I recently bought a new cell phne/PDA combo thingy and it’s in the mail, on its way to my door. I got it mostly for the PDA functionality, and it was super cheap for a PDA/phone combo ( was cheap for just a PDA,) so I decided that even if I don’t use it as a phone, it’s still a good deal for a pDA. But, I do want to try to use it as a phone, but have a couple questions:
Right now, I already have a cell phone. It’s a cheap, LG VX3100 that came free with the service plan I got with it as an X-Mas gift a year and a half ago. It’s on the verizon network (which my new phone is compatable with.) So, is it possible to have both phones running on the same phone number? Since the PDa is larger, I wouldn’t want to take it everywhere, but the times I do take it, I wouldn’t want to have to take my cell phone too if I can just have the PDA be my phone. I’m hesitant to just tranfer the plan to the new phone, because what if I hate the awy it works? I’ve read about the PDA/phone and how it’s phone works, and it’s not the most effeicient method, it seems. If I transfer it over and it’s crappy, but I still have my old phone with it’s plan, I wouldn’t have to transfre it back.
And #2, a slightly more difficult question
Is it possible to sert up the phone myself, or do I have to go to a verizon delaer? Having read a lot on a couple phone forums, I have found the ‘secret menu’ in my own phoen, and know how to get to it in my new one. In there are all sorts of settings, and I was wondering if all I had to do was just copy the numbers to the new phone and have it work. This is pretty much al lthe verizon dealer would do, right? Of course, if doing this is in any way illegal or a violating of my contract, then I won’t do it. It’s jsut that I love an hour from the nearest verizon store, so it would be ah ssle to get ti done.
No, you can’t have 2 cell phones on the same number. If you change the number to your new phone the old one will stop working.
If you can transfer the numbers from your old phone to your new one, Verizon doesn’t care if you do it yourself. You may need some kind of special cable to connect the two phones.
As for #2, all you need to do is transfer the SIM card from your old phone to your new phone. It goes without saying as soon as you do that your old phone would stop working. As for transferring your stored numbers and such, there may be a way using a cable as FatBaldGuy suggests, but you’ll still need to transfer the SIM. If you won’t both phones to work, you’ll need to go to Verizon to have them install a new SIM (and a new phone # to go with it).
Verizon doesn’t use any SIM-based technologies. If they did, you could easily switch back and forth from phone to PDA and back by moving the SIM. I used to do something similar all the time with my GSM phones. However, I am unaware of any way to do this with the CDMA phones that Verizon uses.
AFAIK, the OP is SOL on this. He will have to take the PDA to Verizon for activation, and either get it a new phone number and plan, or move his number off the old phone permanently.
OK, so how do I transfer a SIM card? For that matter, what is a SIM card? Is it an actual card inside the phone that requires screwdrivers and such? If so, that’s something that that tends to void warrenties, isn’t it? (althuogh I’m farily certain my new phone has no warrenty anyways.)
Aslo, I think it mgiht be worth noting that the new phone is CDMA only. Is this different than GSM? Will that affect the chances of doing this myself? Should I just give up now and take the phone to a verizon store once I get it?
OK, Bambi Hassenpfeffer pretty much ansered it all. I guess I’ll have to make a choice on the phone I want to use. Too bad I jsut can’t test the new one out without switching it over completly.
You should be able to switch over to the new phone by calling Verizon tech support and they can walk you through the process as long as you have the ID numbers of both phones (usually on a sticker which you can only get at by removing the battery).
If you use the new one for a few days and decide you don’t like it, call them and switch back.
It is an actual card inside the phone, but it’s designed to be replaced and moved, so it’s usually very easily accessible. Mine is right there underneath the battery, and it’s held in place with a small sliding clip. No screws needed. It’s about 1.5cm x 2cm.
And my phone has the capability to store contact info on the SIM itself to facilitate easy transfer. Yours may have the same.
Depending on how the network is set up, it is actually possible for two handsets to share (or, more acurately, respond in sequence to) the same number. This is routinely done by the Israeli operator Pelephone (which is a CDMA network) – one’s car phone and hand-held phone have different network ID’s, which are linked to the same phone number. Whenever that number is called, the carphone is searched for first. If found, it rings. On “no answer”, or if it is switched off / out of area, call transfers to the numbers second ID, which is the handheld.
This is actually a function of something called an HLR (Home Location Registry), which is a Network Element distinct from the actual switches, and which may or may not exist on the Verizon network. Activating this kind of setup requires registering both of your phones on the carrier’s HLR, so you’ll need their cooperation even if this is possible on your network.
Call them up and see if it is possible. It should be possible if the carphone/handheld number-sharing is offered on the network.
I believe you can do it yourself, without even having to use the service menu. IIRC, you can enter your new phone’s ESN (electronic serial number, printed under the battery) on Verizon’s web site, then dial *228 and use option 1 to program your phone over the air. The OTA programming system will look up your phone number and other network information from the phone’s ESN.
I’m not entirely sure how it works, since I’ve bought all my phones at Verizon stores in the past. However, I also ordered a new phone online (LG VX7000, free with New Every Two) and it should be here this week, so I can let you know exactly how OTA programming works once it arrives.
Yup, you can set it up yourself. My phone came with an activation instruction sheet that gave me a URL, where I typed in two numbers from the receipt, then dialed *228 and used option 1 to program my new phone over the air.
Well, in thepryI can set it up myself (well, with a phone call to verizon,) but it didn’t work. I gave the lady my ESN, and for some reason she said it was asking for another type of ID number. I was on hold for many minutes while she looked, but she found nothing. She wasgoing to call their tech supprt and hold me longer, but i said no thanks, I’ll try later, sicne I had things to do.
Of course, I have to send the unit back anyways. I must have horrible luck with electronics. back in December I got a bad mobo, and now this unit’s frontlgiht for the scren dosen’t work, so I can only see it under ideal lighting conditions. Argh. :mad: