Cell phone buying guide: Buying a Replacement Phone, without switching service

Buying a Replacement Phone, without switching service

Cell Phones have become such a way of life — and even extensions of our personalities — that people are often looking to replace a broken phone, or upgrade to latest and greatest phone without switching carriers. We’ve become so used to getting our phones inexpensively or for free with new service, that it’s hard for many people to justify paying full price to upgrade to a new phone.

Options for buying a replacment or new phone?

Carrier Direct Upgrade
Your current cellular carrier may offer a discount on a replacement phone if you always pay your bill on time and you’ve had your current phone for more than a year. If you are truly a good customer, you may be able to negotiate your way to an even better deal.
Switch Existing Service
If your contract is expired, you may want to consider switching to another carrier. You’ll be able to "port" your current number to your new service, and since you're a new to that provider you’ll qualify for the best deals that are always reserved for new customers. Though you might think that the carriers would offer the best deals to long term customers, but this is generally not the case.
Online Store or Auction Site
If you aren’t able to take advantage of the first or second scenario described above, your best option may be buying a phone from an independent online store or on eBay. You are likely to pay less than buying direct through a carrier or dealer, but don't expect significant savings. The phone manufacturers and carriers have done an amazing job of controlling the availability of new phones in the marketplace, so the only bargains to be had are generally on "yesterday's" phones.

Which phones will work with my wireless service?

You first need to know which technology is being used by your carrier. Use the chart below to find your carrier to see if they are using GSM, CDMA, TDMA, or iDen. You can also look up the model of your existing phone using our search feature and view the Phone Details link to find the type of technology your phone is currently using.
Read the GSM, CDMA or IDen section for "Things you need to know when buying a replacement phone" for each technology.

Things to know - Buying a replacement phone for each technology

GSM
Using a different phone on a GSM network is simple. As long as you purchase an unlocked GSM phone using the same frequencies as your carrier, you can just swap out the SIM card on your existing phone and place it in the new phone. For example, Cingular uses GSM operating on the 850 and 1900 bands. Any unlocked GSM phone compatible with the 850 and 1900 frequencies will work with AT&T. T-mobile uses 1900 only, so any GSM phone with 1900 will work on T-Mobile's network.
CDMA
Verizon, Alltel, and Sprint all use CDMA technology. CDMA phones do not have SIM cards like GSM, so each phone has a serial number which is associated with a particular carrier. For example, even though the LG 8300 phone is offered by Alltel and Verizon, each specific phone can only be used with either Alltel or Verizon, not both. If you want to buy a CDMA replacement phone from an Online Store or Auction site, just be sure it'll work with your provider. An easy way to know is to make sure the name of your carrier is listed on the box. All LG 8300's associated with Verizon will clearly display the Verizon logo on its packaging. To activate a CDMA phone, just call the carriers customer service department and add the new phones serial number to your account.
iDen
Only Nextel uses iDen, so any iDen phone you buy will work with Nextel. To activate an iDen phone, you would call Nextel customer service to add your new phones serial number to your account.

Carrier Technology and Frequency/Band Chart

National Carriers
Technology Bands

Alltel CDMA 800, 1900

AT&T GSM 850, 1900

T-Mobile GSM 1900 only

Sprint CDMA/PCS 1900, 2100

Verizon CDMA 800, 1900, 2100

Regional Carriers Technology Bands

SunCom GSM 1900 only

Metro PCS CDMA 800, 1900

U.S. Cellular CDMA 800, 1900

Edge Wireless CDMA 800, 1900

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Comments

jenluv

Friday, November 28, 2008I am looking to buy a replacement phone for service I have with Immix Wireless. They do not appear on the list above. Would it be safe to say that any unlocked GSM 1900 phone would work with the carrier?

Nerd008

Saturday, November 08, 2008The site is great for those who are quite unfamailiar with the mobile and communications terminilogy. Thanks to phonedog. :)

Juan

Wednesday, November 05, 2008hello, i was wondering if T-Mobile would reject me for a free phone for their flexpay service, if on my credit report i have already verizon and sprint on my credit? i mean they werent defaults on payments just something that went wrong with billing that both companies would not fix cause it was not their fault. but will T- Mobile deny me?

lucky strike

Wednesday, November 05, 2008I have had a nice information from your website. great site.thx

GaGa

Wednesday, October 29, 2008hey Linnea, Nokia N95 would be good for you. It has Wifi, 3G, GPS or maps, mp3 player and you could install a lot of good applications as well. I have the 8GB version and I'm with T-mobile.

Linnea McCrary

Saturday, October 18, 2008I need a phone with good GPS and instant messaging and Wifi and a big screen, speaker phone, voice command, of course bluetooth. I'm with T-mobile. What can I get that those things will work on their network? Like the GPS, will it work there with full data. I was set on the instinct then saw that there is no Wifi, oh and need something that can tether to computer for modem with on the boat! I have to buy soon so any help would be really great. Thanks

Wednesday, October 15, 2008thats like saying its not worth it to pay your car insurance. i have a pda with tmobile and only paid a quarter of it to get a new one when it broke. its was sooooo worth it not to have to shell out another 500 for a new pda.

Jonathan

Tuesday, October 14, 2008If I buy the Nokia n81 from the website can i use it for AT&T and T-mobile? and i live in the US.

Jeff

Thursday, October 02, 2008I live in a rural area. I just got a new Nokia 6555 and the signal reception is terrible. What phone has the best signal reception??

kris

Sunday, September 14, 2008I have a verizon phone and i have to admit it`s great. Before I had tmobile but they were terrible. service sucked and the costumer service was crapy too. I bought the phone from small store retailer in brooklyn and i m happy with it. As far as online stores i think people are still not trusting online as person to person sale. I know yodaphone.com is pretty good at this with bunch of other sites. Cheers.

luis

Sunday, August 31, 2008hi noah,...i just wanna know how much is the LG env2,... cauz i just wanna buy the phone only,...and it can be carry by verizon wireless,....and which is the better, env2 or sony ericson w580i??,....please,..reply to my questions,...thank you

portia

Sunday, August 24, 2008hey how are you doing

Raymund Del Rosario

Friday, August 22, 2008I have a helio fin phone and i haven't seen any reviews on it. I just wanted to know if i missed out on the episode. i really like this web site and thanks for all the hard work. Ray

paul hamptonjr

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Frank Sarfo

Tuesday, July 29, 2008I have had a nice information from your website. Keep it up!

eric s.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008Which firm would you go with for a two week GSM phone rental for use in Japan, with v/mail, calling to and from U.S.?

bev Chirhart

Thursday, July 17, 2008Is there any plan that does not require a two year contract to start service. I have t-mobile, my contract is running out, but I am upset with the service we have had and don't want to have to commit to another two years, tho I can't seem to find a plan that works better for us

Beth Bacon

Wednesday, July 16, 2008I lost my ATT (GSM) phone and would like to buy a replacement so that I do not have to extend my existing phone plan. Because my phone is lost (fell in the bay), I cannot exchange the SIM card. Can I still buy a replacement phone with this plan?

apondi christine

Friday, July 11, 2008this is informative1! can i have it please?

Michelle -

Thursday, June 26, 2008Thanks for the good information on Insurance.. I thought I was the only one who thought it was nuts, but I never realized it was that bad. I think a manufacturer's warranty is good enough for me, but the Ebay idea is really smart!