Stuck in 24 contract but how can I get an iphone4

madgeorge123

Hi, can anyone help me? I am in a 24 month contract with 02, paying £20 per month, (due to end Dec11). I have a nokia phone and would love to buy an iphone4 but dont know the cheapest way to get hold of one.
If I buy a handset off ebay will it cost me more overall by unlocking it etc? Will my old sim from my nokia work in an iphone4? I really have no idea where to start.

nickmack

madgeorge123 wrote: »

Hi, can anyone help me? I am in a 24 month contract with 02, paying £20 per month, (due to end Dec11). I have a nokia phone and would love to buy an iphone4 but dont know the cheapest way to get hold of one.
If I buy a handset off ebay will it cost me more overall by unlocking it etc? Will my old sim from my nokia work in an iphone4? I really have no idea where to start.

If you want to swap phones more frequently than 18/24 months, you should consider buying your phones outright and then using a SIM only monthly rolling contract. This way, you won't be tied in. It usually wouldn't be cost effective to take out another contract that overlaps your current one.

As it stands with buying the device outright now, you'll need to pay to get an iPhone 4 unlocked if required and also you'll need to convert (cut) your existing SIM yourself or ask your contact provider to send you a micro SIM.

If you don't have a data allowance on your current contract, it would be strongly recommended to get one added.

r18rws

whats your current deal provide you with?

I was in similar position and opted to buy the phone outright and leave original tarif running, chop sim down to size (really easy).

But if you have no data anyway you might find a buy out option is better for you anyway and start again.

As per the previous poster, if you are likely to change again within 24 months then sim only might be best option still and buy and sell the handset as you please.

Apple shops sell the handset unlocked or consider the PAYG option for the network you decide to go to, the handset will be locked back to the network.

I went for a unit from Apple directly as the cost of a PAYG with the minimal topup requried worked out ot be about £20 less than going direct but as its unlocked already it may well be useful some time down the line.

madgeorge123

Hi and thanks for all your help, My current contract offers me 300mins free calls per month and unlimited texts. What is a data allowance and what does this give me? I didnt know I could cut my own SIM down to the size of a micro-sim?!?
Ive been told by carphone warehouse that if I do buy an iphone4 I will only be able to use it for calls and text, no internet or apps, so it wont be worth the money I spend until my contract is up?
Very confused......:wall:

watcherman

As others have said, you'll need a micro sim....1st bit of advice, don't deal with CPW! Source a phone, either eBay, O2 shop on PAYG, or direct from Apple, as it will already be unlocked, currently £499 (16GB) - though you can get cashback from Quidco if you go direct to Apple.

Phone up O2 and ask for your tariff to be changed to an iPhone tariff, this will give you at least 500MB of data, so you can surf, download apps etc, and then pop into an O2 store, tell them you've changed your phone and could they give you a micro-sim, once you've got the sim, go here and activate it: http://shop.o2.co.uk/new-iphone/aboutsimswap.html

Guys_Dad

madgeorge123 wrote: »

Hi and thanks for all your help, My current contract offers me 300mins free calls per month and unlimited texts. What is a data allowance and what does this give me? I didnt know I could cut my own SIM down to the size of a micro-sim?!?
Ive been told by carphone warehouse that if I do buy an iphone4 I will only be able to use it for calls and text, no internet or apps, so it wont be worth the money I spend until my contract is up?
Very confused......:wall:

George - please don't be offended, but you really need to think about what it is you want the Iphone for and then learn a bit about what network resources you will need and what pitfalls you might face (huge bills, extortionate roaming charges etc) before you contemplate getting one.

At this stage, I am afraid, you seem to be a disaster waiting to happen and start a new thread in a few months' time with tales of woe! Why? well, for example, the whole benefits of an Iphone revolve round its data connections and you write "What is data allowance and what does this give me?".

Please, for your own sake and your bank balance's too spend half an hour with someone who can explain how a smartphone such as the Iphone draws its facilities, what data requirements you are likely to need, why "unlimited" in network terms is not unlimited and then search through this forum for some of the pitfalls of (a) going over your allowances and (b) Iphone generic faults and (c) members' experiences when the Iphone goes wrong.

Do the research first, then if you still want to go ahead, please, please ensure that you are on the correct plan and, as suggested above, 24 months is a long, long time to be tied to a contract.

macman

Or alternatively, if you just want the (dubious) kudos of having an iPhone interface. just get yourself an iTouch instead-no contract required. No one will know it's not an iPhone (apart from not gettting any calls on it of course)

Guys_Dad

macman wrote: »

Or alternatively, if you just want the (dubious) kudos of having an iPhone interface. just get yourself an iTouch instead-no contract required. No one will know it's not an iPhone (apart from not gettting any calls on it of course)

Just like an Iphone4, then ? :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

macman

The phone function seems to be increasingly incidental to many smartphone owners these days IMHO...
Perhaps you can get a ringtone app for the iTouch that can be programed to go off at regular intervals? Just talk meaningless drivel into the phone and your pals will never know..

SophieLO_2

Some phone companies will let you cancel your contract but you obviously do have to pay them what you owe. If you have some money spare then that would probably be cheaper then you could get a new contract.

It really depends how much time you have left on your contract?