Hi Craig, Everybody has different needs and obviously for a lot of people spending an extra $450 to $650 for an unlocked phone that is not subsidized and on contract is not an option even if over the 2-year period of the contract they may very well spend as much or more of what they save by buying a subsidized phone. The problem especially in the US and Canada is that the major carriers do not necessarily reward you for bringing your own phone to the table by offering you a big enough discount on your plan. 2 years ago I switched to Koodo Mobile, an MVNO which is actually owned by Telus which is one of the 3 large carriers in Canada. Last Christmas they had a promotion where for $56 + taxes I would get unlimited calling and texting in Canada, 2 Gb of data and call display and voice mail. At that point 10% of that, approx $5.60, went to the so-called "tab" each month which is a credit balance which you can accumulate and then use a year or 2 later to apply towards the purchase of a new phone. Now they give people the option to accumulate that money or to have it taken off their monthly bill, so now instead of $56 I am only paying $50.40 + taxes. If I wanted unlimited calling and texting + 2 Gb of data from Telus it would cost me $85 + taxes, that is $35 more each month. It is very easy to figure out that this means over the duration of a 24 months contract, I would pay $840 more than if I stuck with my Koodo plan. An unlocked iPhone 5S 64 Gb here in Canada is $919 and if I bought it as a subsidized phone from Telus I would get it for $439, I'd save $480 on the phone, but I would pay $840 more over the 2-year period of my contract, so after I subtract the $480 I save I still spend $360 more when everything is said and done. Over 24 months that is $15 a month, and for me that is not a difficult choice, I'd rather buy my phone, this way it's unlocked from day 1 so when, for example, I am going to the Philippines in February, I just buy a SIM there which will cost me about a Dollar and then I load it up with some prepaid data and minutes. I am also not in a contract and should Koodo or somebody else offer a better promotion maybe this Christmas, I can just switch and maybe get an even better deal although $50 for what I get I consider quite acceptable.
Regards, Sieghard -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Craig Werner Sent: Friday, October 11, 2013 1:24 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: using the IPhone as a local phone in the UK Hello, Sieghard. You make a most compelling case for an unlocked iPhone. I'll check into this possibility the next time I travel. However, my iPhone 5 is under warranty, and I don't know if an unlock will be possible without voiding the agreement. I am finding the burgeoning discussion of UK providers and their rates to be very helpful. It's not the kind of thread usually found on this list, and I hope it will be allowed to continue. Craig On 10/11/13, Sieghard Weitzel <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Craig, > This is definitely a solution for phone calls, but if you were able > to get your phone unlocked, then instead of having to use a second > phone all you would need is a SIM from an irish provider and your > iPhone would allow you to make cheap local calls, be called, send and > receive text and you could also buy some prepaid data. I did this in > Thailand since I have an unlocked iPhone 4S and for the just over 2 > weeks I was there I paid $25 for a prepaid SIM which included the > price of the SIM ($2 or $3), 1 Gig of data, text messages and a bunch > of minutes. I walked up a provider's counter at the airport and was > out of there 5 minutes later and the lady even swapped the SIM for me. > Almost everywhere I went I had good 3G coverage and only in some > places away from the cities and out on the ocean during a boat trip I > had Edge. > > > Regards, > Sieghard > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Craig Werner > Sent: Friday, October 11, 2013 5:24 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: using the IPhone as a local phone in the UK > > Ray and all, I travel rather often to the Republic of Ireland and > Northern Ireland, and I go the route of buying a cell phone in Ireland > that works on the "pay as you go" plan. True, I lose iPhone > accessibility, but I can still use the phone whenever there is a > wireless network for downloading files and listening to radio > stations, etc. When I get home, I turn off the Ireland phone until my > next trip. Calls are very inexpensive, and I don't have to worry > about charges from my U.S. carrier. > > Craig > > On 10/11/13, Edward Green <[email protected]> wrote: >> Hi Ray, >> >> If you intend to use your phone with a UK SIM, then you may not need >> to > turn >> data roaming off as data is really cheap with some carriers here and >> often significant amounts of it come bundled with pay as you talk >> SIMs and their top-ups. >> >> Up to you though obviously. >> >> Cheers, >> >> Ed >> On 11 Oct 2013, at 11:14, Cait and Maggie <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> There might be a charge for unlocking from your carrier, though, >>> even if your contract is up. rogers tried to charge us fifty bucks for this. >>> >>> Just wanted people to be aware, just in case. >>> Cait >>> >>> On 2013-10-11, at 5:07 AM, Sieghard Weitzel <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Hi Ray, >>>> >>>> With the iPhone you have to ask your carrier to unlock it for you. >>>> If you are with AT&T you can call them and ask, but I am not sure >>>> if they do it while you are under contract. If you are past your 2 >>>> years I believe they are obligated to unlock the phone for you. >>>> From what I heard they send instructions after they do whatever it >>>> is they have to do on their end. >>>> You >>>> then have to hook your phone up to iTunes and do a restore and once >>>> this is done you should get a message that your phone is now >>>> unlocked. >>>> >>>> When are you going to England and for how long? You can reply >>>> direct, [email protected]. >>>> >>>> >>>> Regards, >>>> Sieghard >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On >>>> Behalf Of Ray T. Mahorney >>>> Sent: Friday, October 11, 2013 1:22 AM >>>> To: [email protected] >>>> Subject: using the IPhone as a local phone in the UK >>>> >>>> Guessing that in order to do that I am going to have to get an >>>> unlock code with other phones I have had that unlock was based on >>>> the IMEI code. >>>> Does >>>> the same hold with the IPhone? >>>> >>>> >>>> Ray T. Mahorney >>>> WA4WGA >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" >>>> Google >>>> Group. >>>> >>>> Post a new message to VIPhone by emailing [email protected]. >>>> >>>> Search and view the VIPhone archives by visiting >>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. >>>> >>>> Reach the VIPhone owner and moderators by emailing >>>> [email protected]. >>>> >>>> Unsubscribe and leave VIPhone by emailing >>>> [email protected]. >>>> >>>> More VIPhone group options can be found by visiting >>>> http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. >>>> --- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "VIPhone" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>>> send an email to [email protected]. >>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. >>>> >>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" >>>> Google Group. 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