Expert: DebiN - 10/21/2009

Question
QUESTION: DebiN: I've been reading your answers and can tell you really know your stuff.  I hope you can help me with this one.  I've had Sprint service for many years and my old Samsung is finlly dying.  One of my sons gave me a Motorola RazrV3 that is like brand new from Verizon.  My other son gave me a Cingular=ATT same phone but a little beat up.
My question is:  Sprint and Verizon are both CDMA (no SIM) but even if I am able to unlock the VZW Moto, which I prefer, Sprint claims they will not activate a non-Sprint phone. Is there any way to flash it so that it can be activated with my Sprint service? Or is my only other choice to go to the other providers with their own phone?
Thanks

ANSWER: If I were in your situation, I would suggest deciding first what is the most important thing to you. Is it service with Sprint or using a phone that you have today. If the answer is "Sprint service", then I would suggest getting a new phone from Sprint since neither of the phones that you have been given from your sons works with Sprint. If the answer is using one of the phones my sons gave me and the Verizon phone is brand new, then I would suggest switching to Verizon. Sprint has the right to not activate a phone that is not branded by Sprint and if you try to find someone to do it for you, then you would have to pay to have this done first, and second, it still may not work properly with Sprint and when someone unlocks and flashes the phone, they are basically cloning the ESN number to one that is in Verizon's sequencing and it may or may not work properly. I wouldn't risk it and there is no reason to spend more money, especially not on a Razr (which are not even made anymore). If Sprint works well for you where you live, then Verizon will likely work just as well, if not better.

The good thing about going to AT&T (besides that you will have a phone that works with them) is that if you start service with them, you will get a phone for free or little charge and you will be able to use both the phone you get from them and the phone you got from your son because all you have to do is to switch out the SIM card (nothing necessary from AT&T to do this). If you start service with Verizon, you will get a phone also, but you won't be able to switch your phone like you can with AT&T.

Let me know what you decide to do. Thanks. DebiN

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi DebiN:  What you said makes a lot of sense.  I am happy with Sprint but they won't give me any of their free phones even if I sign up with a two year contract (I'm gradfathered in to a plan that no longer exists that I would be willing to give up). Their offer is for new customers only. If I want to keep the same number I've had for years I get an upgrade credit and end up paying about half the cost.
So since both of my sons are now with ATT and one of them is on a family plan with a ton of minutes (and rollover)and willing to add a line for $9.95 a month I can port my old number to his plan and get to talk to both mob-to-mob for free. Or else get my own plan, get a new phone, and get to switch between phones like you suggested if i ever need to. It's nice having a back up phone you know and ATT because of their GSM tech makes it a lot easier than Sprint and even VZM.
Well, thanks for your suggestion, it help me a lot on my decission

Answer
I completely agree with your logic and think you are going to make a very good decision. It is very unfortunate that Sprint won't give you a free or low cost phone. That is one of the "gotchas" about Sprint that many people are not aware of. This is not the case with Verizon or AT&T, that I can assure you. When you are eligible for an upgrade, you get the same perks as a brand new customer. It's unfortunate that Sprint doesn't do that for their existing customers. Good luck to you. Thanks. DebiN