My cell phone crapped out and I want to just buy one on ebay. I have several questions about this process. Can you help me?
So, I have T-mobile, and my phone has a sim card, which I still have. Do I need to buy a phone that specifically says “unlocked” or will any new phone do? In order to use my sim card, do I need to but the exact same phone I had before, or can I buy any motorola phone, or just any phone that uses a sim card at all?
Thanks!
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18 Answers
Hmm, I’m almost positive it needs to be unlocked. Otherwise, I’d be worried it’s a stolen phone.
I used to buy a lot of phones off ebay, for verizon. I would buy any phone that was unlocked and took a sim card.
You can buy any phone that uses a SIM card, but it definitely has to be unlocked or be from T-Mobile in the first place. Good luck on your search!
Another question: Why are so many of these phones like this one at $0.01 and free shipping. What’s the gimmick?
Ebay is a great place to buy UNLOCKED PHONES.
There are some few things you need to make sure before you purchase. It has to be UNLOCKED. It has to be GSM phone, NOT CDMA. Although you can unlock the Blackberry Storm and use it with T-mobile :)
Also, try looking at Craigslist :) Good luck and take care.
@La_chica_gomela because people go nuts over a low price, and bid on it a lot, and then it gets to a point where the seller actually makes a profit. As long as they have positive feedback, and a lot of it, I wouldn’t be too wary. But, you can always get screwed on ebay.
@casheroo: ooh, I see. Thank you! After I read your answer, I looked, and sure enough the ones that are going to end in less than an hour are about $100, most of the penny ones have like 2 days left, they prob. just started.
If you want your text messaging and internet on the phone to work properly, it is safer to by a T-mobile branded phone. Many times unlocked phone don’t always work with every carriers text and internet, and if it is a European unlocked phone it may not be capable of picking up all the different bandwiths cell towers in the US use, and most actions don’t specify if its US or European.
@rob, why did you remove your answer? I was using it… :(
@La_chica_gomela, well, I wasn’t happy with how I phrased it… @FrancisRude‘s suggestion – to look for GSM instead of CDMA – is better worded.
Point is, in the U.S., they are two competing cell phone standards… and T-Mobile (as well as AT&T) are in the GSM camp.
Okay. Does that have anything to do with the fact that t-mobile and at&t both use sim cards and verizon doesn’t?
Phone looks okay but as for the seller , lots of people seem to be giving bad feedback due to no item sent and wrong description . I would be very careful if you do decide to buy it
I was reading on another message board that someone had gotten a “great” deal on a Motorola Razr from eBay, only to find that it was a U.K. model made for Vodaphone. I wasn’t sure it would work with a U.S. SIM card or not. Haven’t heard back from him.
I despise eBay. I will not shop there unless I can’t find what I am looking for anywhere else, and then, only if I’m desperate for the item I want. If all you need is an unlocked GSM phone, you can get one, brand new, from a reputable dealer for around $40. Like this one.
okay, what do ya’ll think about this one?
The choice is your but at that price you could buy 3 that phone should really only cost about $10 from what i have seen online . But you should buy what you want not what we say . To buy anything from any store like that is a risk
Okay, Sandy, where did you see it for $10 then? To buy anything for any store like what is a risk???
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