4S to 5S gameplan questions...

[stevemiller]

I got my 4S at launch on an godawful canadian 3 year fido contract (actually 3.5 thanks to contract stacking and a dying iphone 3g.)

I'm actually quite happy with my 4S, but my mom has recently expressed interest in having a smartphone, so i started to hatch a generous (or greedy, depending on your perspective) plan to give her my phone and give myself an excuse to get a 5S, unsubsidized, so as to break these contract shackles.

I was wondering if anyone knows whether the following sounds like a feasible idea:

-My current phone plan is actually a pretty good value for my own needs, but would be overkill for my mom (6gb data, etc). Can I finish off my current contract on a new, unsubsidized device that I get myself, without too much headache, or is it "stuck" to the 4S?

-Assuming I can transfer my contract / phone number to the 5S, what restrictions remain on the 4S? At very least could I get my mom set up on a no-term plan with the same carrier (Fido) it's currently locked to? Is unlocking technically an option if she wanted to go with a different carrier? And as I recall, the 4S doesn't have separate cdma/gsm variants, so would it be able to say, be used on the bell network if it is unlocked?

Thanks so much for any seasoned iPhone pro's out there who can advise!

 

[guyjol]

There are no problems with you buying an unsubsidized Iphone and using it with Fido. I am with Rogers so I am talking by experience. When you'll go buy your Iphone from Apple ask them to give you a fido sim card. Then all you have to do is call Fido's customer service to activate the sim card. There's no fees nothing.

Edit: Regarding giving your 4s to your mom. As long as she stays with Fido it won't be a problem. However if you want to unlock it you'll have to pay big. You can take any of their plans without contract. My girlfriend bought an unsubsidized Iphone from Apple and is now at Fido with a no-term plan.

 

[AppleDApp]

You can finish your contract with a new phone provided you purchase it at full price.

Get a SIM card for your mom and you're off.

As far as I know unlocking is only possible once you've completed your contract or paid the ETF.

In Canada all iPhones work on all major carriers provided they are unlocked.

 

[krazykleo]

Well I'll be going from 3GS to the 5C or 5S if I actually do, but I'm trying really hard to avoid a contract, too.

So one can buy an unlocked iPhone and use it with any carrier they please? And is it better to buy from Apple or one of the carriers??

Sorry for threadjack lol :$

 

[guyjol]

Well I'll be going from 3GS to the 5C or 5S if I actually do, but I'm trying really hard to avoid a contract, too.

So one can buy an unlocked iPhone and use it with any carrier they please? And is it better to buy from Apple or one of the carriers??

Sorry for threadjack lol :$

Well if you want off contract you're better buying it from Apple because carriers only sell them locked. However in Canada a new law passed a few weeks ago that forbids carriers to sell contracts for more than 2 years so it's not that bad anymore to go on contract.

 

[marcferdinand]

Well I'll be going from 3GS to the 5C or 5S if I actually do, but I'm trying really hard to avoid a contract, too.

So one can buy an unlocked iPhone and use it with any carrier they please? And is it better to buy from Apple or one of the carriers??

Sorry for threadjack lol :$

Yep i've been on unlocked phones since the iphone 2g in Canada. And have been through all of the iphones. Any unlocked iphones would work with any provider, do not get the phones full price from a carrier. They ll sell it to you full price as the apple store but theirs will be locked.

only way to get an unlocked iphone is from apple. either in store or online

 

[stevemiller]

cool, thanks folks!

so just to be clear, does activating a fido sim card on a new phone imply a new number / phone plan, or will I be able to transfer all that from the 4S?

and not that i'm doubting the information provided (in fact i sort of expect draconian rules from the telecoms), but since my intent would be to "finish off" my contract with fido using the 5S, it seems evil that unlocking the 4S still would incur some sort of ECF. i guess thats just all the more reason to move to buy unsubsidized from apple and get out of the telecom's racket.

 

[marcferdinand]

At fido or Apple (its actually free at apple) they can transfer your current plan from your iphone 4s onto a sim card for your new iphone 5s. Just pop it in your iphone and youre good to go.

I know you'll definetly have to pay some fee, i think its around 50$ then theyll unlock the 4s and you can do whatever you want with it.

 

[guyjol]

At fido or Apple (its actually free at apple) they can transfer your current plan from your iphone 4s onto a sim card for your new iphone 5s. Just pop it in your iphone and youre good to go.

I know you'll definetly have to pay some fee, i think its around 50$ then theyll unlock the 4s and you can do whatever you want with it.

It's free at Fido too. You just tell them you want to activate a sim card under your current contract.

 

[stevemiller]

Awesome! thanks so much for all the information!