**Changing SimCards and Carriers**

[TOASTuh]

The background of the story is that i'm an AT&T user and i have a contract with only calling and texting (no data). Im basically focusing on the G2 phone because i love the android os and i want to use wi-fi, but I want to stay on my AT&T contract.
My question is:
If I know someone with T-Mobile and their contract has ended, and they have unlimited txt and data, is it possible that I use their renewal contract to get a new tmobile phone? And, how does this hurt my friend if i use their contract?

 

[truslide]

If you do a transfer of liability it wont hurt your friend at all. TOL will sign the contract and phone into your name. It wont even renew, so if your friend has 5 months left, so will you when you do the TOL. You're friend could renew their T-Mo contract, buy the phone you want, then you can do a TOL and pay for the phone. Then everything is official, but you're on T-Mo's network then.

Now if you dont want T-Mobile, you're best bet is to get on craigslist and look for an unlocked G2. If you find an unlocked G2 you'll be able to use it on AT&T's network. They'll just have to register the phone. The problem you run into is that you have a smartphone and they thrive on a data network. There's no point in having a G2 if you're not going to have data. If you do, you run a high risk of spiking you bill since you might end up using data accidentally.

 

[PvilleComp]

Also, if you are new to T-Mo you would get the same "upgrade pricing" as a new customer with a contract as you friend would get with their upgrade so there is no need to use your friends upgrade.

FWIW, Best Buy has some really great phones deals (free) going on for the Holidays, especially on VZW if they get good coverage where you are.

 

[takeshi]

If I know someone with T-Mobile and their contract has ended, and they have unlimited txt and data, is it possible that I use their renewal contract to get a new tmobile phone? And, how does this hurt my friend if i use their contract?

Well, they're stuck with a contract extension and they lose out on the subsidy that was offered in exchange for the extension.

Have you verified that the G2 will work with at&t (particularly for 3G, if that matters to you)?

 

[TOASTuh]

well I was just planning on staying with AT&T, and just change SIM cards. And the fact over spiking costs over data charges, i blocked myself to only GSM. Yes it's ******ed but it saves me from all of AT&T's hidden charges. And why would i have to register the phone if im just switching SIM cards?