Bringing unlocked iPhone to US: which plan?

[wandrer2]

Hi folks,

Last September I bought an iPhone 4 in the Netherlands. My provider offered to unlock it for free after the exclusivity arrangement ended. This fall I will move to the US. I would be happy to bring my phone and keep using it. In the Netherlands, getting a contract without a phone often entitles you to a discount (a "sim-only" plan), because they don't have to subsidize a handset.

So far I haven't found a similar deal in the US. Would it simply be more profitable to buy a new US iPhone and sell the old one (or the new one, for that matter)?

Note: I am not a frequent caller. I have a very hard time blowing the 150 monthly minutes in my current plan. As for data, I think I hardly ever surpass 200MB/month, and never ever surpass 500MB/month.

 

[roflc0pter]

AT&T is your only option if you want 3G speeds

 

[Obscurelight]

If you are ok with contracts then buy a subsidized iPhone from AT&T and sell the new one for a profit. Get the 450 minutes + 250mb a month plan. You'll come out to about $60 a month.

 

[wandrer2]

Thanks! I'll probably go with the plan and sell the new one (so that I can keep using my unlocked phone in Europe when I'm home for holidays).

 

[unlimitedx]

If you are ok with contracts then buy a subsidized iPhone from AT&T and sell the new one for a profit. Get the 450 minutes + 250mb a month plan. You'll come out to about $60 a month.

The $15 data plan comes with 200mb rather than 250mb.

 

[pyro008]

If you are ok with contracts then buy a subsidized iPhone from AT&T and sell the new one for a profit. Get the 450 minutes + 250mb a month plan. You'll come out to about $60 a month.

It would be $55 before taxes/fees/etc. for 450 minutes, no texting, and 200mb data. It'll be another $10 for 1000 texts or $20 for unlimited.