Thinking of leaving Verizon, can I take my Bionic with me?

[sierrapup]

So Verizon is once again raising our rates and kicking us out of our grandfathered plan. My question is, can I take my Bionic to another carrier like Sprint or T-Mobile (no way AT&T)....do I have to have it unlocked or just a new sim?

Thanks

 

[FoxKat]

The Verizon Bionic is a CDMA based phone, and so will work on CDMA based systems. I am not sure if either Sprint or T-Mobile are CDMA but I don't think so. I believe Sprint is PCS, and T-Mobile may be TDMA. In either case, if so they wouldn't be compatible.

 

[Snoking]

Who says they are taking away your grandfather data plan?

 

[aaf709]

According to FCC clears Sprint to run CDMA, 4G LTE on 800MHz iDEN airwaves -- Engadget Sprint is now cleared for CMDA, but it still may not work. Even if it does, any Verizon specific apps will probably not work.

As for the sim card, it's for Verizon's 4G network so it would have to be changed. I don't know if Sprint has one.

 

[Sanitarium09]

Possibly MetroPCS as they use both CDMA and 4G LTE.

 

[tjk629]

Sprint will not activate the Bionic. They do not allow other carrier (unless they are MVNO on Sprint) phones to be active on their networks. You can attempt to see if they will add the Bionic to their database, but don't get your hopes up. Unlike GSM the CDMA networks have a database of MEID/ESN numbers that they can activate. Some of the smaller CDMA carriers have no problem adding those numbers to their database, but Verizon and Sprint are very difficult to work with. Last I heard in order for Verizon to add it they have to do "testing" to the phone to ensure network compatibility. Sprint on the other hand is just difficult to work with.

Technically, you can add the Bionic to T-Mobile. Since they're GSM they're not going to care. You'll need to do some seem editing to the Bionic to enable its GSM capabilities. I'm not sure though what frequencies will work though. In the past AT&T 3G bands are normally supported while on Tmobile you'll only get EDGE.

Bionic on tmobile - xda-developers

 

[bbtkd]

You won't be able to activate it on another carrier, and if you have not fulfilled your 2 year obligation you will pay $$ to be free of it. Sprint is known for their very poor service, and the other providers do not have as good coverage as VZW overall. They all are going away from unlimited data plans. and all will do so at first opportunity by not renewing your unlimited plan.

 

[Tegamal]

I'm not a lawyer, but if you signed a contract, they can't take away your unlimited, unless you upgrade or alter your plan in any way. Otherwise, they would be in breach of contract themselves & you could walk without paying the early termination fee.

 

[TatDroid]

I'm not a lawyer, but if you signed a contract, they can't take away your unlimited, unless you upgrade or alter your plan in any way. Otherwise, they would be in breach of contract themselves & you could walk without paying the early termination fee.

Unless of course you're on a family plan with unlimited data. In which case, if you upgrade 1 phone on your plan (and buy a subsidised phone) Verizon will void the contracts on ALL LINES on the plan and force you to switch to a "share plan" with fixed data rates.

 

[nikecar]

So Verizon is once again raising our rates and kicking us out of our grandfathered plan. My question is, can I take my Bionic to another carrier like Sprint or T-Mobile (no way AT&T)....do I have to have it unlocked or just a new sim?

Thanks

Buy a phone from ebay or Craig list or swappa or pay full price. Then you keep your plan

 

[tennvol]

Pageplus works

 

[dave52355]

According to this thread: Bionic on tmobile - xda-developers Our Bionics are way more than just a Verizon forgotten deviced. Apparently it can be used on several systems. I have not tested this myself, but have been thinking about it seriously and using my Bionic with the StraightTalk $45 dollar plan.

Good luck!

 

[electricman58]

There are threads on here about flashing the Bionic over to CRICKET! Haven't tried it myself though! If you can go that route, its 3g only for now, and you only get 2 gigs before you get throttled down! Which at that point data is pretty much useless! You Don't even have the option to pay more to add gigs! Its 2 gigs only and your through! Then your stuck on 1x until your month is up
With VZW you still have the option to at least pay extra for more data at full speed!!!
They haven't cut unlimited yet, so I would wait before you make any rash decisions!

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Droid Forums

 

[zirkdog]

Unless of course you're on a family plan with unlimited data. In which case, if you upgrade 1 phone on your plan (and buy a subsidised phone) Verizon will void the contracts on ALL LINES on the plan and force you to switch to a "share plan" with fixed data rates.

How important is unlimited to you? If you want it bad enough, pay the unsubsidized price. Verizon will get their money from you one way or another, it's just a matter of what terms you agree to. Renew your unlimited and start streaming netflix all day, every day whether you watch it or not. Use up 100+ gigs and stick it to the man.

My current plan is around $125 for two smartphones. Only I have unlimited data, the wife has a 2gb plan for her Iphone. The new "share" plan will push our rate through the roof with only 5-6 gigs. If I stay on our current plan, save $25 a month, and put that toward an unsubsidized phone, it evens out more or less and I do it on my terms with my plan the way i like it. Run your numbers and see what the real cost over two years is.

 

[Alchemist945]

Unless u upgrade or change ur plan u will keep ur unlimited data its when u do those things that u r signing a new contract then it will change me and my wife r lucky we just got our new phones and still have almost 2 years with our unlimited plan

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