If you have an outstanding bill, will you still be able to get wireless with another provider?

Don't pay it, dude, they're ruling those early termination fees illegal. If you have a valid reason why you're leaving, talk to them about it, you have a good chance of being let out for free. If you don't have a good excuse and you just plain want to leave, you'll have a harder time convincing them, but definitely mention that you know that the legality of the ETFs are being evaluated in various states.

Personally, I threatened to sue T-Mobile and it worked like a charm, but I had problems with them from the very beginning, and I still have an outstanding bill that they turned over for collection that I just plain don't even have the money to pay.

Anyway, when I signed up for them (huge mistake, by the way), there was no background or credit check that I was aware of, and there was no deposit. At any rate, you're better off with a pre-paid plan to begin with, and there's definitely no credit or background check of any kind.

If you are going to a whole new service provider they cant deny you service forthat outstanding account. The security deposit for another company is not based on that bill but your over all credit history and score. Therefore if you start the new service before that bill goes to collection it still wont be a factor. Now if you ever try to go back to the first company you will have to pay that account off first.