I could help. But I forgot to mention before - don't knock the kids. I work next to a 19 year old who knows more than me.

ByuJewel Be careful im pretty young (just out of my teeny bopper years lol) and could talk circles around you about cellular service and products. Good luck with your phone.

Gotcha!

But the ones that work in this area seem to know ZILCH (you can ask the same question about one phone to three different "teeny boppers" and receive various answers that they TRY and sound confident about, but you can tell by their wobbly speech they truly aren't -- but are sure trying to sell you on it.) .. and these aren't newbies either. They've been working there for a while.

Did not mean to offend, but you knew that already, right?

yeah, I knew. But that 19 year old is the one who pointed out this site to me, and she's touchy about the age thing, so I gotta stick up for her or she won't help me when I'm stuck on a call! lol

Need options on my broken Motorola phone

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