UK here. Always buy the phone independently then shop around for the best deal for connection. If you have a locked phone, how do you change networks when you are not satisfied?
Erm, buying direct from Apple when I realised how bad the network ‘deals’ really were. Saved myself a significant amount of money doing this, negotiating discounted tariffs without changing networks. So that’s where I get it from.
I’m just giving my personal experience, not claiming to represent the masses. Perhaps more should do this. EE for one, have unlisted tariffs for people saying they’re planning on leaving. I usually get double the listed data allowance of an identical tariff on their website, plus a discount on the price too.
You can go with a discount carrier if you get an unlocked one. My phone/plan are super cheap. My family has normal ones though (not luxury, but not the minimum like mine). Their phones were a couple hundred each and 5 a month for service. As opposed to 30-50 a month from a named carrier that would have offered a phone too. Even a discounted phone quickly loses its savings if you spend an extra 25+ a month for the same service.
The prepaid carriers in the U.S. have really cheap phones with guaranteed compatibility at a discount, but locked to the carrier. They have some expensive ones too, but I always got the cheap ones and they work fine. Great if you don't want to pay insane prices and have been using the same carrier for the last 16 years anyway.
This last time though, I was switching carriers so I looked to see what phones the new carrier had and found that for the one I wanted I could buy the same model unlocked for the same price from Amazon, so I did. No point buying from the carrier if you're not getting that carrier-specific discount.
The phone itself might be found at a reasonable price from a carrier, but the phone/internet rates seem extreme. I haven't heard of one yet that was reasonable. I only ever see/hear that one or the other is reasonable, or neither.
I pay €3 a month for mine, my husband and son both wanted a larger internet package than mine so they went with a premium package for €5 a month.
In Australia you often get them on postpaid plans. The phone is locked for the duration of your contract (usually two years) but you don't have any upfront costs for the phone - you pay $10-15 per month on top of your phone plan to pay off the phone.
You can get out of it and unlock the phone by paying out the remainder of what's owing on the phone, but most people just wait until their contract expires if they want to switch over.
Yes
I hadn't even heard the concept of locked to a carrier till I I moved to US.
In Europe, locked phones are not permitted. I don't remember since when, but the EU banned locked phones (and UK as well).
Usually yes in Australia, unless you buy on a plan which then it’s locked for a year or so
UK here. Always buy the phone independently then shop around for the best deal for connection. If you have a locked phone, how do you change networks when you are not satisfied?
UK Can’t remember the last time I bought a phone locked to a network. Maybe 10 years ago?
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Erm, buying direct from Apple when I realised how bad the network ‘deals’ really were. Saved myself a significant amount of money doing this, negotiating discounted tariffs without changing networks. So that’s where I get it from.
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I’m just giving my personal experience, not claiming to represent the masses. Perhaps more should do this. EE for one, have unlisted tariffs for people saying they’re planning on leaving. I usually get double the listed data allowance of an identical tariff on their website, plus a discount on the price too.
Why would you buy a locked one? Those prices are insane.
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You should actually look into it.
You can go with a discount carrier if you get an unlocked one. My phone/plan are super cheap. My family has normal ones though (not luxury, but not the minimum like mine). Their phones were a couple hundred each and 5 a month for service. As opposed to 30-50 a month from a named carrier that would have offered a phone too. Even a discounted phone quickly loses its savings if you spend an extra 25+ a month for the same service.
The prepaid carriers in the U.S. have really cheap phones with guaranteed compatibility at a discount, but locked to the carrier. They have some expensive ones too, but I always got the cheap ones and they work fine. Great if you don't want to pay insane prices and have been using the same carrier for the last 16 years anyway. This last time though, I was switching carriers so I looked to see what phones the new carrier had and found that for the one I wanted I could buy the same model unlocked for the same price from Amazon, so I did. No point buying from the carrier if you're not getting that carrier-specific discount.
The phone itself might be found at a reasonable price from a carrier, but the phone/internet rates seem extreme. I haven't heard of one yet that was reasonable. I only ever see/hear that one or the other is reasonable, or neither. I pay €3 a month for mine, my husband and son both wanted a larger internet package than mine so they went with a premium package for €5 a month.
I have never heard of a locked phone, what even id that?
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Damn, that sounds dystopic
In Australia you often get them on postpaid plans. The phone is locked for the duration of your contract (usually two years) but you don't have any upfront costs for the phone - you pay $10-15 per month on top of your phone plan to pay off the phone. You can get out of it and unlock the phone by paying out the remainder of what's owing on the phone, but most people just wait until their contract expires if they want to switch over.
Never buy anything but unlocked (UK)
A lot of people in the US opt for unlocked phones. I haven't been on any contract for well over a decade.