How to buy a smartphone?

hy23

Hey guys, I don't know much about the new smartphones and all the data plans, for years I've just used a shabby prepaid phone, but now I'm kind of interested in the Blackberry Bold. I know that if I get it in stores, it will be around 50 dollars with a 3 year 60 dollar/month data plan contract, with caller ID and voice messaging etc it will probably amount to 75 dollars/month. So I want to buy a used one off craigslist and just sign up for a 35 dollar/month plan (without data) which will save me a lot of money and I can cancel anytime. The problem is I've never bought anything online so I'm worried about getting scammed.

Just wondering, what steps I should take to getting that new phone and what to check for when I meet up with the seller.

And also, what does it mean if a seller lists the phone as unactivated, does that mean you have to sign up with some carrier for a contract to activate it?

AtomicJoe

I suggest a degree in smart-phone price plans followed by a similar Phd.
Obviously you will only be scratching the surface of such a complex subject but it's a good starter.

Evo

Are you in the US? If you are, there are restrictions on which models work on which carriers. Also, Blackberry has it's own proprietary data service. If you try to activate it without data, it's just a phone and won't have any of the features that you would buy a Blackberry for.

Geezer

#1. I'm cheap.
#2. I'm in the US.

I have an iPhone on a pre-paid plan through AT&T (no contract). When I'm at home or school, I turn off the cell data transfer--easy to do on the iPhone--and just use WiFi to check email, surf the web, or whatever I want to do on it. When I'm away from a trusted WiFi network, then I turn on the 3G/cell data transfer and use AT&T's network to check email, surf the web, or what have you. The prepaid plan I have lets you buy a chunk of data, either as a fixed, monthly amount or as a prepaid chunk.

As far as phone calls are concerned, I have that $2/day talk+text plan, but I don't use it all that much. I usually only make phone calls a couple days each week (and when I do make a call, I then make all the calls I need to make that same day so as to maximize that $2). So, if I'm studying or otherwise disinclined to waste time chatting on the phone, I turn on Airplane Mode (also easy to do on the iPhone) so I don't make or receive any phone calls or texts. Each day I'm in Airplane Mode saves me $2/day.

Officially, you can't use AT&T's prepaid plan on an iPhone, but a two-minute search of Google will tell you exactly how to get around this tiny inconvenience.

hy23

Evo, I live in Canada. I'm thinking that without the data, I can still use the wifi, I'm not sure whether i can still use the BBM though.

And atomicjoe, I see you already have a PhD in wearing the troll hat