Buying used cell phones

Well, it's pretty clear that buying a used something is cheaper than new. However, without going through calling Sprint customer service, being put on hold, being re-routed through the system, etc., I turn you the forum faithful.

What I want to know is if I purchase a used phone (I am looking to upgrade my wife from her normal, run of the mill Sprint service, to a Blackberry/Treo type service), what additional charges am I looking at trying to upgrade her service.

I am guessing the worst, in that I have to get a new 2-year contract for her, which is fine, because she'll use it. However, I'm wondering if I need to cancel her old service and pay an early termination fee, or if I can just upgrade without additional costs.

Is it farfetched to only have to do this?:

1. Buy the phone from outside of Sprint (used, but in great working condition)
2. Upgrade her service to include a data plan, keeping her current voice plan paying no additional costs (agree to a new 2-year contract?)
3. Pay the activation fee.

If it's an unlocked phone (edit: or Sprint branded phone), all you need to do is take the SIM card out of the old phone and put it in the new (or used) phone. No need to tell your provider anything. You'll have to add the data plan to her account, but that should be it.
That shouldn't be cause for a new contract.

I have At&T - Cingular - AT&T (whatever they are calling themsleves now) and have done this a few times.

A few Years back, I did exactly what you are proposing with Verizon with no problems. You can upgrade your plan with any company (as far as i know) without a penalty, its downgrading and canceling when they ding you.

Be careful buying a used phone thouhg, thats where I ran into problems.

Kilted Brewer said:

If it's an unlocked phone (edit: or Sprint branded phone), all you need to do is take the SIM card out of the old phone and put it in the new (or used) phone. No need to tell your provider anything. You'll have to add the data plan to her account, but that should be it.
That shouldn't be cause for a new contract.

Click to expand...

That only works for GSM carriers. Sprint is a CDMA carrier. You'll most likely need a Sprint phone because most CDMA carriers won't activate a phone they didn't sell anymore. You'll have to get the phone, then call customer service to get them to activate it, and AFAIK, they all charge an equipment change fee for this.

You should be able to add the data plan and not sign a new contract, though.