thinking of buying a used phone

[loccom]

Hi

thinking of buying a used phone, however, I am unsure how this phone will work if i was to buy a an unlocked phone from ebay, would i still get my pushed emails... how do i go about making sure i get emails?

I really only need it for this and not that keen on contract phone as I only wish to use the phone for receiving emails when i am in China.

please help

thanks

[Wishdemon]

I cant really speak for china's service providers, but as long as the handheld is unlocked and working, I dont see any problem.

All you'll have to do is put in their sim card and activate the handheld on your service provider.

You'll want to make sure that they offer a blackberry data plan, or else no push email.

take care.

[loccom]

hey thanks for the reply.

So if i bought a used phone that is unlocked would i need to get a contract or will a PAYG work too?

I presume my standard PAYG at the moment would not work for the emails?

Do you have any recommenations on the cheapest way to run these phones using push?

sorry for all the questions :oops:

[John Clark]

An unlocked GSM phone should work with prepaid sims in China. However, I don't know of any prepaid sim cards that are capable of data. They'll work for phone and sms.

[Wishdemon]

hey thanks for the reply.

So if i bought a used phone that is unlocked would i need to get a contract or will a PAYG work too?

I presume my standard PAYG at the moment would not work for the emails?

Do you have any recommenations on the cheapest way to run these phones using push?

sorry for all the questions :oops:

As far as american service providers, I dont know of any that do push email as PAYG. I'm almost positive that everything has to be post paid contract.

Tmo offers a great unlimited data plan which is quite cheap if you were to go with them. You can also add their international data plan which is only $20 and (to get your email in china if youre going from the US), according to a few CSR's, includes data while some others have stated that it doesnt.

[Dubdub]

You will need to make sure the seller has closed their BIS account which releases the IMEI and PIN for you to use in setting up your email. This is one of the biggest problems that I have seen in buying a used phone. If the IMEI and PIN are in use already, all you have is a paperweight. Carriers can take care of the issue, but they seem to only do it as a last resort.

Another problem is you need to make sure all IT policies have been removed from the device (if any were there in the first place). Lots of threads here on how to do that.

[John Clark]

That is assuming he buys another Blackberry.

[loccom]

thanks to your replies.

i bought a new Curve in the end.

However I am so impressed with them I wanted to get my wife one. I see ebay sells quite a few but i guess its pointless buying one unless i have a contract for the data. Here in the UK we get the phone for free if we take up a good contract.

I did manage to swing a really good deal

£30 for the phone ($60) and £15 a month inc data ($30 a month) no free minutes though but thatsfine.. email is what i mainly want. 12 month contract.. walked out the store a very happy man ;)