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General discussion

Want to switch Sanyo 8100 (Sprint) to prepaid card.

Oct 8, 2004 10:46AM PDT

Sprint refuses to sell me the card. They say my only option is $35 per month contract. Is there a way to switch this phone to a prepaid, charge by the minute, phone? I don't need the camera function, only the phone.

Discussion is locked

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Re: Want to switch Sanyo 8100 (Sprint) to prepaid card.
Oct 9, 2004 2:37AM PDT

If you're looking to go with Sprint, you're out of luck when it comes to prepaid. Sprint stopped selling prepaid service 1-3 years ago saying it was more expensive than contract service. The closest you'll get to Sprint's service is Virgin Mobile. I have no idea if that phone will work with prepaid or not. Otherwise you're out of luck and have to go with a contract if you want Sprint service.

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I want to use the phone. I don't care who the provider is.
Oct 9, 2004 10:30AM PDT

Obviously, it's not going to be Sprint.

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Re: I want to use the phone. I don't care who the provider i
Oct 14, 2004 11:03AM PDT

I have used Verizon's prepaid service for 4yrs. now and have been very happy with it. The minutes carry over from month to month and every time you reup with a $50 card they give you free minutes on the weekends so I call longdistance to all my family on the weekends. I have called all over traveling from state to state with no problems and even use it up in Canada. I have no idea if you can use your exhisting phone with it though. They have two types of phones they sell for the prepaid. The Verizon VX3200 small flip phone or the Kyocera KX414 which is a little bigger. I had an older one so I just upgraded to the flip phone and I love it. You can check it out at www.verizonwireless.com.

I have two friends that have the prepaid tracphone they sell at Walmart and such. They like it and said it was cheaper than buying a verizon phone but my phone was $120 and I get a $75 card back by mail or $50 cash back. I took the card and thought that was a good deal.

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RE:I want to use the phone. I don't care who the provider is
Mar 6, 2005 5:02AM PST
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Re: Want to switch Sanyo 8100 (Sprint) to prepaid card.
Oct 15, 2004 12:25AM PDT

A charge by the minute phone will probably cost you more than the 35 per month. The minuts eat up real fast, youll be sorry, it pays to get the plan.
Sprint now has that flex plan look into that..
good luck

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Re: Want to switch Sanyo 8100 (Sprint) to prepaid card.
Oct 15, 2004 6:41AM PDT

I used my prepaid in Florida every night for 10 days to call home to NY, talked about 1/2 hr. each time and it hardly used any minutes. When I go up to Canada and call home it deducts minutes just like a regular call around my home and I thought it would use more up there but I guess not. I use my phone a lot and I never eat up all my minutes in the two months. I think the fact that they give me the free minutes on the weekends and I make my long distance calls then is probably why but still during the week I call all over and I don't see big chunks out of the minutes. That's just my experience for the last 4yrs. with Verizon, I can't say about other prepaid services. In the beginning hubby did not have me sold on this because I really thought it was going to cost more but I spend $15 a month on minutes and really don't use them up so for me that's cheaper than a regular plan.

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Re: Want to switch Sanyo 8100 (Sprint) to prepaid card.
Oct 17, 2004 3:06PM PDT

get a job and get a real plan and a real phone, prepaid are for kids if u spoil them with phone so they wont get u a high bill. use a payphone or telecom. cant believe there is still is prepaid phone.

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Re: Want to switch Sanyo 8100 (Sprint) to prepaid card.
Oct 18, 2004 11:37AM PDT

Prepaid are for those who don't use their phones a lot, and for those who have credit that's that bad that the only option is pre-paid. Don't bash the replier2 posts above me for going with pre-paid service. It may simply be choice. AT&T offers an alternative to prepaid, which is Go Phone service, but Cingular might discontinue that service once AT&T merges with Cingular. That service doesn't require a credit check like a contract requires. In case you're wondering about me, I have a contract with Verizon Wireless and like the service. I have a friend who has pre-paid service with T-Mobile only because his credit is bad that he needs a deposit in order to get service, and he doesn't have the money for the deposit. I don't know what it is with T-Mobile, but Verizon Wireless requires a deposit of $400 per phone in order to get service on contract. Of course, that's if the risk isn't that high that any carrier will simply deny a person service on contract.

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Re: Want to switch Sanyo 8100 (Sprint) to prepaid card.
Oct 18, 2004 2:29PM PDT

Grow up yourself, only immature children bash people that way. We are adults and we have excellent credit, always have always will because we know how to manage our money and not get into debt so there is no question we could get a regular phone plan and get a bill every month but this has worked for us the last 4yrs. I spend $15 a month, have a nice cell phone and no contract hassle, roaming charges and all that stuff, I see nothing wrong with that.