Phone Options?

[NoBite]

This question has bugged me for awhile. Late next month I will be switching my service to Cingular. My employer has a business account that confers some benefits to all employees, one of which is a discount from Cingular on equipment when purchased along with a new contract. Beyond the cost of the equipment, however, I would like to know what my options are for purchasing phones. Must I purchase directly from Cingular, either off the web or from one of their stores? Let's say I want a particular Nokia phone that currently is not available at the local Cingular store or on their website. Is there a way to buy the phone somewhere else and have it "registered" or "dedicated" to the Cingular network? I just don't understand my options!

[Andy]

You can buy and use any unlocked GSM 850/1900 GSM phone on the Cingular network. You can buy it from wherever you want, places like Ebay or a friend, just make sure it supports 850/1900 GSM and is UNLOCKED. You can just switch SIM cards between phones and voila, there you go.
Hope this helps.

[Etorres777]

Well you won't get the discount off the phone, so that kind of defeats the purpose. I get 35% off handsets and 8% on the monthly bill. I got the ROKR for $188.89 with taxes.

[NoBite]

Originally Posted by Andy84094

just make sure it supports 850/1900 GSM and is UNLOCKED. You can just switch SIM cards between phones and voila, there you go.
Hope this helps.

Andy84094 - thanks. What is meant by the term unlocked? Is this something that Cingular can do for me if I purchase a phone elsewhere? Regarding the sim card. Currently I have a Moto V-180. I assumed my sim card for this phone would be no good if I switch to a Nokia. Is that correct? If so, then it looks like my purchase of a different brand phone is pretty well restricted, or else would I purchase a sim card directly from Cingular or somewhere else?

Sorry for the noob questions, but I'm trying to figure out the angles.

Etorres 777 - you have a good point! One large benefit of my Company's account is the discount on phone purchases, which would not apply if I bought a phone anywhere but from Cingular. But, I have heard so much about the Nokia 6230 that I am hoping to get one. Currently, this doesn't look to be possible through Cingular. Or, maybe by the end of October another phone will come forward on my wish list. I just want to know if I have options beyond the few phones I saw in the Cingular store yesterday, regardless of the economic impact.

Thanks to both of you for your responses!

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by NoBite

What is meant by the term unlocked? Is this something that Cingular can do for me if I purchase a phone elsewhere?
Sorry for the noob questions, but I'm trying to figure out the angles.

Carriers lock phones to their networks to prevent you from taking the phone and getting service from someone else. If you had a phone locked to another carrier Cingular will not unlock it for you because then you wouldn't buy a new phone from them. It is purely a matter of how much money can be made on you in this case. If you wanted a phone unlocked you would have to either try to get it unlocked by the carrier that issued it, or have an unlocking service unlock it for you (This usually costs about $20). If you did happen to buy a phone that was locked to Cingular then you need to do nothing, since you're going to use it on their network anyway.

[Etorres777]

Originally Posted by NoBite

Andy84094 - thanks. What is meant by the term unlocked? Is this something that Cingular can do for me if I purchase a phone elsewhere? Regarding the sim card. Currently I have a Moto V-180. I assumed my sim card for this phone would be no good if I switch to a Nokia. Is that correct? If so, then it looks like my purchase of a different brand phone is pretty well restricted, or else would I purchase a sim card directly from Cingular or somewhere else?

Sorry for the noob questions, but I'm trying to figure out the angles.

Etorres 777 - you have a good point! One large benefit of my Company's account is the discount on phone purchases, which would not apply if I bought a phone anywhere but from Cingular. But, I have heard so much about the Nokia 6230 that I am hoping to get one. Currently, this doesn't look to be possible through Cingular. Or, maybe by the end of October another phone will come forward on my wish list. I just want to know if I have options beyond the few phones I saw in the Cingular store yesterday, regardless of the economic impact.

Thanks to both of you for your responses!

That new Nokia for Cingular is actually pretty nice. The Nokia 6682. How about that one?