Buying phone off ebay to replace prepaid phone questions?

I'm considering buying a phone off ebay to replace my prepaid phone. If I do it will probably be a Motorola RAZR of some sort. What info do I need about the phone to be sure it will work? What would be the difference between a phone that is an original Alltel version and a phone that has been "flashed" with the Alltel software?

Does anyone know what steps I would need to take other than calling customer service with the ESN of the new phone so they can switch it on my account?

Thanks,
BGC

 

That would be my preference but actually finding out if the phone is an original Alltel or a flashed one may prove difficult. Too bad Alltel doesn't give a rat's behind about their prepaid customers, no matter how long they've been with them. If they did there would be a way to upgrade through Alltel directly.

 

The pics I've seen on ebay don't show Alltel as far as I can tell. But that doesn't really mean anything because even the pics of the Razrs on the Alltel site don't show the Alltel logo unless you use the 3D view to see the back of the phone.

 

OK, thanks.

BGC

 

If you buy the Alltelu prepaid kit at Walmart, DO NOT activate the phone as described in the package. Call the Alltelu Customer Service line and tell them you bought a new phone and want to replace your existing phone with that one. This way you keep your same number, minutes, and expiration date.

If you don't mind losing the minutes and don't mind getting a new phone number you can goto the Alltelu website and can choose from a greatly expanded choice of phones for a prepaid acct. They are apparently waiving the $35 activation fee right now so you would just pay the price of the phone and $20 min airtime charge, I think.

BGC

 

I know if you get a prepackaged phone at Walmart you can use that phone to replace the one on your acct. But I was under the impression that if you order a different phone online, the phone would arrive preactivated with a new phone number. I've been told that if the new phone was activated with a new number then you could not transfer your existing balance and expiration date to the new phone, am I wrong?

BGC

 

Prepaid to prepaid is what I was talking about, that's the reason I'm considering ebay for a new phone. If I could get one through Alltel and switch it, I would.

BGC