this is not travel related but this forum has some of the most creative people i can think of so i ask this question to the community:

i have a t-mobile phone the bill is in my fathers name.

the contract is up

i want a new RAZR phone.

it is free for a "new sign up" 1 year contract

it is $100 for a "service renew" 2 year contract

i want to get the phone for free and keep my existing phone number

t-mobile says if i cancel my fathers account and start my own account the number might be lost.

i though of switching my dads account to pre pay and the porting the numbr to my account but tmobile says they will consider this a renew, not a new sign up

any thoughts?

Best thing to do is get a hold of someone in "retentions" at T-mobile. Call, and when the voice response lady asks what you want say "cancel my service". Then talk to retentions and see what they'll do for you. It all depends how much you spend each month. Free Razr's are not at all uncommon.

I really wouldn't risk porting and re-signing, that is a recipe for disaster.

I'd keep an eye out for some specials... CompUSA was offering the T-Mobile SDA for $50, after $50 T-Mobile rebate and some other instant rebates/discounts that allowed you to renew the phone. They may have also had the RAZR, not sure.

On a personal note, I was out of contract for my T-mo Blackberry and got the special at CompUSA. I wound up with the SDA for $50 after rebate, and kept my number, plus only had to do 1 year renewal.

You may want to go to www.fatwallet.com where I saw a few posts about deals on RAZR's... though I cannot say I actually read the details of it. Do a search on that site.

I also agreee w/ ScottC's recommendation on not messing with porting numbers and such. I know someone who told me there is a "trick" or "method" to switch back and forth between carriers to get the best deal and maintain your number, but he said it required willing participants from both carriers and may be at risk of losing the number regardless due to the computer system pulling the numbers back into service, beyond the control of the rep.

Good luck!

all the t-mobile renew offers i have seen require a 2 year contract
i have yet to see one for 1 year

You just think you want a RAZR. You don't. Well, you may, but after about two months with it, you won't. FAR better phones out there that'll hold together longer. Avoid.

care to share?

the razr is a piece of crap in a nice looking box. it was cool when it came out... back in Q2 of 2004, (yes it's that old) but now it's like arseholes... everybody's got one

not me! (yet)

I'll second that.

The RAZR is right up there with blue neon under your car.

I spoke w/ someone whoe does mobile sales... apparently T-Mobile started enforcing the 2 year contract a week or two ago. I was lucky to get in right before the cutover (Apr 1 or 3).

May I recommend the PEBL or SLVR as an update to the RAZR?

I toyed with them back at CES and though I am not a Moto user, it is pretty slick how the PEBL opens.

It is indeed slick.

For about 3 minutes. Or till the powerful magenet in the phone erases your CC or boarding pass.

These moto's all have one thing in common: no matter how cool they look, the insides are still crap. The Motorola UI is generally considered to be the worse in the market.

You have to go to a T-Mobile company store (or call the Retentions Department) to get a new phone with a 1-year renewal.