Nokia 6230 for Cingular available on Nokia site, but not Cingular

[SteveW]

I have had my Nokia 6200 for almost 2 years and am quite happy with it, just wish it had Bluetooth (would be convenient with some of my other gadgets). I thought that the venerable 6230 had been retired, as it is no longer available on the Cingular site, and I am waiting for some of the new Nokia phones that have been mentioned here (6125 perhaps).

Today I found that the 6230 is "for sale" on the Nokia site with a Cingular contract extension. It would cost me 100.00.

You have to choose a contract to extend - I am still on one of the old AT&T plans so my plan isn't one of the choices - but I can pick one that's pretty close. I've learned from you kind folks that the new phone will come with an "orange" SIM to replace my "blue" one.

If I buy it, what happens when my phone arrives - do I have to bring it to a Cingular store to move my number to the phone?

If I take advantage of this offer now, how long do I have to wait to upgrade phones again?

Any other downsides?

I should probably just wait until May or June to see if the 6125 comes out, but I am tempted...

Thanks for any advice
SteveW

[Fire14]

If you went to the Nokia site and saw this for sale, it was most likely from a reseller "LetsTalk", which is not Cingular themselves.
As for being able to migrate over, you will be better off going thru Cingular themselves to prevent any problems with the migration.

I would recommend checking out your plan fully before migrating, including the fact us "Blue" (former AT&T) still get free incoming SMS, Nights start at 9 and if your on a call at 8:56 and it goes past 9PM your mins will change from anytime to N&W at 9PM.
These are just some things that can shock people if they aren't ready for them and doesn't mean it's a bad thing to migrate depending on where you live, you might be better with the migration or staying on your Blue plan & go thru Ebay to get an unlocked 6230, sure you would pay more but if your out of or almost out of contract you wouldn't have to sign a new 2 year contract & be tied down.

As for if you got a new phone now by migrating, you would have to wait 22 months before being able to upgrade to a new phone & would have to take another 1-2 year contract, people say it's better to spend the $50.00 more for a phone & go with a 1 year contract, then you can upgrade at 11 months.
Hope this helps you some & didn't confuse you.

[SteveW]

Originally Posted by Fire14

If you went to the Nokia site and saw this for sale, it was most likely from a reseller "LetsTalk", which is not Cingular themselves.
As for being able to migrate over, you will be better off going thru Cingular themselves to prevent any problems with the migration.

You are right, it's LetsTalk - somehow I thought it was part of Nokia, but looking more carefully they say "Nokia and LetsTalk have teamed up to provide..."

Originally Posted by Fire14

I would recommend checking out your plan fully before migrating, including the fact us "Blue" (former AT&T) still get free incoming SMS, Nights start at 9 and if your on a call at 8:56 and it goes past 9PM your mins will change from anytime to N&W at 9PM. These are just some things that can shock people if they aren't ready for them and doesn't mean it's a bad thing to migrate depending on where you live, you might be better with the migration or staying on your Blue plan & go thru Ebay to get an unlocked 6230, sure you would pay more but if your out of or almost out of contract you wouldn't have to sign a new 2 year contract & be tied down.

As for if you got a new phone now by migrating, you would have to wait 22 months before being able to upgrade to a new phone & would have to take another 1-2 year contract, people say it's better to spend the $50.00 more for a phone & go with a 1 year contract, then you can upgrade at 11 months.

This is what I wanted to know. I went a bit further on the LetsTalk website and it did put up an alert box confirming this - basically you have to be within 2 months of the end of your contract. I am currently out of contract. I did check on eBay and I didn't see any terrific bargains.

If Cingular is really coming out with the 6125 in Q2 I guess it makes sense to wait rather than take a new contract now.

Thanks for the advice!

Just a couple of questions about the new phones on eBay (in the box - I wouldn't buy someone's old one). There are unlocked ones (expensive), which I understand I can just put my blue SIM into and it works. Does this mean that Cingular recognizes my number and plan only via the SIM?

Then there are phones locked to Cingular. Can I put my blue SIM into these or will they come with an orange SIM that I have to use?

Thanks,

SteveW

[Fire14]

Originally Posted by SteveW

Just a couple of questions about the new phones on eBay (in the box - I wouldn't buy someone's old one). There are unlocked ones (expensive), which I understand I can just put my blue SIM into and it works. Does this mean that Cingular recognizes my number and plan only via the SIM?

Then there are phones locked to Cingular. Can I put my blue SIM into these or will they come with an orange SIM that I have to use?

Thanks,

SteveW

You will need to get an Unlocked phone to put the Blue SIM in and the phone to be able to recognize the SIM, and yes Cingular does recognize your # & plan thru the SIM.

If you want the best for your money on Ebay, look for the "UnBranded & Unlocked" phones, the Unbranded ones don't have the AT&T or Cingular software on them & usually have more ringtones and graphics installed on them, from the manufacture.
I have found the Cingular branded phones have a very limited amount of ringtones & graphics on them vs what we were use to with AT&T's setups & can be very disappointing, I can't help on any T-Mobile branded phones since I haven't had any of them.

Unless you go with a Motorola with a data cable & Moto phone tools to download your own ringtones & graphics, and I believe you can do the same with the Sony Ericsson models. Also by downloading your contacts to your computer, it gives you a backup over just the phone & SIM in case you loose both.

Hope this helps some more.

[COtech]

Originally Posted by SteveW

Just a couple of questions about the new phones on eBay (in the box - I wouldn't buy someone's old one). There are unlocked ones (expensive), which I understand I can just put my blue SIM into and it works. Does this mean that Cingular recognizes my number and plan only via the SIM?

Then there are phones locked to Cingular. Can I put my blue SIM into these or will they come with an orange SIM that I have to use?

Thanks,

SteveW

Yes, your GSM service provider knows you by your SIM. Your phone's serial number, the IMEI, can be used to deny service in the event it's stolen and used with another SIM. This is called "blacklisting".

Phones locked to Cingular won't work with your blue SIM. To use the orange SIM in the box with a new phone, you'll choose an orange plan. That would end service on your blue SIM and plan.

COtech

[SteveW]

Thanks Fire14 and COtech for the helpful info. I like knowing all of my options - what's possible and why - before buying stuff. Carrier sales people usually won't tell you that, even if they know.

Originally Posted by Fire14

You will need to get an Unlocked phone to put the Blue SIM in and the phone to be able to recognize the SIM, and yes Cingular does recognize your # & plan thru the SIM.

If you want the best for your money on Ebay, look for the "UnBranded & Unlocked" phones, the Unbranded ones don't have the AT&T or Cingular software on them & usually have more ringtones and graphics installed on them, from the manufacture.

I checked eBay after you suggested it and of course the unlocked/unbranded phones are fairly expensive - around $200 in this case - for a 2-year old phone. At that price I'll wait for something new and better.

My need for ringtones is pretty limited - I usually just download one that sounds sort of like an old rotary phone and stick with it. I need something that will catch my attention in an airport, not blend in with all the random noise. Besides, people at work look at you funny if your phone starts playing "My Humps"

Originally Posted by Fire14

Unless you go with a Motorola with a data cable & Moto phone tools to download your own ringtones & graphics, and I believe you can do the same with the Sony Ericsson models. Also by downloading your contacts to your computer, it gives you a backup over just the phone & SIM in case you loose both.

You can do this with Nokia too, and while I don't like not having a backup, I haven't wanted to pay $50 for the Nokia data cable that I'll only use a few times. Maybe I'll get a used one of those on eBay. That's why my next phone will have Bluetooth.

Originally Posted by COtech

Yes, your GSM service provider knows you by your SIM. Your phone's serial number, the IMEI, can be used to deny service in the event it's stolen and used with another SIM. This is called "blacklisting".

Phones locked to Cingular won't work with your blue SIM. To use the orange SIM in the box with a new phone, you'll choose an orange plan. That would end service on your blue SIM and plan.
COtech

Thanks, given that and Fire14's advice, I'm going to wait before I sign a new Orange contract and use whatever out-of-contract leverage I have. No sense wasting that on an obsolete phone, no matter how well rated.

SteveW