[JoeFigueiredo]

So I do not own a personal wireless device or plan currently (only a work-provided one).

When I call Telus, Bell or Rogers they seem to not want to budget on their advertised plans, offering deals only with what is currently advertised.

What are some of the tactics to use to try and get their agents to start discounting real things like the price of the plan or increasing voice/data limits?

For example, on Telus' $50 plan as advertised, they were only willing to give me unlimited voice for the first month and unlimited calling from 6pm onwards. I wanted to get it down to $45 or 40 a month OR for $50 get 1GB of data.

 

[JoeFigueiredo]

I just realized I posted this in the wrong forum. Could one of the admins move it?

Sorry.

 

[JoeFigueiredo]

Thanks for the reply. Problem is I spend time at my cottage north-west of Huntsville (near Sprucedale Ontario) and ideally want a carrier that gives me service there. Would any of the non-big 3 likely do this?

 

[JoeFigueiredo]

Getting iPhone 4 and then iPhone 5: Cost-effective plan?

I'll state up front that I have never had a personal wireless device or plan, so I'm trying to understand some of the "rules" in this area.

Please correct me if I am wrong in thinking through this cost scenario:

I buy an iPhone 4 32GB now on a 3 year plan for $305 including tax.
When iPhone 5 is about to be available I sell the iPhone 4 for (hopefully) about $300. As an aside question, do you think I would get this much for it?
I then buy an iPhone 5 32GB from Apple and use it on my same plan. This costs me $870 (I understand we don't know the pricing, but just making an assumption).

Thus, I should not lose hardly any money by getting an iPhone 4 now and then switching to an iPhone 5 later.

Does this scenario make sense? Will the carrier allow me to sell the iPhone 4 and then continue on the plan with the new device?

 

[JoeFigueiredo]

Great! Well if that comes true, and the assumption that the iPhone 5 is the same price as the 4 is also true, then technically when I buy the iPhone 5 it will only cost me $675 instead of $870, right?

 

[JoeFigueiredo]

Recneps, good points. I would not make that many calls, but would just require voice available as I have no landline phone there.

However, I would like to also have internet (i.e. data), so the roaming on the data charges would also have to be considered. So how much would the roaming be on data (if I'm using let's say 50mb/month roaming + the couple calls I'd make). Would it still be worth it to go with a non-big carrier?

Finally, re: Wind. I also live in Burlington. Would Wind cover that area as their core area?

 

[JoeFigueiredo]

That's true about the fullprice iPhone and 3 year contract. So net-net I'd have an iPhone 5 with a 3 yr contract that would have cost me $400 more then it should (i.e. if I just waited or got the 4 now and forgot about the 5).

But that would be the price I'd pay to get the 4 now and the 5 later.

All of this of course if assuming the carrier of choice wouldn't allow me to upgrade to an iPhone 5 later for the subsidized cost. I heard since I would still be new to them and would not have "made up" the price of the phone yet, they likely would not allow this, but others have said there was a case when it did happen.

The reason I want the iPhone is because there are several distinct types of services/apps I really want:
1. I need a voice phone outside of my work one to conduct some personal business I'm starting up.
2. I want internet radio, as I have long commutes and would like to have that service.
3. I want location-based apps for finding cheap gas, shopping, food/drink.
4. I need a GPS service that gives me real-time traffic updates as I'm driving as given my long-commute during rush hour I'd like to have a continual better way around traffic back-ups.
5. I want a phone that can also function as an e-reader so I can read books on it. This is a nice-to-have, but means I'd lean more towards a larger phone.
1, 2, and 4 I need/want right now. The others I can wait for.

I'd go for an Android device, as I'm open to that. I'm not fond of Samsung products though, but if it was short-term it would be alright.

It doesn't have to be just an iPhone.
Also, I think it would be more like 7 months that I'd live with the phone, not 5 months (it was early August/10 that the iPhone 4 came out I believe...could be wrong).

 

[JoeFigueiredo]

Interesting about Wind...that may be the way to go. That being said, since Wind would support the Nexus S.

What is your opinion about picking up the Nexus S (full price) from a store in the US and getting it onto the Wind network? Any caveats with that?

 

[JoeFigueiredo]

The only thing about the Nexus' is that the S is a plastic feeling phone, whereas the One is solid. However, the One is dated and Google may not continue to update it.

That leaves me back at the iPhone scenario.

 

[JoeFigueiredo]

Yes, that is what I was thinking too. The phones are HOT, so I don't think there's too much worry about continuing along with the upgrades.

However, if I sign up NOW for a 3 yr plan, the carrier may not offer me an upgrade option by the summertime when the iPhone 5 comes out as I would still be considered new. I would then have to wait (not that I would necessarily need to upgrade right away).

 

[JoeFigueiredo]

And likely slimmer, lighter, better form factor ... All these things would be things I would be looking for.

I'm really undecided right now between iPhone 4, nexus s by waiting for it, or waiting for a dual core android phone.

Issue is my bday is coming up early february and wife wants to get me the phone, so I either say wait or get me the iPhone.

 

[JoeFigueiredo]

Do you think it's worth waiting for the new phones coming out, or to just go for a nexus s right now.

Also, I live one and a half hours from the border. Would the best way to get a nexus s to just go to a bb USA and by one, then bring it back and set it up on wind?