Changing cell phones from verizon to a different carrier

[maximus100389]

Has anyone changed their phone form having verizon service to a different service? I know that verizon doesnt use a SIM card in their phones so i was wondering if this is even possible.

I am asking because i get a really big discount on a new phone (i was thinking of getting a really nice phone), and my parents were talking about changing carriers eventually. i want to take advantage of this big discount with verizon, but i dont want to be screwed out of the phone when my family changes plans eventually.

[DirtySouth]

I'd go for Sprint or Cricket.

They both have a lot of good deals and they both do transfer from carriers.

[HelpDeskHustler]

verizon is switching to SIM very soon TMK.

[Critical]

Right now, no carrier handsets will switch from one to another. The only phones that will are unlocked GSM handsets, which Verizon phones are not. Regardless, talk with your family about what their plans are. That big discount comes at the price of a new 2-year contract. You do not want to have that surprise termination fee when/if your family leaves Verizon. Phone prices are coming way down for the high-end phones, it may be more worth it to wait until they switch and pick one of the better phones from the new carrier.

[Critical]

Originally Posted by HelpDeskHustler

verizon is switching to SIM very soon TMK.

Incorrect. Verizon has stated is that their data services will be LTE based, which is GSM based. But nothing has been said about whether or not they will use SIM cards. Additionally, that change, at best, is 3-4 years away.

[timmyshoota]

Sprint sucks. Do not get them. Either stick with Verizon or switch to AT&T. The two best carriers in the country. T-Mobile is good too, but there's still some areas where they aren't good.

Buy my iPhone and get it unlocked if you do go with T-Mobile.

[Critical]

I find it extremely funny when someone says that one carrier sucks versus another. Unless you use the exact same phone, in the exact same places, at the exact same times, there is no way to compare.

[UKwithPride]

I hated my AT&T line, cost a crud load and service blew. Dropped calls everywhere, no texts wanting to send. Dropped them ASAP and picked up T-mobile and I <3 it.

[HelpDeskHustler]

Originally Posted by Critical

Incorrect. Verizon has stated is that their data services will be LTE based, which is GSM based. But nothing has been said about whether or not they will use SIM cards. Additionally, that change, at best, is 3-4 years away.

hmmm, well maybe you're right, but I vaguely remember receiving a letter from Verizon, detailing the change to SIM card to occur in 2008.

[Critical]

Well, it's entirely possible, even probable, that Verizon will end up going with a SIM based setup. Their parent company, Vodaphone, has not been very happy recently, and with VZ announcing a switch to the same technology platform for next-generation wireless as Vodaphone, it has quieted some of the rumblings. There's no easy (read cheap) way for them to have it done this year. Phones take 6-9 months to develop, even compressing that down to 4-6 months, there's still FCC approval, beta testing, etc. that take time as well. Add into that, that VZ's announcement for LTE was for "data" and you have to start to wonder if they would keep their CDMA network for voice and use LTE just to compete with WiMax.