Can you transfer your cell phone service onto a phone you buy from a different store or business?
I’m looking to buy a new cell phone and need to find out what my options are. I’m not crazy about the limited selection of cell phones that my service provider offers and would like to buy one elsewhere. Can you buy a phone from another place (e.g. Walmart, ebay, etc.), take it to your cell service provider, and have your current plan transferred onto it, or can you only do this with phones that are bought from your service provider? Many stores sell contract phones that are already linked with a certain service provider that offers a plan with purchase. Is it true that there are codes that are already programmed in for just one provider? Can this be changed? And what about pre-paid phones – can you buy one and have a regular contract service transferred onto it? Please help! Thanks
Filed under: Tapit Software
I know you can do it on prepaid phones as long as you put your sim card into it. My friend had to do that .
You didn’t put who your wireless porvider is, but I would highly recommend that you do not run out and buy a phone that is marketed with service for a different provider. There are a few different types of technology (GSM, CDMA, etc) being used in the U.S. right now and they are not all compatible – therefore the insides of the phone itself may be incompatible. Also – some phones will be sold with a subsidy lock code to prevent it from being used with another wireless carrier.
All in all – I recommend you go directly to your wireless carrier and ask them if what they offer in the store is all they carry right now. Sometimes, they may have additional phones which are not in your market… or you may have been dealing with an authorized retailer who only sells certain phones for your carrier.
Best wishes!