Cell Phone Question

[Harold_Z]

I've hardly entered the cell phone era yet, so I have to plead ignorance when it comes to cell phones. The other day a friend of mine gave me a cell phone she had replaced with a newer model.

Can I bring this to a store and have it reprogramed with a new number ?

[Chuck Nessa]

I've always had trouble calling from my cell.

[PHILLYQ]

Don't ask me, I don't even turn it on or charge it half the time! The other half I don't even carry it!

[GA Russell]

Harold, I'm no expert, but since no one else has answered your question, I'll give it a try.

I believe that you have to go to the store to become a customer, and they will give you a new number. But they will probably also give you a new phone for free, depending on your plan.

[Harold_Z]

Thanks, GA.

[Claude]

Well, if it works as in Europe, when you sign up at a mobile phone company, you will get a SIM card with your mobile phone number, and eventually a new mobile phone, depending on the deal.

The SIM card can be used with every mobile phone, unless the phone is "SIM-locked" to a certain provider (this often happens with free phones).

Edited October 5, 2005 by Claude

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Harold, sad to say, but Congress recently passed a law benefitting cell phone manufacturers, disguised as an anti-terrorism law, that would likely prohibit you from starting service with this old phone. Effective 7/01/05, all newly activated phones must transmit a GPS locator signal. Most old phones do not. You might get lucky and have an old phone with this but it is unlikely.

Just last month, I took my old Motorola V70i, a pretty decent phone when I bought it two years ago, and tried to get it activated for my daughter. Verizon wouldn't do it.

The only thing old phones like this are good for now is 911 calls. Charge it up and put it in your glovebox. In an emergency, it will connect you with 911. There is a law that a 911 call from any phone, registered or not, must go through. Other than this use, they're really only landfill.

Kevin

[king ubu]

Harold, sad to say, but Congress recently passed a law benefitting cell phone manufacturers, disguised as an anti-terrorism law, that would likely prohibit you from starting service with this old phone. Effective 7/01/05, all newly activated phones must transmit a GPS locator signal. Most old phones do not. You might get lucky and have an old phone with this but it is unlikely.

Just last month, I took my old Motorola V70i, a pretty decent phone when I bought it two years ago, and tried to get it activated for my daughter. Verizon wouldn't do it.

The only thing old phones like this are good for now is 911 calls. Charge it up and put it in your glovebox. In an emergency, it will connect you with 911. There is a law that a 911 call from any phone, registered or not, must go through. Other than this use, they're really only landfill.

Kevin

←

now this must be a lame joke... crazy, these americans

[Claude]

now this must be a lame joke... crazy, these americans 

←

The EU is not much better, trying to force ISPs to keep records of all internet communications for years.

[ejp626]

The SIMS card thing is very specific to Europe. That's not how US phones are designed, though it used to be possible to have the number changed or turned back on. Maybe the GPS thing would be a problem.

[Harold_Z]

Thanks Kevin and everyone. The cell my friend gave me is a Verizon and I don' think it is real old. I guess my best bet is to stop by a Verizon store and see what they tell me.