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View Full Version : I Need a New Cell Phone...


x2ski
05-14-2005, 06:25 PM
Hi all,

I'm hoping that someone can help me out...

I have a Motorola T720 that I got in October '03 with a 2-year plan at Alltel. Recently, the battery charger input has been getting less and less receptive to the charger and has finally stopped working entirely.

I went to my local Alltel store and asked them what my options were, and they told me that I need to somehow get it to work myself or to have it sent in for repairs. Having it sent in would result in me paying for shipping, repairs, and being without a cell phone for 4-5 weeks.

I asked the guy at Alltel if I could just buy a phone online and have them activate it... He said I could, but that it would have to be Alltel compatible, and a good way to look was to see if the Alltel logo was on the phone... if it wasn't, don't buy it.

While searching eBay and Google I found zero phones that had the Alltel logo... some phones said they were compatible with Alltel/unlocked/whatever, but most of the time the "Cell phone coverage check" on eBay told me there was no coverage, although it was supposedly an Alltel phone (with no logo).

I checked the Alltel website which told me this in the FAQ:

Question
Can I activate my digital phone that was purchased from another retailer with an ALLTEL plan?

Answer
Yes, it is possible to buy phones/equipment from other retailers. However, you will want to be sure you are not signing up for service with another carrier. You will need to specify that you want to buy only the equipment. Please be aware the cost of the phone may be higher if you are not signing up for service with their provider. Additionally, you want to ensure you purchase a CDMA digital cellular phone, not a PCS CDMA, TDMA, or GSM handset.

However, even searching for CDMA only phones would result in no coverage.

Google is just full of crap results that send me to crap directories that are completely useless.

Does anyone have any links/suggestions so I can just buy a phone that will work with Alltel in the 54914 area code?

Thanks a lot.

x2ski
05-14-2005, 07:05 PM
n/m

Bulldog
05-14-2005, 07:14 PM
WTF is the 54914 area code? Do you live outside of the US/Canada?

Anders_G
05-14-2005, 07:17 PM
What's so different about Alltel? I'm merely curious here, I thought almost all cell phones used GSM... (I live in europe = technologically backwards)

hedxcold
05-14-2005, 07:20 PM
[ QUOTE ]
What's so different about Alltel? I'm merely curious here, I thought almost all cell phones used GSM... (I live in europe = technologically backwards)

[/ QUOTE ]

alltel uses cdma, same as verizon and sprint. different then gsm. its debatable which is better, based on different needs and stuff.

x2ski
05-14-2005, 07:30 PM
[ QUOTE ]
WTF is the 54914 area code? Do you live outside of the US/Canada?

[/ QUOTE ]

Appleton, Wisconsin

fluxrad
05-14-2005, 07:41 PM
[ QUOTE ]
WTF is the 54914 area code? Do you live outside of the US/Canada?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's likely his zip code.

Ray Zee
05-14-2005, 07:56 PM
tell them to give you a loaner or sell you a new phone cheap or you are cancelling you service and going with the competitor. you will get one quickly. no sense being nice to the phine company as its a one way street with them. they only do whats best for them unless you say you will leave them and then they get nice. always go over the head of a salesperson on the floor as they have limited authority.

x2ski
05-14-2005, 08:18 PM
[ QUOTE ]
tell them to give you a loaner or sell you a new phone cheap or you are cancelling you service and going with the competitor. you will get one quickly. no sense being nice to the phine company as its a one way street with them. they only do whats best for them unless you say you will leave them and then they get nice. always go over the head of a salesperson on the floor as they have limited authority.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds great but I have a contract with them through October, so I doubt threatening them would do any good. If I were on a month to month deal however I would defintely go this route.