Cell phone dying ... looking at an iPhone 4

[helptheold]

I apologize in advance, I know this question has been asked many times but there are so many conflicting answers, I thought it would be better to ask my specific questions and get specific answers.

My pre-paid cell phone is slowly dying and my 1st gen iTouch is also starting to act iffy which is making me consider an iPhone. However, I really don't use my cell phone much (only bought about $100 worth of minutes last year) and usually surf the web at places that offer free wi-fi (or at home) so buying an iPhone with the AT&T plan would be a huge waste of money. But being able to combine the cell phone w/ an iPod is a big deal as it's one less thing to carry around in my pocket; therefore paying for an unlocked iPhone would actually end up costing me less money in the long run.

I see that there are places online that sell unlocked iPhones that seem reputable (colorwarepc.com & puremobile.com, not sure if I trust ebay sellers) and there is a company that allows you to buy minutes for an unlocked GSM phone (I'm currently on T-Mobile and I see mysimplemobile.com also offers service).

My question is has anyone done this and does this actually work? And if it does, what are the steps people have followed to make it happen?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Neverbepeace]

I apologize in advance, I know this question has been asked many times but there are so many conflicting answers, I thought it would be better to ask my specific questions and get specific answers.

My pre-paid cell phone is slowly dying and my 1st gen iTouch is also starting to act iffy which is making me consider an iPhone. However, I really don't use my cell phone much (only bought about $100 worth of minutes last year) and usually surf the web at places that offer free wi-fi (or at home) so buying an iPhone with the AT&T plan would be a huge waste of money. But being able to combine the cell phone w/ an iPod is a big deal as it's one less thing to carry around in my pocket; therefore paying for an unlocked iPhone would actually end up costing me less money in the long run.

I see that there are places online that sell unlocked iPhones that seem reputable (colorwarepc.com & puremobile.com, not sure if I trust ebay sellers) and there is a company that allows you to buy minutes for an unlocked GSM phone (I'm currently on T-Mobile and I see mysimplemobile.com also offers service).

My question is has anyone done this and does this actually work? And if it does, what are the steps people have followed to make it happen?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hey,

I was in the same boat not to long ago. I didn't' really talk on the phone as much....but I needed data for my line of work. What I can suggest to you is buying an iPad 3G Micro sim (if you plan on getting the iPhone 4) and activate it. What that will do is give you 2GB of data only for $25 monthly. I use google voice and text as my line. Basically, I pay $25 for 2gigs of data....unlimited talk and text. If your interested in the set up I have, PM and I will explain it further.

 

[sam10685]

Hey,

I was in the same boat not to long ago. I didn't' really talk on the phone as much....but I needed data for my line of work. What I can suggest to you is buying an iPad 3G Micro sim (if you plan on getting the iPhone 4) and activate it. What that will do is give you 2GB of data only for $25 monthly. I use google voice and text as my line. Basically, I pay $25 for 2gigs of data....unlimited talk and text. If your interested in the set up I have, PM and I will explain it further.

I can't speak. That'd be awesome!

 

[helptheold]

Hey,

I was in the same boat not to long ago. I didn't' really talk on the phone as much....but I needed data for my line of work. What I can suggest to you is buying an iPad 3G Micro sim (if you plan on getting the iPhone 4) and activate it. What that will do is give you 2GB of data only for $25 monthly. I use google voice and text as my line. Basically, I pay $25 for 2gigs of data....unlimited talk and text. If your interested in the set up I have, PM and I will explain it further.

That sounds exactly like what I am looking for, just sent you a PM. I really wish AT&T would understand that not everyone needs a large talk plan and if they offered the GoPhone as an option for the iPhone they might bring in more customers!

 

[FearNo1]

Send me a PM as well..thx. I am interested in this.

That sounds exactly like what I am looking for, just sent you a PM. I really wish AT&T would understand that not everyone needs a large talk plan and if they offered the GoPhone as an option for the iPhone they might bring in more customers!

 

[ssdeg7]

The problem is that if you buy an iPhone at AT&T it will cost you $200 since it has subsidies, but if you want it unlocked you'll have to pay $600 for it, so add that up to your extras.

 

[helptheold]

The problem is that if you buy an iPhone at AT&T it will cost you $200 since it has subsidies, but if you want it unlocked you'll have to pay $600 for it, so add that up to your extras.

True, but since I rarely use my cell phone anyway and take advantage of free wi-fi spots, spending $100 + per month on a cell phone is a bit much for us. Even with the lowest plan, we've never hit more than 100 minutes per month combined with our cells which is why we went to prepaid.

If I were to upgrade to an iTouch, it would cost me $400 so paying a few hundred more upfront for an unlocked iPhone without a contract is a bargain. The real problem is that AT&T doesn't recognize that there are people who really just want a pay-as-you-go iPhone. I'd be happy to sign up for AT&T service if they offered packages that had 100 minutes for $10/month instead of 450 minutes for $40/month that I won't ever use.

Of course when my boys become teenagers I'll have to suck it up and get a family plan but that's not for 10 years so I have plenty of time to save for that

 

[Applejuiced]

If I were to upgrade to an iTouch, it would cost me $400 so paying a few hundred more upfront for an unlocked iPhone without a contract is a bargain.

Even if you pay full price for an out of contract iPhone in the US it will not be unlocked. It will be still locked to AT&T.

 

[Aatos.1]

Hey,

I was in the same boat not to long ago. I didn't' really talk on the phone as much....but I needed data for my line of work. What I can suggest to you is buying an iPad 3G Micro sim (if you plan on getting the iPhone 4) and activate it. What that will do is give you 2GB of data only for $25 monthly. I use google voice and text as my line. Basically, I pay $25 for 2gigs of data....unlimited talk and text. If your interested in the set up I have, PM and I will explain it further.

This sounds like an interesting solution.

 

[Leet Apple]

Then I'd Say invest in the iPod Touch 4, if you live in america use Google Voice, otherwise if you a Canadian I'd suggest Talkatone which allows you to place calls through your Gmail

Since you Don't use your minutes a lot

 

[Compile 'em all]

Even if you pay full price for an out of contract iPhone in the US it will not be unlocked. It will be still locked to AT&T.

I don't think he is planing to buy it from AT&T. Any officially unlocked iPhone 4 from Canada or the EU will work just fine.

 

[Applejuiced]

I don't think he is planing to buy it from AT&T. Any officially unlocked iPhone 4 from Canada or the EU will work just fine.

Yep just letting him know.
If he gets it from any place inside the US it will be locked to AT&T.

 

[helptheold]

Yep just letting him know.
If he gets it from any place inside the US it will be locked to AT&T.

That is the plan. But I discussed it with my husband (I'm a she BTW ) and now he's wondering if it wouldn't just be simpler to buy a used, unlocked 2G 1st Gen off eBay, cut my T-Mobile pre-pay SIM down to size & pop in there. I really don't need a lot of of the features on the iP4 since it would just be a cell phone. I do need to be able to take voice memos but I know I can do that with an older version.

Is my husband's plan feasible?

 

[Apple...]

That is the plan. But I discussed it with my husband (I'm a she BTW ) and now he's wondering if it wouldn't just be simpler to buy a used, unlocked 2G 1st Gen off eBay, cut my T-Mobile pre-pay SIM down to size & pop in there. I really don't need a lot of of the features on the iP4 since it would just be a cell phone. I do need to be able to take voice memos but I know I can do that with an older version.

Is my husband's plan feasible?

I recommend the 3GS as the bare minimum - which you can also find unlocked on Craigslist, eBay, etc.

 

[labman]

TS you own a Touch not a Itouch Apple doesn't have a Itouch just saying. upgrade either way you look at it with a smart phone and minim service you are looking at about $60 a month plus if you have access wifi stick with the touch maybe a newer one and get a dumb phone.