as I mentioned in This thread, my cell phone went into the washing machine. after trying some of the remedies, I was unable to get it to come back to life.
So, what are my best options now?
I would like to get the best phone for the money that I can. My carrier is Virgin, and I’ve been very happy with them. The only smart phone they have is fairly expensive and not what I’m looking for.
I’ve found a number of nice phones on ebay that would be the ticket, but I don’t know if they will work with Virgin or not. I apologize if I’m using these terms incorrectly, so apologies in advance.
The phones on ebay I’m looking at are all “unlocked” which I assume means they aren’t tied to any network. Can I buy one of those phones and have it work for me the way it was designed, or do I need to actually buy a phone from virgin?
once I buy a phone, if I get one from the internet, I will have to go to Virgin to get it set up correctly. Do they care if the phone is “jailbroken”?
any help, suggestions, things to look out for would be appreciated.
Do you have a contract (I thought Virgin was pay-as-you-go)? How long left; are you eligible for an upgrade? What it the early termination fee, if there is one? By signing a new contract, you’d probably be able to get a discounted/free phone.
Different carriers can use different technologies, so a phone from/for one carrier may or may not work on another carrier. In US, I believe AT&T & T-mobile use the same technology, but Verizon uses a different one, so you could ebay a AT&T phone & use it on T-mobile but not on Verizon. I don’t know what Virgin uses (or even what country you’re in), but I’m sure a little interwebs poking will give you an answer to that question so that you can have additional info for ebaying.
Virgin is “sort of” pay as you go. You still have to put money into your account on a monthly basis to keep your account open and your phone number valid. Still, for my purposes, it works out ok. I used to spend a ton of money on minutes I ended up never using, so Virgin’s contract requirements are acceptable. They also have a number of different plans. The one huge benefit they have is they don’t have a contract, so i can walk away from them at any time. I like that.
One final note. The service is top notch. I’ve never had any major issues with sound quality, coverage, or network availability. I can’t remember who they use (I want to say verizon, but I’m not sure). But I will find out, as that seems to make the most sense based on your answer.
I appreciate your explanation about jailbreaking and using a phone. Clearly, I can’t just use any phone, but one that is compatible with Virgin’s network. I didn’t know that. It may be easier to see what Virgin is offering in the phone department, but the last time I looked, they didn’t have much in the way of smartphones.
Virgin runs off Sprint’s network so you’ll need a CDMA phone.
I don’t know Virgin’s policy regarding purchasing phones from a source other than Virgin. The company I work for will not allow you to activate a phone branded by another carrier, even if it is the same model. The reason is two-fold. The company wants you to purchase the phone from us for obvious reasons. Phones also have carrier specific software that may interfere with the phone working as advertised. You should check with your carrier to find out their policy.
One other thing about buying off Ebay. I’ve seen too many people try to activate their bought off Ebay phones only to find out the phone was lost or stolen. Any reputable seller will give you the ESN/MEID before you buy so you can check it with your carrier.
Why not switch to Sprint then? It’s the same network & there’s not much point in not being tied into a contract if you’re not willing to change. I’m sure they have a plethora of cheap/free phones for you to choose.