Should I upgrade now, or wait for 4g?

pcornall

I am on a rolling contract with an iphone 3gs 16gb that I've had for 3 years. It has served me well, but is starting to malfunction in small ways and getting annoying (eg buzzing as though I've got a text at random times, but I haven't). I've decided to upgrade but I'm not sure whether to just do it now, or try to hold out a bit longer.

Currently, I can get a deal on a Samsung Galaxy S3 for about the same I am currently paying (and on an iphone 5 for about a fiver more a month), but the downside is that I'd be tied in for 24 months. I wouldn't mind this so much, except that I know 4g is likely to become more of a consideration in the next year or so and don't want to find myself holding onto out of date technology and having a contract that doesn't support 4g. The S3 version I'd be getting isn't the LTE version that I believe is 4g compatible.

Any opinions are welcome on whether I should hold out for another 6 months or so, or just get on with upgrading now!

Buzby

Why not get the 5? This will give you a decent phone on 4G, but only if your network is EE or 3UK. No be honest, only a few major cities are covered and just as 3G overlaid on GSM, 4G will do the same to 3G it will not be a Big Bang - more a slow rollout.

Take your time - GSM and 3G phones are not obsolete yet.

Natb8886

At the moment 4G is only supported in a small number of major cities, so if you aren't in one of them you won't be able to use it - even if your phone supports it. Like 23nlth says, 4G is a bit of a gimmick at the moment. Currently only one network has it and they charge high prices for not very much usage. You can get 8GB data allowance for 4G on a current contract, but you could theoretically consume that within about 5 minutes, and it is supposed to last you a whole month. If you wait a bit longer (probably until summer of this year), other networks should support 4G too and the prices / tariffs will be more reasonable (one should hope). Maybe consider going for a non-4G 12 month contract?

johnnyreggae

pcornall wrote: »

don't want to find myself holding onto out of date technology

Like an Iphone 3 ? You managed without upgrading to a 4 or a 5 ! You can't win trying to second guess the market