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View Full Version : Help josh get some advice on hi mobile phone situation!


Joshkdmw
08-29-2009, 10:17 PM
I'm having a hell of a time finding info on this, so I figured someone here would know.

So. I'm on a family plan with bell - three cells with long
distance, etc. as I move around a bit.

For the last few years, I've had a Motorola Razr. Good phone, gets the job done. But the company is saying it's time to upgrade, and I think they're right.

A few years back, I had a palm Treo, so I know I want a smartphone. But I have a dilemma.

I'm looking at getting the 3G Palm Pre. Now, I'm sure that they don't offer this as a gratis replacement for my phone, so I'd be expected to pay a certain amount extra for it. That's fine, but I've been able to find no info about exactly how MUCH extra. Does anyone know how much credit they give you towards a new phone when the upgrade period arrives?

Also, this: I'm always on a tight budget, so paying extra for the new phone is doable, but It'll dip into my cash for the next month or two.

So. As a data plan on top of my current plan would cost extra, I need to know if it's possible to buy the Pre now, and just have the standard plan applied to it - phoning and texting - without access to the data features (including the ev-do network), and then when the money balances out, make a call and have them add on a data plan.

Also, any general commentary on the Palm Pre would be great. I'd love an iPhone, but they're not available on the Bell network, but the Pre still looks pretty slick. App store, touch screen, and personally, I like the slide-out keyboard, as it hs more tactile feedback.

I know the obvious solution is to go to a Bell store and ask, but I'm currently in a place that's a bit removed from any such store. It's about an hour's drive to a Bell store, and I don't want to drive there and have them tell me that they can't do what I ask, and have to drive home a-grumbling all the way.

Whaddya say, guys? Can you help me out?

axion
08-29-2009, 10:22 PM
Could you just call Bell and ask?

Joshkdmw
08-29-2009, 10:32 PM
Could you just call Bell and ask?

Saturdays and sundays, not so much.

axion
08-30-2009, 10:25 AM
Try calling a retail store if you can as they would be the most help. Do you know if your family plan contract is up for renewal or are you just being told to upgrade because your phone is old? If the plan is up for renewal then you get contract pricing on the phone (I think) which would be $199.99 for 3-year and they have no listing for 2 or 1 year. If you're not getting with a new contract then I'm pretty sure it's full price, which they don't mention, but I would imagine is over $500.

EDIT: tour is $250 3-year and $700 straight up, so I'd put it more at the $650 range for just the phone.

Joshkdmw
08-30-2009, 12:16 PM
Try calling a retail store if you can as they would be the most help. Do you know if your family plan contract is up for renewal or are you just being told to upgrade because your phone is old? If the plan is up for renewal then you get contract pricing on the phone (I think) which would be $199.99 for 3-year and they have no listing for 2 or 1 year. If you're not getting with a new contract then I'm pretty sure it's full price, which they don't mention, but I would imagine is over $500.

EDIT: tour is $250 3-year and $700 straight up, so I'd put it more at the $650 range for just the phone.

The actual plan is up for renewal. Okay, so I'll expect to pay 200 bucks going in.

evilgoodwin
08-30-2009, 12:20 PM
I think my brother and his wife each got a Pre, and they both love it. I'd say, since you can't really verify how much it'd cost, do a lot of research on the phone to make sure it's exactly what you want. Otherwise, you could buy a phone that got high reviews, but only because they assumed that certain "bugs" would be fixed, but is then ignored because they're devoting all their time to working on the 2nd version of it, leaving you with a battery draining, constantly freezing/crashing POS HTC Touch Pro.

...Just saying :D

/threadjack

axion
08-30-2009, 02:54 PM
The actual plan is up for renewal. Okay, so I'll expect to pay 200 bucks going in.

If you guys are doing a 3-year, if not, then it will be higher.

Joshkdmw
08-30-2009, 09:14 PM
I don't suppose anyone has feedback on the Samsung Link or the Palm Centro?