[sloppyjoe778]

I got this blackberry curve 8330 phone on ebay, and i want to know what I have to do in order to use it. It uses verizon wireless but I can't call anyone and the phone number is one from a different state.

So my questions are, how can I get some prepaid minutes in a cheap way. I only probably need 20-30 minutes atm. What are some cheap places? This is my first cell phone so I'm new to all this. And will the number show up as a public number because I would prefer that as some people redirect private calls to voice mail which isn't what I want.

Also if i wanted to change the phone number, how would i do that? If it means paying a lot more or something than i'd rather not.

This site looks good, the saturn card: eecalling . c o m

[SwitchBeach]

Are you using the phone on Verizon? If so, why isn't the phone number on it from your state?

And in what country/state are the people you wish to call?

Those phone cards that you linked are designed to allow inexpensive international calls while allowing you to call a local or toll-free number. But those calls will still use minutes on your cell phone in addition to the minutes on the card.

[sloppyjoe778]

Well I got it off ebay. So the phone number is that of the original seller. He lives in new jersey and I live in new york. When I try to use the phone it says "we are unable to authenticate your phone. Dial *8899". And than gives me the option to collect call, or buy a prepaid card or talk to someone about redirecting calls.

I guess the site i linked too wasn't that good ;( Damn. Is there any site that will work for this? I'm going to call up verizon and try to figure this out. So confusing, I just want to call people without getting their answering machine (because google call phone shows up as a private number i guess).

So which prepaid cards will work? And am I supposed to change the number or does it matter?

[SwitchBeach]

It doesn't matter where the original seller lives. What matters is the carrier on which are are trying to use it.

It's a Verizon branded CDMA device. You can only use it on Verizon.

Have you activated it on a Verizon account? Once you do that, the number on the device will be the number assigned to your account.

And those prepaid cards are not what you are looking for unless you are trying to call internationally. And even if that's what you are trying to do, it's unlikely that your phone number will be what shows up on the other person's caller ID. It most likely will be the access number that comes up.

[sloppyjoe778]

Yeah, so I can use the prepaid card though? Even though phone isn't activated or authenticated or w/e. Hmmm it doesn't matter what number shows up, just as long as it isn't a private call that gets redirected to voice mail. Prepaid cards show some number at least right?

Like I was trying to call someone using the Google Call Phone service, but I get the answering machine all the time. And they said private calls go to voice mail.

So my questions are:

1. Prepaid cards display a number on the other person's phone when you call (so it's not private)?
2. Any particular services or prepaid cards you recommend?
3. I can use any type of prepaid card right? Not just what verizon sells, because verizon's is more expensive than what I want to spend.

[BergerKing]

If you're looking at just a regular prepaid calling card, best 'solid' deal I used when I had card was thru Sam's Club. Real cheap and rechargeable online.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[sloppyjoe778]

Yeah like I don't want to spend more than $15.. And I don't know where to look.. Looks like a lot of prepaid cards are for people with an existing phone number who want to save on international call costs??? :\ And the regular type cards, are expensive. This one store I think sells one for $30 for veirzon, like wtf

So can you get a "regular prepaid card" online or no? How do you find them? Don't want the international type ones. This is driving me nuts. I just want to use it when im calling people who block private calls from Google Call Phone.

Seen one prepaid refill card and it says "Reusable pay as you go wireless for existing customers with active prepaid service.". *sigh

So I was thinking, verizon has prepaid plans. So I tried to register an account so I can do that. But the current number is already registered. What can I do? I'm going to try to call verizon wireless and see if I can at least switch the number. What do I do after that though? Switch number and than register an account with number on the site and than buy prepaid plan and buy minutes?? Please help, this has been way more complicated than I anticipated.

[sloppyjoe778]

So I called verizon.. Asked them about switching phone number. They asked for MEID hex number. Mine was 17 characters and supposed to be 14-16. I just carefully counted like 10x. Even going as tedious as possible with a pen. It's definitely 17. Ahhhhhhh. it's A + 6 zero's + 6 letters + 4 numbers which is 17 ;[.

Apparently I have to go to a store to get it activated but the only 2 stores near my zip code are 1hr long bus rides to get to. It doesn't make sense though, I even googled it. Don't see anyone else having a 17 character MEID number. Did I do something wrong or what?

I just looked in the option -> status menu and it doesn't show the last 3 numbers that show on the MEID when you remove the battery. Wonder if thats the right one

[SwitchBeach]

You are, unfortunately, very confused about how the device is going to work.

Those "prepaid calling cards" that you are looking at are for someone to use who already has a phone number (typically a landline) and wants to make international calls at a lower per minute price.

If a person wanted to use those cards with a cell phone, that person would still need to have an active cell phone plan (either prepaid or contract) with a cell phone service provider in addition to using the calling card.

And using the calling card would use the minutes on the cell phone in addition to using the calling card minutes.

But your initial problem before you even get to that is that the cell phone you have is not active on an account that you control. That's the very, very first step that you will have to take care of. And if the device is still registered to another account, you are completely out of luck unless you can get that account owner to release the device from their account.

Be aware that Verizon requires a data plan for any BlackBerry activated on their network. If you want to use the device on prepaid, then you need to look at their prepaid options. The lowest plan is $65 per month.

Prepaid Phones & Prepaid Plans | Verizon Wireless

As to the MEID issue, does the Options > Status screen show an ESN number? If so, that's what you need to use.

Your larger problem seems to be very obscure. You have been trying to call people using Google Voice, but those people are not answering you because (for whatever reason) those calls are going directly to voicemail. I've never heard of that issue. But (assuming these people who you are calling actually want to talk to your) perhaps a more simple solution is for you to get one of the prepaid cards you were looking at and using it from a payphone (although they are difficult to find anymore) or from a friend or family member's landline phone. And skip the whole cell phone avenue.

If that's not what you are trying to do, can you give more details.

[sloppyjoe778]

Well I talked to someone from verizon and she said the blackberry isn't a prepaid phone. So I guess that's my main problem.. So now gotta get one of those prepaid phones I guess. Also it's not just for calling people who redirect calls to voice mail, it's also to have in case of an emergency.

[SwitchBeach]

You might want to look at a true prepaid phone solution such as a Tracfone or StraightTalk.

[blackberry-unlocking710]

If you have a Verizon phone number, you can edit the phone number on the CDMA settings screen - Dial ##000000 to do that.

[Viskhan Vakhabov]

If you are looking for phone cards to make international calling cards you might want to buy phone cards from BixDial.com
you can just choose the countries you want to call from and you will be done. I think phone cards is the best way to save money when calling other countries. Roaming is usually way too expensive, let say I want to call from USA to Europe from my cellphone directly it would cost me more than $2, but when you use international phone cards it would cost you 1 or 2 cents.

[mudithsilva]

yeah as you mentioned, the best way is to use international calling cards.According to my experience as a foreign student i recommend AlloMama website where you can find wide variety of selection of phone cards.The calling rates also reasonable.