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UK - Using with existing contract?

charmin

charmin

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 25, 2005
94
0
W. London
It's bloody hard to find anything in this forum.

I can get CPW to give me the iPhone's contract for £35 a month, but with any phone. This way, I can take a phone with a free gift, flog the gift, and buy the iPhone elsewhere with the proceeds.

Question is, can I activate the phone (legit) with my existing sim card, or would a legit activation require starting a new contract? I'm not quite sure how it works. I certainly want to avoid compulsory unlocking if possible. I've tried getting answers from CPW and Apple, but funnily enough, neither of them will help.
 
the iPhone tariffs are only available for the iPhone CPW don't have any control over the iPhone tariffs and they can not start a iPhone tariff for u. The only way u can get an iPhone tariff is to purchase a iPhone from Apple/O2/CPW then u plug it in to ur computer and the tariffs are all done through iTunes and not done instore, and u can only use the simcard that is in the iPhone when u purchase it but u can transfer ur number (not contract) across when u select ur tariff through iTunes, don't believe CPW if they say they can offer u a iPhone tariff with another phone, CPW have been known to talk alot of bull when it comes to the iPhone (not all CPW are the same, depends where u go).
 
Finally, a straight answer. Thanks - it's taken me a few days to get that cleared up.

So I'm left with a choice between a 300 quid phone with a 35 quid contract, or the same phone, technically free, with the same stuff on the contract, but I have to unlock it.

Sounds like I'm about to save a few hundred.

(Incidentally, credit to the first guy from CPW who I spoke to, who offered me the unlimited data plan - he never said it was the 'same' as the iPhone tariff, just the same contents)
 
Well I'll tell you what I done.

I bought an iPhone from my local O2 store took it home and jailbroke it with ziphone, took out the simcard that came with it (after I jailbroke it) put in my O2 simplicity simcard £15 a month for 200mins and 400 texts and then I just added on the unlimited data bolt on for £7.50 a month and away you go, so £22.50 a month for 200mins 400sms a month and unlimited data. You can cancel anytime just give 30 days notice, saves being tied to an 18 month contract.

Hope this helps
 
Great, just when I had a plan you add in some more options...

Freedom from the contract does sound good, but I'll probably use all of the extra minutes anyway. Shame the iPhone is completely exempt from the upgrade deals you can usually wangle out of them.
 
if your goin for a sim only contract then tmobile are by far the best. their new solo sim deals are great i thought and its what im doing (sim only) when my vodafone contract is up in december - ive started to buy fones off my own back anyway works out cheaper to do it this way. check the link out below it shows the 30 day rolling contracts with tmobile and 7.50 £ for web n walk.

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobile-phones/sim-card/pay-monthly/
 
Interesting. You're both right - O2's Simplicity is a better deal than staying on contract, especially with the lack of upgrade deal offered on the iPhone, and then T-Mobile's offerings are better than that (Unlimited data, texts, and 800 x-network anytime minutes for 32.50).

However..

If I switch to simplicity I don't get the free PS3 to pay for the iPhone :(

This should all be very useful ammo for their loyalty department though, I wonder what they'll offer me to stay now? :)

Edit: Anybody know if the visual voicemail would work without the iPhone-specific contract?
 
Ah well. CPW are getting pretty stingy with their upgrade stuff these days, so I've moved over to the T-Mobile monthly sim. Will be on it tomorrow, and then it's just a wait for the new iPhone :)

(CPW bloke said it was coming out in November, but they can never be trusted)
 
CPW are terrible when it comes to iPhone. i have always used a SIM only contract and an unlocked, unbranded phones SIM free.. thats the way to go,.
 
just to let you know that the visual voicemail will only work with the o2 iPhone contract, it doesn't work with any other network or with o2 simplicity
 
i cant wait to get out of vodafones contract gona see what the iphone deals are like when the new one comes out (if they get any better) doubt it like. hope some more better sim only deals come out - bit weary with tmobiles reception though hearing bad things about it last few months - work for a mobile network and we get alot of their customers comin ! tmobile for their reeption and orange for thier customer services being band and vodafone cos they over priced lol
 
Wow. Only today have I fully realised how bad CPW are.

I had to visit the shop twice to pick up my SIM - they couldn't find it the first time.

I was told when I bought the new sim that CPW could deal with migration and cancellation - they cannot, I had to go through O2 and T-Mobile.

I was told that my contract had ended - it had not, so I was charged a cessation fee.

I tried to get my money back, and was accidentally hung up on, and not called back.

It's taken me two trips to town and half a dozen phone calls, and I can't even use the new card until next Monday.

The plus side of this is that I've technically ended my contract a month earlier for free, presuming that when they go through the recorded phone calls they realise it was mis-advertised and agree to give me my money back.
 
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