Ordering cell phone through Amazon. (help)

bil4l

bil4l

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Hey guys, I've pretty much decided that I'm going to be purchasing a Sidekick II from T-Mobile. After rebates on Amazon the phone is free. However my mom is going to be getting a V188 Motorola and we are going to be on a family plan. However, whenever I call T-mobile to discuss my options they suggest not ordering from Amazon due to lack of good customer support. I would love to save $250 by ordering through Amazon, but setting up the family plan, and switching my number seem like they're going to be a pain in the ass if I go through Amazon. I looked for a customer support number and I couldn't find it, I don't want to do this deal through email. I was wondering if you always helpful CAG's could help me out and give me some input, be it from personal experience or otherwise. I would also like to know if anyone has had to return a phone through Amazon and how that experience went.

Any help would be EXTREMELY awesome. Thanks a lot guys.
 
well I orderd my phone through amazon and I havent had really any probs, when phone went bad I called tmobile and they sent a new one out. Go for the freebie save yourself some money, they might take a while for the rebate though
 
Yeah the rebate taking a while is fine, especially since the phone will eventually be free, but they seem super persuasive on T-mobile's support lines about me NOT ordering from Amazon for some reason. It's actually pretty annoying, but I guess they just want commision, I dunno. So T-Mobile sent you a new phone for free? This is probably what I'm most worried about.
 
They don't want you to buy it from amazon cause they have to pay for the phone and give amazon residuals. Also the person you talk to on the phone for T-mobile gets Commission for certain things. And the customer service rep would make more money if they sent you the phone as well. Buying it from amazon will create no problems.

However set up the account with both phones at the same time. So get your phone from amazon and then get your moms phone. Call T-mobile and set everything up though the phone with a customer service rep. Check out tmobiles website and see everything thats avabile. Make sure when setting up your account that the person repeats everything and have them explain everything in detail. Ask them about everything the fees and etc. That way there is no surpises.

If you get a T-Mobile phone and get service with T-mobile. Guess what they (T-Mobile) is your support. They put there products on websites so the can get business that way not everyone has a T-mobile store by them.

However in the end it costs them more then selling them at there stores. So they sorta don't like selling phones that way. Oh if your wondering I sold celluar phones for about a year.
 
Thanks a lot Graystone, I really do appreciate it, since I'm on the fence about this whole thing. Anywho, what if I was to order now and get a new number, would I be able to switch my phone number on T-mobile to my old Sprint number (the contract expires on August 18th)? I figure you'll probably know. Well thanks, again I have been deliberating over this for a few days now and it was driving me nuts. Also...does anyone know about sending in rebates for two phones? That rebate stuff is really tricky and I'm just trying to make sure everything will work out before I commit.
 
Dang....the other day I saw a rebate form on Amazon for the Sidekick II for $150, now I can't seem to find it...
 
[quote name='bil4l']Thanks a lot Graystone, I really do appreciate it, since I'm on the fence about this whole thing. Anywho, what if I was to order now and get a new number, would I be able to switch my phone number on T-mobile to my old Sprint number (the contract expires on August 18th)? I figure you'll probably know. Well thanks, again I have been deliberating over this for a few days now and it was driving me nuts. Also...does anyone know about sending in rebates for two phones? That rebate stuff is really tricky and I'm just trying to make sure everything will work out before I commit.[/QUOTE]

The rebate thing is kinda of tricky and really depends on the company they use for rebates. I don't see why it would not work though. Each phone is on a different account even though it is the same name.

The number switching thing. When you order the phone from amazon do they make you start service then. If not order the phone and wait until the day after you sprint contract runs out then set up the account with T-mobile and tell the person on the phone that you want to "port a number" Do that right after you say Hi I would like to start a family plan. You will need you account number for sprint and the password for the account etc. If you do it before the sprint contracts runs out then you will pay the $175 for early cancellation fee to sprint.

Now if you bought the phone today and activated (start a plan) today you will never be able to get the sprint number. There is a lot more to keeping numbers then it seems. Computers and Sprint and T-mobile all have to reconizge the number as a T-mobile number it is really a lengthy process.

So the only way to keep the sprint number is to wait until Aug 19. If you start a plan and then in 2 months ask T-mobile to switch a number to a old sprint number they will more then likely restart you 2 year contract or make you pay a hefty fee. And the phone would have to be reflashed.
 
Hmmm...Amazon's site is extremely confusing to navigate, thanks for the help thus far, any other help is greatly appreciated.
 
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