Cheapest Iphone on Orange?

NFH

Eliza wrote: »

Yup - that's fine and the necessary penance. Alternatively is there another phone that does facetiming?

If FaceTime is your main requirement, then you could also consider an iPod Touch for a third of the price of an iPhone, but it would only work when you have access to a wireless network. An iPod Touch has almost everything that an iPhone has except for the phone functionality, 3G data and GPS.

gjchester

Eliza wrote: »

I thought I could - why-ever not? I'm sure I've done that in the past with other phones. I would only want to do it occasionally when away camping. I've had a dongle in the past but it didn't seem to work that well.

Simply put the networks don't want people putting PC's on tethering connections as they suck more data than a mobile. If you want that service they will charge you extra usually £5 or so a month.

Most network prohibit tethering but unless you use it excessivly will not take any action but the way the iPhone works is that the carrier can control if the option even appears on the phone. My iphone with my usual Tesco mobile sim in does not show the tethering option, if I put in another network sim it appears. You can get around this by jailbreaking the phone, but there are lots of ways to detect tethering and if the network catches you then will charge you at the data rate of usually a few pounds a meg.

Eliza wrote: »

ps am I likely to get a better deal as a business user I wonder? I run my own business.

No idea, but I suspect as a small business unless you are going to have a few phones on the contract there will little difference.

Chorlie

The cheapest way to do FaceTime is with an iPod Touch (£150 8Gb from Argos).

Does anything an iPhone can do apart from being a Mobile Phone & GPS, so if you have WiFi at home you can link it to that and FaceTime, iMessage etc

You could also use a MiFi with it or Teether to it, so could use it away from your WiFi. A way to make Free / Cheap Calls is with Apps like Skype or Truphone which work on both iPhone or iPod Touch, but needs to be via a WiFi (or could cost you more due to the Mobile Data)

But like everyone is telling you, don't take out a contract with an iPhone included, they are very expensive. It's cheaper to buy an iPhone and take out a Sim Only Deal, just look how much you could be paying a month.

http://www.chitterchatter.co.uk/simonly.php


Lastly, when you say you need Unlimited Data, what do you really use in a month? If you are using 20Gb then YES you do, but if you have WiFi at home and use that, you might only be using and few hundred Mb's a month. Paying for way more then you need is a waste of money, but where Mobile Data is involved you always want to have a little more then you'll need or you'll get screwed if you go over; however T-Mobile don't charge you extra......there standard unlimited Internet is Unlimited Browsing (ie emails, surfing) and 500Mb Download (ie Apps, Songs, iPlayer etc) but can pay extra for a little more.

Shah79

You may be able to get a free/very cheap Iphone 3G.

Try 3. They are usually the most competitive and offer unlimited data which is a great offering considering how much is now being run through data rather than calls...facebook, skype, viber, emails, twitter, iplayer.

Eliza_2

Thank you but Orange is the only network with a signal around here. It looks as though the TMobile route might be the way to go. Thanks all.

buscape

Shah79 wrote:

You may be able to get a free/very cheap Iphone 3G.

The iPhone 3G doesn't have a front facing camera so can't do facetime.

gjchester

Shah79 wrote: »

You may be able to get a free/very cheap Iphone 3G.

The Iphone 5 is rumnoured to be out next month, in all likelyhood the 3GS will be discontinued and get no more updates beyond this year's IOS6 .

The very least you should be looking at is the Iphone 4 which probably has a year of support left in it from Apple.

Eliza_2

Thanks, yes I think the 3G is the battered one I've got. (how do I know? It says iphone 16gb on the back) I need the next one up, I suppose if a new one is due out, then the older ones will become cheaper. Will maybe wait if my phone lasts out. Thanks

Eliza_2

Sorry to resurrect this again, but I'm very grateful for all the help in clarifying the choices that are open to me.

Going back to the sim only option, which you all recommend and I can see the sense in of course - do I just have to ring Orange and cancel my contract and ask for an iphone sim instead? Is it more complicated than that and most importantly, will I be able to keep my number?

Thank you everyone who has helped.

gjchester

Eliza wrote: »

how do I know? It says iphone 16gb on the back. I need the next one up, I suppose if a new one is due out, then the older ones will become cheaper. Will maybe wait if my phone lasts out. Thanks

On the back should be a model number, My IP4 is A1332, a 16gb 3G will be A1241 or a 3GS A1303 You can look it up via Google or here - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3939

iPhones hold value well, yes when the 5 comes out there will be a lot of 4's on the market but they won't come down a lot as they'll be in demand. Once the early adopers move they'll probalby go back up a bit as supply slows down.

Eliza wrote: »

Going back to the sim only option, which you all recommend and I can see the sense in of course - do I just have to ring Orange and cancel my contract and ask for an iphone sim instead? Is it more complicated than that and most importantly, will I be able to keep my number?

Yep that simple.

The iPhone 4 uses a Micro Sim, the Iphone 5 is rumoured to have an even smaller Nano Sim. Orange should be able to send the right one to you.

When you phone Orange say you are thinking of leaving, and quote something like Tesco's £12.50 a month SIM only deal as a example and say you want your PAC code. You don't need to leave but that should trigger the better retention deals, than just asking to change your contract.

With Orange it's important that you DO swap sims over and use the new one, to ensure the change happens.