I've been on a cell phone plan with a friend for a while. Yeah, ****ing huge mistake is an understatement. For the last few months she hasn't been paying her half of the bill. It was cool with me for a while because I have alot of disposable income lately, so I've been using that extra money to front it.

Now this plan is in HER name and not mine, so at this point I really don't even see why I've been being this nice. Probably only because I've been friends with her and her twin sister since I was in kindergarten. (That 14 years)

This month is a little different. This amazes even me.

She has managed to use over 4000 minutes last month. Netting her phone a grand service charge of about $700. Yeah, **** that noise. I need to get on my own plan. Regardless if I can keep my current number or not. She can just deal with that **** on her own.



So I get these KICKASS deals through cingular from being a UPS employee, so I thought I'd rock on over to the website and do a little browsing.

The first few deals on the page are for these smartphones. Which I am strongly considering as a synonym for "totally freaking sweet." The cheapest in question is the Samsung Blackjack. Which I'll only pay $175 for, it also comes with a plan perk for unlimited PDA data transfer (What the hell does that mean?). So as I took it this would be totally RAD. I could use it to surf the internet, do myspace mobile, and sign up for that little GPS service and my plan would still cost less than the plan I am on now for a regular phone. Atleast thats the way I'm taking the unlimited part. I bet it works for a PDA phone and not a regular phone. Which is cool.

Now I see it's only $75 on Amazon.com after signing up with Cingular, but the plan doesn't seem to be as awesome as the UPS one. (Mostly because I get a 20% discount on top of everything) But the way I see it, the phone is mostly free because there is an actual rebate on my service plan.


Thing is, I don't know alot about PDA phones, smartphones, whatever the **** you want to call them. So I obviously wouldn't know a good deal if it bit me on the ***, so I require your input. (There was a thread some months ago about smart phones if I recall, in which a huge microsoft vs. linux argument was spawned. So I know someone here knows their ****)

What I REALLY want to know is if the SIM card for this is the same as a regular phone. IE, can I take the SIM card in my phone now and stick it in this / vice versa. The reason I ask is so that I can take a normal phone to places where having a larger expensive phone isn't as smart. (Concerts, good parties, clubs, work)

Anyone know or have advice? I plan on going to a store to see if I can do the same thing there and make sure I KNOW what I'm getting. (And to see if I can talk them into a better deal because I kick *** like that)

If your other phone (ie the crapper one you want to take to clubs etc) is unlocked (ie not tied to a particular provider) your new pda SIM card should go right in no problem. That's how it would work in Europe and I don't see why it should be any different on your side of the Atlantic.

Yeah, it's unlocked.

Man, this is really tempting. I know what I'm using my income tax money on atleast.

Then you're laughing - go for it says I

I still want one of the phone-nerds to tell me if this phone is as much leet-beans as I think it is.

Well then SUMMON THE GEEKS.

I'm hanging on for an iPhone (out Christmas time here). That will be the shibbiest thing in Shib-Town. I don't even care that it's gonna cost me £300. Now that's sad: I've never even cared about any phone ever before - but now I would sell babies for one of those.

Mmmm....Babies...

I guess I'd be the most qualified to explain this, seeing as I work for Cingular. As a matter of fact, I sold a Blackjack yesterday.

As for pricing, here's how it breaks down.

The unlimited data plan is for data only, which will allow you to send and receive as much e-mail as you want, and browse the web as much as you want. That plan is $39.99 if you also have a voice plan, meaning minutes. The cheapest voice plan is also $39.99 for 450 minutes, unlimited Cingular mobile to mobile, and 5000 night and weekend minutes (which equates to about 83 hours). In addition, if you want a messaging (text,picture,video,IM) package, you can get 200 for $4.99, 1000 for $9.99, or 3000 for $19.99.

Other than that, I would strongly recommend getting the phone through a corporate owned store in your area, or on the Cingular website. From what I've been told, discount sites like Amazon have their own cancellation fees, activation fees, and what not. You can still add your corporate discount on to your account at a later date and still get the monthly service discount, but you'll have a lot less hassle just going through official Cingular channels.

As far as keeping your phone number, the only way to do that would be what's called a "transfer of service" also know as a "transfer of responsibility." If I were you, I would just ditch it let her take care of it. If that phone line is still under contract then it would affect you if you really want a new phone.

Can I still go to the store and get the crazy deal on the blackjack?

I hear the blackjack is pretty badass. It's also not overly-large like a lot of other smart phones. (read: I'm looking at you, apple.)

As long as it's a corporate owned store I believe. I'm not sure if franchise stores do the business discounts. Make sure you take your work badge with you.

Do you know if I can get the rate discount on text messaging?

On the online offer I get it takes 20% off of the minutes plan and the data plan. I think I might also just print out the page so I can take it and show it to them. I WANT this specific deal because it kicks so much ***.

Also, if I move, how easy is it to change to a local number?

And this phone uses a regular SIM card? So when I go to the bar I can stick it's SIM card in my Sony Ericsson w600i?