Help me get my overseas iPhone cheap
February 18, 2010 10:11 AM Subscribe
Help me buy an iPhone cheap. Complication: Living overseas where they are EXPENSIVE!
I'm an American expat living in Manila and I want an iPhone, preferably a 3GS 32GB.
Here in the Philippines, Globe is the official partner of Apple and they want around $400 and up PLUS a 2 year contract to sell me an iPhone. Or I can buy an unlocked one at one of the the electronic flea markets for about $1000. Yes, really.
Isnt there a cheaper way? I have family in the US. Can I sign up with AT&T, have the phone shipped to them, they can ship it to me, I can unlock/jailbreak the phone here (use my current prepaid SIM) and after a month cancel the contract with AT&T? Or will AT&T want the phone back?
I dont use my current phone that much for phone calls, mainly for texting (prepaid with Smart maybe $10 a month), but one of my coworkers ponied up the big bucks for his iPhone here and all the apps look really good.
Any advice? Thanks!
P.S. Posted anon because I'm afraid of the MAN (AT&T)
I'm an American expat living in Manila and I want an iPhone, preferably a 3GS 32GB.
Here in the Philippines, Globe is the official partner of Apple and they want around $400 and up PLUS a 2 year contract to sell me an iPhone. Or I can buy an unlocked one at one of the the electronic flea markets for about $1000. Yes, really.
Isnt there a cheaper way? I have family in the US. Can I sign up with AT&T, have the phone shipped to them, they can ship it to me, I can unlock/jailbreak the phone here (use my current prepaid SIM) and after a month cancel the contract with AT&T? Or will AT&T want the phone back?
I dont use my current phone that much for phone calls, mainly for texting (prepaid with Smart maybe $10 a month), but one of my coworkers ponied up the big bucks for his iPhone here and all the apps look really good.
Any advice? Thanks!
P.S. Posted anon because I'm afraid of the MAN (AT&T)
A better way would be to buy one off ebay or get a secondhand phone.
A 3GS 32GB costs with ATT roughly $400 with a 2 year contract, same as Globe. I presume you're not intending to stay in Philippines for 2 years and hence don't want to enter a contract.
But if you sign up with ATT and get a contract, you're liable to early termination fees etc which can add up to an amount comparable to buying an unlocked phone over there; which makes going down this route uneconomical.
posted by the_ancient_mariner at 10:26 AM on February 18, 2010
A 3GS 32GB costs with ATT roughly $400 with a 2 year contract, same as Globe. I presume you're not intending to stay in Philippines for 2 years and hence don't want to enter a contract.
But if you sign up with ATT and get a contract, you're liable to early termination fees etc which can add up to an amount comparable to buying an unlocked phone over there; which makes going down this route uneconomical.
posted by the_ancient_mariner at 10:26 AM on February 18, 2010
Look on AT&T's website for information about their Early Termination Fee ("ETF").
IIRC it is $175, which is decreased $5 every month.
I would say the only way around your predicament is perhaps a refurb iPhone? Do they even sell those?
posted by jckll at 10:27 AM on February 18, 2010
IIRC it is $175, which is decreased $5 every month.
I would say the only way around your predicament is perhaps a refurb iPhone? Do they even sell those?
posted by jckll at 10:27 AM on February 18, 2010
I say try ebay.
posted by majortom1981 at 10:32 AM on February 18, 2010
posted by majortom1981 at 10:32 AM on February 18, 2010
Why would you be afraid of the MAN? AT&T won't care. There are a couple of places in Asia Pac to get iPhones without contracts and unlocked. Best bet is to find a friend that can pick up a phone up for you in Hong Kong. I've bought several for people when I make it to New Zealand as well. Both are significantly less than $1,000 USD.
posted by michswiss at 10:33 AM on February 18, 2010
posted by michswiss at 10:33 AM on February 18, 2010
follow-up from the OP
Sorry, I should have said that I'm willing to pay up to $500 or so for a 32GB 3GS. I am aware of the ETF and dont mind paying it if it will keep my total out of pocket cost under $500. the_ancient_mariner is correct - I dont want to sign a contract with Globe because I'm not sure I will be here in 2 years, and I really prefer Smart to Globe anyhow.posted by jessamyn at 10:49 AM on February 18, 2010
I'll take a look at Ebay but i'm cautious because I dont like spending that kind of cash there. Too many horror stories of sketchy iphone sellers.
Thanks for all the comments so far!
Head to Hong Kong. The iPhones there are unlocked.
posted by FuManchu at 11:04 AM on February 18, 2010
posted by FuManchu at 11:04 AM on February 18, 2010
If you purchase a US phone, you will need to unlock it. I don't know if the current unlocking schemes work for the newest firmware. Something to consider. My experience bringing a US iPhone to the UK was that neither AT&T, Apple or the UK provider could/would unlock it.
Something also to consider is that, for me at least, using an unlocked iPhone on a pays as you go plan you lose visual voicemail, find my phone, and remote wipe capabilities.
posted by qwip at 11:16 AM on February 18, 2010
Something also to consider is that, for me at least, using an unlocked iPhone on a pays as you go plan you lose visual voicemail, find my phone, and remote wipe capabilities.
posted by qwip at 11:16 AM on February 18, 2010
An iPhone from the US today is not unlockable. It would be a waste to buy it from the US right now.
posted by smersh at 12:01 AM on February 19, 2010
posted by smersh at 12:01 AM on February 19, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Oktober at 10:24 AM on February 18, 2010