buying an iPhone in the US
 

Hello!

I am new and this is my first post! As far as I am aware no one has posted about iPhones specifically in the U.S so I'm just going to go ahead and post.

I am moving to the U.S in August from London to study. While living in London over the past 4 years I have relied on having an iPhone and I would really like to continue using an iPhone when I move. My phone is pretty old now and I would like to purchase a new one as soon as I arrive, does anyone know of any networks to go with ? I have so far only come across AT&T and their cheapest 'package' is $199 + $79.99 per month which seems absurd! - I am currently paying £20 a month here in the UK for unlimited texts/500 minutes etc.

If anyone has any information to share I would really appreciate it :)

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Phone contracts are very expensive in the US so that's the price you'll pay for an iPhone contract. Also, there's no guarantee you'll get a contract that easily as you'll have no credit history. I stuck to virgin mobile until I'd built up a credit history. That's $35/month but you can't get an iPhone with them.
Sprint, AT&T and Verizon are the only network options if you have your heart set on an iPhone.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Get your iPhone unlocked and go with one of the prepaid packages offered by T-Mobile?

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

This is a good/cheap option however the only drawback is that on T-Mobile you can't get 3G on the iPhone so data speeds are super slow.

I had the same dilemma when I arrived (no credit etc) I ended up going with Sprint and had to pay a $250 deposit that you get credited back after 12mths. ATT and Verizon it was $500 and didn't get the money back until later in the contract.

As has already been stated phone contracts here are very expensive unfortunately

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

This is true. But I've got fast internet at home and at work and at every Dunkin Donuts and McDonald's and every hotel I've ever stayed in, so slow internet speeds on the phone aren't that much of an issue for me. Might be different for other people ;)

All I want is a decent phone ;)

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Thanks everyone for your replies. I had no idea about the credit system in the US. I am so used to my iPhone but all I really need is unlimited texts and around 300 minutes but I would really need 3G, wifi as I use google maps and check emails on the go a lot.
Would it be worth buying a phone in the UK first, getting it unlocked and only Then finding a network when I arrive? (I am in need of an upgrade anyway)

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

The "all I really need is..." is where just about every US provider rams a barbwired flag pole up your ass without as much as muttering a "pardon me, sir".

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

If you search you'll find loads, but welcome to BE!

You'll also find phone rates and packages are a bit poo and there aren't many options, added to the fact that you have no US credit history.

There are plenty of posts about jailbreaking and going the PAYG route though, presuming you get your phone out of contract.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

No.

Best bet is a Android phone, more PAYG options too.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Yup. Higher speeds, better rates than limiting yourself to an iPhone.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

I understand T-Mobile US are upgrading their network and should be offering widespread 3G support for the iPhone by the end of the year. They'll also start selling iPhones so hopefully AT&T will be forced to reduce their rates.

There's also this http://www.slashgear.com/freedompop-...rder-11227787/ which is a forthcoming iPhone case that has a built in data connection to Sprint's Wimax network - it's supposed to be a one-time payment of $99 then 500MB of data per month free (which is enough for basic data usage if not video or VOIP)

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Yes.

Nah.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

That worked so well when Verizon started selling the iPhone :ohmy:

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Not an IPhone.. the ones in the US are sim card-less, so with a foreign IPhone you wouldn't be able to get a US IPhone package sim on its own...although I suppose you could just get a plan that includes internet but for an android. I don't think there are m(any) plans with unlimited internet as of recently either, as a lot of people were using it for tethering. I think it's gone on Verizon at least.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Bollocks. :thumbdown:

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Mine and all the ones owned by people I know are... :thumbup:

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

AT&T, T-Mobile and a bunch of the smaller mom n pop providers that are GSM all use SIM cards. You can also use SIM cards in many of the newer Verizon phones, but only for international, i.e. outside the US, use.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Yeah, what Kar just said. They've got sims in them these days, that's how people are able to get other networks such as the pay as you go sim cards to work on the things.

There are plenty of unlimited data plans on PAYG for Android phones, they tend to be 4G for x number of MB's a month though, say 200-500, but then drop the speed way down after that.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Well then, i'm off to Verizon to complain! The guy who sold me my phone explicitly said no sim cards in any IPhone 4S as I wanted to use it with foreign sims... so I bought a new English phone rather than just a sim card when I came back. They also told me they had recently scrapped all of their unlimited data plans and everyone else was too because of all the tethering :frown: I have no idea about other networks though, which is why I only mentioned Verizon

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/12/s...ck-for-intern/

"The iPhone 4S works like all of our global phones. The phone comes in box with a SIM locked to our network and the network of our roaming partners including Vodafone, one of our parent companies. Customers sign up for a Verizon Wireless voice plan (beginning at $39.99 for 450 min.) and a data plan beginning at 2GB for $30. When they choose to go out of the country, they should call Verizon Wireless and sign up for a global plan. The customer can also request to have the SIM unlocked if they want to use a local service while out of the country. The request needs to be made prior to leaving the country, their bill must be current and the phone must be active on the account for 60 days before we will unlock the SIM."

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Verizon don't use sim's because their network is different.

The phone still has a sim socket in it.

You'd need to unlock and jailbreak it to use a sim from else where to work on the phone.

You'd need to jailbreak the phone to tether it anyway because all the networks disabled that feature on the phone for the iPhone.

The unlimited data plans with uncapped speeds has pretty much come to the end, but there are unlimited data plans around which cap the amount of data you can use at maximum speed.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

"but all I really need is unlimited texts and around 300 minutes but I would really need 3G"

Will that be 300 British minutes?
Because here in good ole USA, you would need more then double that. We pay for incoming calls and all calls are rounded off, to nearest minute. 1min 1sec minutes.

Reg. Frank R.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Verizon does not use Sim cards - in fact, if I remember right, Apple had to virtually make a whole new iPhone just for the Verizon network because we don't have sim cards on our phones.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

The latest ones, maybe even the the 4, have Unlocked Sim Card slot for "Out of USA", use. As do the IPAD.

Reg. Frank R.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

:ohmy:

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Should have read: All calls are rounded up one minute one second = 2 minutes.

Reg. Frank R.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Just unlock your current phone, and get a PayGo sim in the US. The iPhone takes a micro sim (unlike many other phones) - but you can cut a 'regular' sim card down to size (there are many guides online).

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

I have a 4 and I don't have a Sim Card slot.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Are you sure?

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Positive

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

I was with OG wheb she got her phone, and indeed can confirm that her CDMA iPhone with Verizon has no SIM card slot. I know because I asked where it was before I knew that Verizon was CDMA, and I own an iPhone with a slot myself.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

The iPhone 4s was the first CDMA Verizon iPhone also to have a SIM card slot. Earlier versions from Verizon didn't have a slot. This is why I didn't get an iPhone until the 4s. As already pointed out Verizon will unlock the phone after 60 days and you can then use any non-US SIM card either in the US (probably pointless) and anywhere else.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Ah, there we go then. She purchased an iPhone 4.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Aha! What do I know? Not much it seems.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

I bought a T-Mobile PAYG sim card for use in my Android phone. $2 a day on the days you use it, for unlimited calls & texts & data, so even if you use it everyday thats 'only' around $60 a month, which is a lot cheaper than a contract, especially Verizon who are thieving shites in my opinion. When my USC wife got her new phone, to get a data package she has to pay an extra $30 a month for a minimum of 2Gb, which is frankly ludicrous (e.g. I never use more than about 300mb a month and neither does she).

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

I agree that Verizon are thieving shites. There are a couple of other potential options though - they have a $20 plan with, I think, 400Mb a month. And if you have access to a corporate program, you can get a much better deal. For example, I'm paying $20 for unlimited data.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Unfortunately, they make you take the 'minimum' 2gb data package if you get a smartphone. Would be interested to know if they let you downgrade though.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

Do they? I know I was offered the $20 plan for 400Mb, but I can't remember when it was when I actually bought the 'phone.

Re: buying an iPhone in the US
 

It was late last year that she bought the phone, so certainly since then.