[Wayne]

It looks like the iPhone4 will have a $450 premium if you want to buy it without signing a 3 year contract. That works out to $12.50 per month over the three year period. Does anyone have data for what the difference you would pay in monthly fees under the two scenarios - ie. with a fixed term contract that you must sign when buying an iPhone vs just getting a voice+data plan with Rogers without a phone subsidy?

 

[jaazzman]

Where did you get the $450 price? Nothing has been "officially" announced, however CBC had a report yesterday that stated $659 for the 16GB and $779 for the 32GB.

$450 sounds more like an upgrade price for exising users.

 

[Terry Wilcox]

As far as I can tell, you pay the same plan fees whether you have a contract or not.

There's a subsidy for buying a phone on contract, but no price break for supplying your own phone.

 

[Terry Wilcox]

Where did you get the $450 price? Nothing has been "officially" announced, however CBC had a report yesterday that stated $659 for the 16GB and $779 for the 32GB.

$450 sounds more like an upgrade price for exising users.

$450 premium, not cost. $450 more than subsidized price.

 

[jaazzman]

Oops. Must need more coffee.

 

[TorontoColin]

Well if you were to buy it off contract there are a few potential money-saving advantages. For one, if you want to go pre-paid or if you don't want data you could save a lot, but you'd have to bring your own unlocked version. Also, if you have a grandfathered legacy plan you will have much better luck keeping it if you have your own unlocked iPhone (they don't even need to know it's an iPhone).

If you're looking at their current plans the cost is the same. The only potential money-saving advantage there is the ability to leave should Bell or Telus offer something better.

 

[Wayne]

The only potential money-saving advantage there is the ability to leave should Bell or Telus offer something better.

I guess the other advantage would be the possiblility to throw in a SIM card from a different carrier if you spent a fair bit of time in other countries.

 

[Coop]

I don't think the phone will be unlocked, that would still have to be done to move to another carrier or use it in another country. You might as well buy one through ebay and find a deal there.

 

[cooper83]

I don't think the phone will be unlocked

What do you mean?

Apple is offering the phone unlocked directly from them.
iPhones sold through the carriers will be locked, as per usual.

 

[Coop]

he is talking about buying it from Rogers... no?

 

[Wayne]

I was origingally talking about buying it from Rogers but in hindsight it would make no sense to buy it from Rogers if you can buy it from Apple for $10 more and get it unlocked. I was assuming that the no-contract phone from Rogers would be unlocked but that is probably a bad assumption.

 

[cooper83]

he is talking about buying it from Rogers... no?

Yes, my mistake. Too many threads floating around discussing locked/unlocked/jailbreaking/etc!