Cell Phone Question

[Deety]

Since we seem to have some cellular experts around, here's another question. I have a Verizon phone which is more than two years old, but haven't used my credit toward a new phone because I don't want to lock into another 2-year contract. (I tend to move a lot and could land where coverage is poor.) I'd love to get an inexpensive phone without tying myself to anther contract, but is that possible without going through Verizon? Might any of this unlocked-phone stuff apply?

 

[fanaticbuckeye]

You can buy a Verizon phone from someone you know or ebay and just have them switch the ESN. Just make sure that the phone you buy is a Verizon phone.

 

[Flocka]

Since we seem to have some cellular experts around, here's another question. I have a Verizon phone which is more than two years old, but haven't used my credit toward a new phone because I don't want to lock into another 2-year contract. (I tend to move a lot and could land where coverage is poor.) I'd love to get an inexpensive phone without tying myself to anther contract, but is that possible without going through Verizon? Might any of this unlocked-phone stuff apply?

No, Verizon is not GSM. But, you could still buy a phone on eBay and take it to Verizon or a cell phone store and they can activate it.

 

[Saw31]

In english please :)

CDMA (code division multiple access) and GSM (global system for mobile communications) are different approaches to multiplexing (technical term for getting more information, from multiple users, down the same "pipe" as quickly and accurately as possible). They are different ways to accomplish the same thing, but (the phones) are not compatible with each other's networks. They use different algorithms and technology to manipulate the information for easier transmission. GSM is the standard most everywhere else. Both CDMA and GSM are used in the USA. I believe CDMA is more prevalent here.

 

[ScriptOhio]