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Why buy an unlocked phone?

D

danadel

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 21, 2014
6
0
I previously had an unlocked 4S, which I bought full price and was using AT&T's $60 a month prepaid plan.

I knew I wanted a iPhone 6, and bought it unlocked because it was what I had done previously, and I wasn't sure which would be best.

So, I paid $850 for the 64GB, and am paying $60 a month for phone, text and data.

I saw on Verizon's website today that you can get a phone for $199 and then pay $60 for a single plan and get unlimited talk, text and 2 GB data (I think AT&T's plan might be 2.5 GB)

Basically, I'm thinking I made the wrong decision, and am wondering:

Why do people buy unlocked phones?

If you travel a lot, I understand, but if you don't travel, have good credit and basically bought it to have a cheaper monthly cell phone bill, is it really worth it?
 
danadel said:
I previously had an unlocked 4S, which I bought full price and was using AT&T's $60 a month prepaid plan.

I knew I wanted a iPhone 6, and bought it unlocked because it was what I had done previously, and I wasn't sure which would be best.

So, I paid $850 for the 64GB, and am paying $60 a month for phone, text and data.

I saw on Verizon's website today that you can get a phone for $199 and then pay $60 for a single plan and get unlimited talk, text and 2 GB data (I think AT&T's plan might be 2.5 GB)

Basically, I'm thinking I made the wrong decision, and am wondering:

Why do people buy unlocked phones?

If you travel a lot, I understand, but if you don't travel, have good credit and basically bought it to have a cheaper monthly cell phone bill, is it really worth it?
Click to expand...

Higher resale when your done with the device. Available to be used on many more carriers.
 
danadel said:
I previously had an unlocked 4S, which I bought full price and was using AT&T's $60 a month prepaid plan.

I knew I wanted a iPhone 6, and bought it unlocked because it was what I had done previously, and I wasn't sure which would be best.

So, I paid $850 for the 64GB, and am paying $60 a month for phone, text and data.

I saw on Verizon's website today that you can get a phone for $199 and then pay $60 for a single plan and get unlimited talk, text and 2 GB data (I think AT&T's plan might be 2.5 GB)

Basically, I'm thinking I made the wrong decision, and am wondering:

Why do people buy unlocked phones?

If you travel a lot, I understand, but if you don't travel, have good credit and basically bought it to have a cheaper monthly cell phone bill, is it really worth it?
Click to expand...
$35/mo Aio/Cricket
$45/mo TMo
$45/mo StraightTalk

You just picked the most expensive carrier.

Also, freedom when traveling to pickup a SIM. I have a little travel kit SIMs I regularly use.
 
Menel said:
$35/mo Aio/Cricket
$45/mo TMo
$45/mo StraightTalk

You just picked the most expensive carrier.

Also, freedom when traveling to pickup a SIM. I have a little travel kit SIMs I regularly use.
Click to expand...

ha, yes, it seems that way, dammit! :)
 
Menel said:
$35/mo Cricket
$45/mo StraightTalk
Click to expand...

Just so OP knows, you technically need an unlocked phone to get those ^ cheaper plans. The 'MVNOs' listed above use the AT&T network so the AT&T iPhone works with those even if it's locked to AT&T.

Also H2O, Airvoice Wireless, and many others...
 
some carriers are goofs, in Canada I am with Rogers my plan is really good because I have been with them 15 years and I have prices that don't exist anymore

my voice plan is like $18 a month, $18 add-on pack(voicemail, call display, unlimited text) and 6GB of Data for $30

they said my plan was too old for the new 2 year contract
to get that similar plan with 6GB of data was going to cost me $95 thats almost $29 more a month plus I would of had to pay $150 early upgrade fee so it made no sense for me not to buy the phone unlocked
 
I like the flexibility of touching down in a foreign land and putting in a local SIM into phone without it telling me to get lost and find an unlock code.

I like the ability to choose my own best-value tariff/plan without being ripped off under the pretence of a carrier 'subsidising' the cost of my phone.

I like being able to get out of contracts without needing to wait for 2 years or pay a bailout fee as if i were serving a jail sentence.

Lastly i like being able to play with any new phone that comes out without thinking 'must wait till i finishing serving my time in carrier jail'
 
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