Cell Phone Newbie Questions

The term "unlocked" means that a phone has the potential capability to be used on any wireless network, rather than being tied to a specific carrier (such as AT&T). For instance, if you were to ever leave AT&T for some reason, you could go to T-Mobile (both GSM carriers) with the exact same "unlocked" phone that you were using when you had AT&T. Therefore, you wouldn't be required to get a new phone with T-Mobile because you already have the one from AT&T.

A "smartphone" is any cell phone that is capable of accomplishing many tasks or that can perform many things with many features. Such cell phones have applications such as e-mail, Internet, Maps, Quickoffice, navigation, Skype, etc. They are basically like little cellular computers that can fit in your pocket on-the-go, and are usually very advanced or high-tech.

You shouldn't be worried about purchasing a smartphone and using it with prepaid service, unlocked or not. You can use any phone offered on AT&T, T-Mobile, or Bell (unlocked, of course) you'd like for prepaid except the iPhone.

Does this help? 🙂

Yes, that is possible to transfer all of your lines from postpaid to prepaid. You can also keep all phones and phone numbers, etc.

You can also use a smartphone with the $0.10 per minute Simple Plan. I am using a Samsung Captivate smartphone with the $0.10 per minute rate plan, without any data plan included. Works absolutely spectacular. You can add that particular data package to the smartphone, but it is not required, if you were thinking it was. If you would just like the data plan for personal use, then that is absolutely fine. I just wanted to let you know that the data plan for using a smartphone is not mandatory for prepaid service. 😉

It is incredibly easy to switch your phones and service to prepaid. You can keep the phones; they are all your's, and you are able to use them for prepaid. Now, to use a regular postpaid phone for prepaid, you may be required to get a prepaid SIM card instead of using your postpaid one. I am not completely sure if your current SIMs can be transferred to prepaid, but you should be able to keep your same numbers.

I hope this helps answer the questions to your "newbieness". 😉

That's awesome to hear. I guess I'll head over to the local AT&T store and switch everything over. I'd hate to make some silly mistake.

If I were to buy a smart phone on Amazon or wherever, I need to keep an eye out for the word Unlocked? It would suck to buy a phone and find out it doesn't work.

Thanks

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@squirt3957 wrote:

That's awesome to hear. I guess I'll head over to the local AT&T store and switch everything over. I'd hate to make some silly mistake.

 

If I were to buy a smart phone on Amazon or wherever, I need to keep an eye out for the word Unlocked? It would suck to buy a phone and find out it doesn't work.

 

Thanks

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I'm a little confused about what you mean by "unlocked". Are you saying that you DON'T want an unlocked phone, or that you do? I, personally, would avoid purchasing an unlocked device, as I would feel more comfortable knowing that it's an AT&T-specific phone.

Ok, despite my 6 years with cell phones, I don't really know what Unlocked means. I'm not even sure what a Smartphone is, except that my mother insists on getting one.

I just don't want to end up paying $400 for a phone that doesn't work with the prepaid plan.

thanks

cool, thanks. I'll go looking for a new phone then 🙂

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@squirt3957 wrote:

cool, thanks. I'll go looking for a new phone then 🙂

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You're welcome. Good luck and have fun with your new phone! 🙂