basic dumb question re: switching phones

Please forgive my ignorance but it's my wife's phone... (sure! no, really).

We have separate phones and accounts, with my being t-mobile and
hers on Sprint. Whenever I'd call her she'd complain that
the reception was bad...

For the past couple of days I've been using her phone and yes,
it's abysmal compared to mine and to others I've tried.

It seems (I hope...) to be her actual phone itself and not
the network. Other people on Sprint out here have much better
connections and satisfaction.

So my dumb question: What's involved in swapping instruments?
It's a Sanyo Katana...

I don't want to get locked into buying new unit from Sprint
and getting into a contract...

So can I simply purchase another phone from, well, somewhere
(Ebay, Craigs, an honest vendor)? And then is there any method
to transfer the contact list?

Thanks muchly.


--
__________________________________________________ ___
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key
dannyb@panix.com
[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

danny burstein <dannyb@panix.com> wrote in news:igdq5c$1p7$1
@reader1.panix.com:

> Please forgive my ignorance but it's my wife's phone... (sure! no, really).
>
> We have separate phones and accounts, with my being t-mobile and
> hers on Sprint. Whenever I'd call her she'd complain that
> the reception was bad...
>
> For the past couple of days I've been using her phone and yes,
> it's abysmal compared to mine and to others I've tried.
>
> It seems (I hope...) to be her actual phone itself and not
> the network. Other people on Sprint out here have much better
> connections and satisfaction.
>
> So my dumb question: What's involved in swapping instruments?
> It's a Sanyo Katana...
>
> I don't want to get locked into buying new unit from Sprint
> and getting into a contract...
>
> So can I simply purchase another phone from, well, somewhere
> (Ebay, Craigs, an honest vendor)? And then is there any method
> to transfer the contact list?
>
> Thanks muchly.


Its a fairly simple process to switch phones.
When buying used, you want to make sure the ESN is clear.
This number is found on the back of the phone, under the battery.
Whether ebay or craigslist, request the ESN, then call Sprint and verify that
the phone is clear.
Many sellers provide the ESN on the auction page ,,, And it goes without
saying that if they won't provide the number, walk away.
If the phone was reported lost or stolen, or if it has an outstanding account
balance associated with it, its dead, and you won't be able to activate it.

Once you have the replacement phone, you simply call sprint or go to a sprint
store, tell them what number you are swapping, provide the ESN, and they walk
you through the simple process to activate it.
Some phones can have their contents transfered to other phones, others not.
You'd have to go into, or call, a sprint store to find out.

In <Xns9E68F0A5388E3ewrfdgrstnet@69.16.185.252> Your name <1@2.com> writes:
[snip]

>If the phone was reported lost or stolen, or if it has an outstanding account
>balance associated with it, its dead, and you won't be able to activate it.

>Once you have the replacement phone, you simply call sprint or go to a sprint
>store, tell them what number you are swapping, provide the ESN, and they walk
>you through the simple process to activate it.
>Some phones can have their contents transfered to other phones, others not.
>You'd have to go into, or call, a sprint store to find out.

Thanks for the info.

--
__________________________________________________ ___
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key
dannyb@panix.com
[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]