Originally Posted by
merlin
I don't understand this part. Why can't you just sign up for a contract, and then put the new SIM card that T-Mobile or ATT give you into your current, unlocked phone? I never used the phone that they gave my when signing up for my current rate plan.
Avoiding a 2-year contract means being able to switch without paying the early termination fee if the service becomes unsuitable for some reason (such as finding that you are spending a lot of time in an area where the reception is poor, or the plan is found out to be inappropriate for the usage pattern).