Can I buy an iPhone in Canada?

August 1, 2008 7:30 AM

Can I buy an iPhone in Canada and bring it back to Ireland with me?

I live in Ireland and I'm Travelling to Toronto next week for a wedding. Will I be be able to buy an iPhone while I'm there and just bring it home with me, without signing up for a contract or any other junk? Bonus points if you can recommend a retailer :)

posted by ReiToei to technology (14 answers total)

'Rogers' is the carrier here in Canada. I'm pretty sure you'll be able to pick one up without a contract.
posted by sunshinesky at 7:33 AM on August 1, 2008

"'Rogers' is the carrier here in Canada."

It is also available from Fido, although Fido is owned by Rogers.

"I'm pretty sure you'll be able to pick one up without a contract."

Why would you think so? I have seen no evidence of either Rogers or Fido offering iPhones without a contract.
posted by onshi at 7:37 AM on August 1, 2008

Quick answer: no.

Long answer: Rogers is applying a (I think minimum) $1100 early cancellation penalty on customers who buy iPhones.
posted by lowlife at 7:38 AM on August 1, 2008

I thought so, before checking *sigh*, because rogers offers all their other phones (in my experience) for a higher price (obviously) without contract.

Upon checking though, apparently you can't, at least not on the website.

Too quick on the draw, I guess...
posted by sunshinesky at 7:41 AM on August 1, 2008

No, you can not buy an iPhone from Fido or Rogers without a 3-year contract.

You can buy one on eBay for around $800 for a 16GB, but then you'll either need to wait for a software unlocking solution, or order an unlocking SIM to make it work on a network other than the one it was originally locked to.
posted by blue_beetle at 7:51 AM on August 1, 2008

So yes, you can do anything you want, but you're going to have to use nontraditional means, but it is possible.
posted by blue_beetle at 7:53 AM on August 1, 2008

I was wondering this, too -- namely, whether the same policy applied up north as here, where you couldn't walk out of the store WITHOUT signing up for a contract. Sadly, it sounds like that's the case. If it weren't, I was thinking of picking up a Canadian iPhone next time I was up there (I'm an American).

In theory, I could still do it, using a friend's home address and contact info, no? Then, upon arrival in the US, fax Rogers documentation that I've "just moved to the US" and therefore, in THEORY, I should be able to get out of the contract without the ETF penalty.

Can anyone confirm whether you can do this with Rogers? If so, then that's one way our Irish friend can do this (provided he's got a friend's address to use to sign up for the dummy account) and not be stuck with the fee.

Oh, and . . . wow. $1,100? Jeez, any time I think we trail the world in cell network technology and pricing in the US, I need only look north. I hear Telus and maybe Bell are looking to go GSM, and there's a rumor floating around that T-Mobile's coming to the Canadian market in 2009, so maybe this long national nightmare will soon end . . .
posted by CommonSense at 8:26 AM on August 1, 2008

There's the additional complication that the GSM frequencies are different in NA than in Europe. See here for example. If you buy a phone in NA, make certain that it's a "worldband" model or it won't work when you get back home.
posted by bonehead at 8:36 AM on August 1, 2008

Also all phones sold by Rogers/Fido are locked. Not a disaster, but you'll need to figure in an unlocking charge before you can use it.
posted by bonehead at 8:37 AM on August 1, 2008

Canadian providers aren't nearly as nice about cancellation as our American cousins, and I doubt Rogers would let you cancel your contract even if you did move to the other side of the planet. I've heard discussion of them requiring you to return the phone if you cancel in the first 30 days.

It's honestly almost cheaper to fly to Australia and buy some unlocked phones there and bring them back.

Also note, there is currently no way to unlock the phones via software (although I expect this to change quickly), so no one is doing it.
posted by blue_beetle at 9:10 AM on August 1, 2008

I'm nearly positive the $1,100 ETF is a rumour and a false one. I can't say for sure with Rogers, but with Fido (even though Rogers owns Fido, sometimes things are subtly different), the ETF is $400 (plus $100 if you get a data plan).

Hypothetically, you could go into a Fido store, sign a new three-year contract and cancel it the same day. You'd pay $200 (8 GB) or $300 (16 GB) for the phone plus tax and $400 for the ETF.

In theory, I could still do it, using a friend's home address and contact info, no? Then, upon arrival in the US, fax Rogers documentation that I've "just moved to the US" and therefore, in THEORY, I should be able to get out of the contract without the ETF penalty.

You'd need to read the details of the contact, but I suspect this wouldn't work. Canadian mobile contracts are even more bastardly than the US ones (that's the power of a monopoly!), so I suspect moving is not sufficient for getting out of the ETF. They usually get around this by saying they offer roaming services is nearly every country in the world, meaning you can still use your phone. Doesn't matter that it literally costs dollars a minute to do so.
posted by Nelsormensch at 9:15 AM on August 1, 2008

Yeah, sorry, my comment above is "no longer operative"... the current T&Cs:

Applicable to all plans: Local airtime usage, data usage and/or text messages over that allotted in the plan, long distance and roaming charges, additional wireless service options selected and applicable taxes are extra and are also billed monthly. An Early Cancellation Fee (ECF) applies if, for any reason, your service is terminated prior to the end of the service agreement. The ECF is the greater of (ii) $100 or (iii) $20 per month remaining in the service agreement, to a maximum of $400 (plus applicable taxes), and applies on each line in the plan that is terminated.

posted by lowlife at 12:22 PM on August 1, 2008

Craigslist.
posted by dobbs at 1:53 PM on August 1, 2008

Just remember that iPhone you'll buy in Canada will not be 3G ready, so when you bring it to use in Ireland, you won't beneft from a faster 3G internet for MMS, e-mails, you-tube and brousing...
posted by sashasolar at 3:49 PM on August 13, 2008