Buying phones from abroad?

sleepysocks

As you all probably know, Samsung aren't releasing the Note 5 in Europe. I am a bit miffed to say the very least and so I have been thinking about ways I can get my hands on one.

If I buy one from the States, will it work in the UK if I put my o2 sim card in? I am guessing it'd have to be unlocked/sim-free? Is this even possible? I've heard of people buying iPhones from the States and shipping them over here for use but really haven't a clue of the ins and outs.

I'd be super grateful for your help

Browntoa

depends if its configured to support O2's 4g frequencies or not ,

http://www.4g.co.uk/4g-frequencies-uk-need-know/

The easiest way to see just how the networks stack up is perhaps to put it into a graph, as below:


It’s clear from the chart that EE is the only network that’s covering all its bases. It’s also worth bearing in mind that the more MHz of each spectrum a network has the better and more consistent the connection can be and the more future-proofed it is.

With that in mind EE is well prepared for future data demands, with a whole lot of 1.8GHz spectrum, which covers an ideal middle ground, as well as quite a lot of 2.6GHz spectrum and a bit of 800MHz spectrum.

O2 is on paper in the worst position, as while it has more 800MHz spectrum than any network other than Vodafone that’s all it has. So its 4G network should be good at covering rural areas and providing indoor coverage, but it’s not likely to have the same capacity as it rivals. On the other hand O2 has a large network of Wi-Fi hotspots to help out in city centres.

JJ_Egan

Informed guess says Samsung USA product will require sending to USA for warranty .
Likewise sale of goods act will not apply .

20aday

If you did go ahead and purchase the Note 5 SIM Free after weighing up the pros/cons your Note 5 would have to be compatible with Band 20 (I believe this is the band o2 UK use).

NFH

JJ_Egan wrote: »

Informed guess says Samsung USA product will require sending to USA for warranty .
Likewise sale of goods act will not apply .

You can make the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (or the Consumer Rights Act 2015 from 1st October 2015) apply if you pay with a UK credit card. Protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 can cause other UK legislation to apply to a purchase made outside the UK.

grumbler

NFH wrote: »

...Protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 can cause ... UK legislation to apply to a purchase made outside the UK.

Are you sure?
S75 applied to CC purchases is illogical from the start, but what you say makes it even more absurd.
My understanding is that the CC company is jointly liable with the supplier, but I don't think that UK legislation applies to foreign suppliers.

mobilejunkie

I think you'll find it does. There was a big concession to that a year or two back as I recall.

grumbler

I know it covers purchases abroad.
What I have serious doubts about is that it causes the "UK legislation to apply to a purchase made outside the UK" instead of the local legislation.

I.e. the supplier's liabilities are governed by the local legislation. So are the CC provider's liabilities under S75.

JJ_Egan

NFH wrote: »

You can make the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (or the Consumer Rights Act 2015 from 1st October 2015) apply if you pay with a UK credit card. Protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 can cause other UK legislation to apply to a purchase made outside the UK.

So big question .
I buy as above and indeed pay by credit card and have a small problem that requires fixing . By from UK and i return phone to vendor who returns it in two weeks fixed .
The vendor is in the USA and when i ask can they repair says sure send it to us .

I can understand the cc getting involved for major costs but £50 worth of repairs when its my own fault it was purchased outside of UK .

NFH

grumbler wrote: »

Are you sure?
S75 applied to CC purchases is illogical from the start, but what you say makes it even more absurd.
My understanding is that the CC company is jointly liable with the supplier, but I don't think that UK legislation applies to foreign suppliers.

Yes, I was told this by a leading firm of consumer solicitors. It is indeed surprising. It applies because one of the joint parties in the supply of the goods or service is in the UK and is therefore subject to UK legislation.

wendy1201

All I want to say is you are so professional! :T