So I may have to swap service providers (not really by choice, family plan etc..) I got a screaming deal on my current nexus 5 on sprint network. But it looks like we may be switching to t-mobile. I know I will need to get another phone because it has to be GSM I believe? They have a trade in offer but need to see the condition. They are asking $400 for a gsm version. Any ways around this, sucks because my phone works just fine. Thanks in advance!
Going from Sprint to T-mobile...
- Thread starter rrollar
- Start date
Actually, your Nexus 5 will work just fine on T-Mobile. It has GSM radio too. You do not need to change your phone
That's what I thought to. Maybe these "pay your etf fees to switch" programs make you turn in your old phone. I hope not cause that would be stupid.
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- Apr 17, 2012
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They do. They want you to show you paid you ETF and turn in your old phone.. Why? So you get one from them. That way people don't swap to them for a month.. Have them pay the ETF... Then leave to someone else..
Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.
This is what I did in your situation. I was a Verizon customer currently T-Mobile. I purchased a flip phone from off of eBay and activated it on my Verizon line so that when I went to the T-Mobile store that was my current phone and I just traded that in and sold my IPhone5S on eBay. T-Mobile requires you to buy a phone I did I bought the nexus 5, in your case you could do everything the same except sell your nexus 5. You could buy a flip phone from T-Mobile because they require you to and then later just activate the N5.
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I accompanied one my fellow colleagues on our lunch break so he could switch his family from Sprint to T-Mobile.
The T-Mobile employee completely understand my colleagues desire to not waste his and his wife's perfectly fine N5s and suggested approximately same process as described by previous posters.
So, in the end my colleague traded in two cheap dumb phones he purchased from EBay and were activated for a few minutes on his account and an iPhone 4 his daughter used.
He purchased three dumb phones from T-Mobile that the employee said he can return in a week or so.
So, I am guessing that T-Mobile is willing to work with people to get them in the fold.
Dan
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The T-Mobile employee completely understand my colleagues desire to not waste his and his wife's perfectly fine N5s and suggested approximately same process as described by previous posters.
So, in the end my colleague traded in two cheap dumb phones he purchased from EBay and were activated for a few minutes on his account and an iPhone 4 his daughter used.
He purchased three dumb phones from T-Mobile that the employee said he can return in a week or so.
So, I am guessing that T-Mobile is willing to work with people to get them in the fold.
Dan
Posted via Android Central App
I do happen to have an older Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch, could it be that I can reactivate that on my current Sprint line, then go forth with the swap to T-Mobile, then just reactivate my N5 after they take the S II? Maybe this way I can still hold on to my current N5 and not have to get rid of it. Could this possibly work?
That would work. You do still need to buy a phone from T-Mobile though.
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antilles76
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No need to re-activate. As long as it turns on they'll accept it. I gave them my old Droid Incredible and a Samsung Continuum and still got like $30 a piece for them. Kept our existing phones as backup.
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I switched from Sprint to T-Mobile back in November and didn't have to do anything but pay the ETF. Granted I didn't buy the Nexus from Sprint, so I don't know if that makes a difference. I didn't have to turn any phone into them. All I had to to with T-Mobile was pay the connection fee and that was it.
I am sure the move is for the better (not really by choice, tied to a family plan) I am almost certain that I will see a big jump is service as far as LTE/4G. I guess this whole phone swap thing is a lot less complicated than I am making it out to be. I guess with me having to buy a phone from T-Mobile is what is throwing me for a loop since funds right now are close to nothing (especially since I have two working phones, Galaxy SII backup and my daily driver N5).
Thanks everyone for your help, its great having a community like this where I have a place to ask these questions.
Thanks everyone for your help, its great having a community like this where I have a place to ask these questions.
- Apr 17, 2012
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Glad we could help
. Please let us know when you switch and what your opinion is about the T-Mobile network!Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.
Here's what you do: Trade in your Galaxy S II with T-Mobile, and get this flip phone from T-Mobile. It will add a mere $3 a month to your bill on EIP or $72 to just buy it outright. Then either switch out the SIM card and put it in your Nexus 5 (you may need to reset the APN settings or even a factory reset - I have heard stories about the Sprint setup doing something to the phone that it's hard to activate it on a GSM network without a reset). If it's a different size card, just grab another SIM and activate it on that line.
Made the switch last night and had all day on the new network. Not bad I have to say. Thanks for all the tips here.
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I hear you.. I am doing the same.. Except the contract on my line is up May 23rd... So I am going to get a $30 unlimited data, text and 100 minute prepaid T-Mobile card at Walmart and test the network on my Nexus 5 before I actually pull the plug on Sprint... See how/if it's much better than Sprint is in my area..... I just can't do Sprint anymore... Too many years (over 15) dealing with their promises of expansion and network upgrades... just the last 4 years between my EVO 4G (WiMax) and EVO 4G LTE (The phone my line is locked under contract for) and the Nexus 5 I got from Google play they have switched ideas/direction multiple times and stunted their own growth..
But then again watch they will buy T-Mobile this summer and we will end up dealing with the nightmare that is CDMA (Sprint) trying to merge in with T-Mobile (GSM) almost reminds me of when they bought Nextel and those two conflicting networks/technologies....
UGH!!!!!
Just remember Metro PCS is MVNO of T-Mobile and I have unlimited everything for $40 but since I am in a family plan of two people for only $70 per month. Yes, I have a speed bump at 500MB from 4G LTE to HSPA+. Metro PCS is also a no contract service that works great with your Nexus 5 since it uses T-Mobiles system.
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