Cell phone upgrade

[Young Salt]

My cell finally died today. For months I've had to wiggle the plug just right to get it to charge....so I sprayed some electric contact cleaner in it. Bad move, it ate the plastic. The battery cover is in pieces and the phone is ready to split into two pieces.

I have verizon prepay plan. Do I have to buy a new phone directly from verizon? If I get one from ebay how do I know it will work for me? The old phone was about 4 years old. I don't think it has a sim card.

I don't understand the whole locked/unlocked phone thing.

[Raider Ronnie]

I'm up for a $150 up grade for my & my wife's phones.
Our contracts are up also.
I have a motorola I502 hybrid (and it sucks)
My wife is still using one of our older I58 (never had any problems with them )
I'm thinking of up grading both to motorola Renegades.
Anyone have the Renegade and if so, opinions ???
I prefer the rugged Motorola's because of my work and me abusing it.
I'm with Sprint/Nextel
I'm also up for suggestions to change to another provider, Verizon, AT&T, and others
Thanks

[striperman36]

GZONE from verizon

I'vr had just about every provider around here through work, etc.. Ended up with the base verizon plan, 26.50 a month 450 min. Verizon family plan is like 100 bucks a month

Wife has a pre-paid trac phone she uses about 50 min a month. Coverage sucks though

[derf]

most cell phones on the bay will tell you which carrier they will work with.
check the verizon site then check e-bay .
you can also activate the phone over the internet . the web site gives directions ; you might have to search for them ??
hope this helps ..any more ?/ just ask

derf

[HESH2]

wahed my verizone with fishing fleece.went to get another at store told me my contrac was no longer available and would basically double my price for my cell which i don't use much.went to att and got a cell and paid for 100 $$$$ of calls.like $1 every time you use phone and $.10 a minute.no monthly bills and can reload as needed.works for my limited use.

[glennjan61]

You can buy unlocked phones on ebay ..but they have to be compatable with your provider...att,tmobile are different than verizon.

[Raider Ronnie]

I just replace 2 Motorola's and got myself a renegade and got my wife a Sanyo, I'm still with Sprint/ nextel (though my contract is still up).
Sat out on Stellwagen I needed to make a call, as usual, NO SIGNAL,
Called Fishingfreak on the vhf, his Verizon got signal

[Backbeach Jake]

I was given a locked RAZR V3. I unlocked it via a website through the phone's mini USB cord. But not completely. I Still don't have web access to ATT because some of the phone's old T-Mobile is still there . So I checked ATT and happily I qualify for a free phone. I went with an EM330. If you sign up as a new customer you'll get your choice of phones. They have some cheap plans that are comparable to a pay as you go. Locked just means that the phone if say was T-Mobile, won't work with any other provider ATT, Sprint , etc.