Help Upgrading OS before or after activation?

[Blaurad]

I am brand new to the forums, brand new to Android, and this is my first smartphone. (I had a semi-smart phone before but that's just a quick route to frustration!)

My question is this: I ordered the phone and I should get it tomorrow. As you all know, it comes stock with Gingerbread and I want to update to ICS. Is is possible, or advisable, to upgrade before I activate next week when my contract ends?

Would I need a Sim card to do that?

I have WiFi at home. I've heard a few things about being able to use smartphones on a WiFi connection without a carrier. Is it okay to upgrade or will that mess up the phone for activation?

Also, considering rooting. Should I wait on that til activation or do it first or what? I'm really just worried about having a glitchy phone =(

 

[Atma]

Hi Blaurad, Welcome to the forums. :wavey:

Where did you buy your phone? I don't know, but ICS has been out so long maybe yours will come with it instead of Gingerbread?

Upgrading the OS or rooting won't affect your sim card, nor does it require the sim card. I bought my Galaxy S2 off Craigslist about 6 months ago. I ordered a sim activation kit from T-Mobile's website which took about 5 days to arrive. If I remember correctly, I rooted before the sim arrived. However, since you ordered a new phone, it might be better to wait until you activate. That way, if there is a problem, you know its not anything you did.

With a sim, you have the option for wifi calling on your phone with T-Mobile. Without the sim, I think you can use something like Google Voice, but I've never tried it.

 

[Blaurad]

Ugg.. depends. Walmart was out of stock when I was researching the lowest price so I didn't realize how cheap they had it and I ordered it brand new, never opened from Ebay (with a return policy!) with stock Gingerbread.

Come to find out today, Walmart has them back on their website for a good chunk less than I paid for it. I feel like a total noob and am trying to send the original Ebay phone back.. but of course when dealing with sellers and such, even with a return policy, I could get screwed over. So now.. not sure whether to order it from Walmart or not. It's a mess!

Anyway, thanks for the reply. I agree with you that I should wait until activation to make sure the phone isn't glitched out from something I did first.