recommendations on iphone/smartphone, and best/cheapest service plans

[Guillermo]

my phone is expiring in a month and i'm thinking about getting a smartphone. i am wondering if you guys can give me any advice regarding the best phones and service plans. i talked with my brother who had had a ton of different phones, and he said the iPhone 4 is the best phone he's ever had.

can you guys give recommendations on the best phone, and were is the cheapest place to get it? Are there any good android phones that rival the iPhone? i saw the nexus phone at koodoo, how is that?

also, what's the best bang for your buck for a "standard" data plan? i hardly EVER talk on my phone or text, but I would use it frequently to check email and browse the web.

thanks

[Guillermo]

oh, and i'm looking for just a one-year contract, i looked at telus and it seems they only offer the iphone for a 3-year contract, unless you want to pay $600 for it.

is it possible to buy an iphone online somewhere, and then get service or do you have to actually buy it from a service provider?

[schocker]

I would say Galaxy S II, otherwise iphone 5/4GS is right around the corner. You will always pay alot on a one year, you only get the heavy discounts on a three year.

[K3RMiTdot]

Originally posted by schocker
I would say Galaxy S II, otherwise iphone 5/4GS is right around the corner. You will always pay alot on a one year, you only get the heavy discounts on a three year.

if hes going to get a 1 year contract he might as well not even sign a contract some phones prices are the same even when you sign 1 yr

[schocker]

Originally posted by K3RMiTdot


if hes going to get a 1 year contract he might as well not even sign a contract some phones prices are the same even when you sign 1 yr
Don't you get like $50 off if you have data/voice for 1 year :rofl:

[C_Dave45]

If you're only wanting to sign for one year, then no matter who you go with, or what phone you want, you will pay almost full retail price.

All the providers only give the big discounts on 3 yr plans. You can get smartphones for practically free, otherwise you're going to pay hundreds of dollars for one.

As to buying a phone separately and then getting it activated on a providers plan: you will pay full retail, or you have to risk buying a used one privately.

Best solution: Sign up for a 3 yr contract and get the full credit. :dunno:

I got an iPhone 3gs, 16 gig, for free, and my data/voice plan is a flat $100 a month:
Unlimited text/pic/vid messaging,
3 gigs data,
caller id,
500 daytime minutes
5 favorite numbers: free nationwide calling and texting
free evenings and weekends.

There's smaller/cheaper packages available as well.

[Guillermo]

thanks for all of they help guys. i've done quite a bit of looking at various plans, and also have been looking at phones and am now considering iPhone 4 or Google Nexus S.

Wind is offering an AMAZING plan right now, $29/month (no contract) for unlimited data, calls, texting, along with voicemail, call forwarding, etc. etc. etc. also, their roaming rates (anywhere outside of YYC basically) are only $0.25/min... nice thing is, it's only $0.25 roaming in US as compared with the $1.25/min that i'm paying on telus. so that seems like the best plan BY FAR.

Wind doesn't offer the iPhone 4 though, only the Nexus S. I've been reading reviews of iPhone 4 vs. Nexus S, and it seems that the iPhone is has better fit/finish and has better resolution and multimedia capabilities, but the Nexus has a bigger screen, better audio quality (phone and music on speaker).

so right now i'm thinking of just buying a Nexus S for $500, and then paying the $29 month service until I leave in a year.

any thoughts on this phone or the plan? seems like a great deal to me, but then again i'm a total dumbass when it comes to phones. i hardly talk or text anyhow LOL.

also, any thoughts about Wind coverage issues?

thanks again for the input guys, it's much appreciated! :thumbsup:

[GQBalla]

Where do you live ? Wind is good if you are within reception area.

The nexus s is a great phone. No need to use a custom rom.

That plan is awesome. But once again only if you have service within your area. Where you go usually. Stuff like that.

[Guillermo]

I live in Acadia, and work at the University. it seems the Wind coverage area is mostly limited to Calgary, and when you're outside that (even in chestermere), you're paying roaming which is $0.25/min for phone, or $0.10/25 kb data. that said, I hardly ever talk on my phone, and for $29/month I think that the roaming outside calgary would still be cheaper than i could get anywhere else. telus was telling me they could only give me a plan for 500MB for $45/month, and i'm not sure about phone minutes, voicemail, etc. also, Telus has INSANE roaming charges, especially in the US. Telus charges $1.25/min in the US, whereas Wind only charges $0.25/min.

so i think the Wind seems like the best deal, even if they don't have the best coverage and i would have to pay roaming anywhere outside YYC.

[Xaroxantu Zero]

If you're going for a Nexus S, you should check the Marketplace here. Lots of people selling it for a good price.

[jwslam]

Originally posted by Xaroxantu Zero
If you're going for a Nexus S, you should check the Marketplace here. Lots of people selling it for a good price.

Make sure it's the right version even if it's unlocked.

As for wind, note you're gonna have crappy reception in areas of thick walls and underground. i.e. I have no reception in MacKimmie basement and deep in the TFDL. At the same time, even if you connect to roaming, it doesn't work as roaming is disabled within WIND zones even though it says connected.

[Disoblige]

You're right, Wind is the best deal. I know lots of people on Wind and they are getting ridiculous deals on no-contract + unlimited everything. Damn, I got a little jealous every time they tell me.

[Guillermo]

Originally posted by jwslam

At the same time, even if you connect to roaming, it doesn't work as roaming is disabled within WIND zones even though it says connected.

a bit confused... you don't need roaming if you're in Wind zones tough, right? guess i'm not sure what you mean, can you elaborate?

can you tell me more about signal in concrete buildings? i very seldom go to the basement of mackimmie, but I live and work in concrete buildings. do you get service on above-ground floors in concrete buildings?

thanks! :thumbsup:

[Torrr]

Mobilicity is offering unlimited local calling + data for $25 a month right now, and the Nexus S is only $350 through them. May want to look into them rather than Wind.

[Guillermo]

^^hot damn, that's an even better deal, thanks for that! does anyone have mobilicity, and any comments about coverage/reception with them?

EDIT: and, if you prepay for 12 months of service, it brings the price down to $20/month! the only problem is their website says Nexus S is out of stock :(

[supe]

Here is my opinion, buy my Galaxy S.

http://forums.beyond.ca/st/339302/fs-samsung-galaxy-s-i9000m/

I'll be lowering the price too so you'll get a good deal. Generally speaking the Galaxy S is a better phone than the Nexus S, but there are pros and cons to both.

Only problem is that it doesnt work on Wind but if unlocked it can work on any of the other major carriers.

[Kavy]

Originally posted by supe
Generally speaking the Galaxy S is a better phone than the Nexus S, but there are pros and cons to both.


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
Galaxy S a better phone then the Nexus S? Please share what your on. I would like to know what "pro's" the Galaxy has over then nexus.

I would be willing to bet you could not find ONE single review site that would agree with your comment.


Originally posted by supe
Only problem is that it doesnt work on Wind but if unlocked it can work on any of the other major carriers.

All Nexus S phones are also unlocked.

[supe]

.
Originally posted by Kavy


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
Galaxy S a better phone then the Nexus S? Please share what your on. I would like to know what "pro's" the Galaxy has over then nexus.

I would be willing to bet you could not find ONE single review site that would agree with your comment.



All Nexus S phones are also unlocked.

I'm out right now, I'll find sources later.

Two things that are better off the top of my head, expandable memory and gorilla glass. Your turn.

[jwslam]

Originally posted by Guillermo


a bit confused... you don't need roaming if you're in Wind zones tough, right? guess i'm not sure what you mean, can you elaborate?

can you tell me more about signal in concrete buildings? i very seldom go to the basement of mackimmie, but I live and work in concrete buildings. do you get service on above-ground floors in concrete buildings?

thanks! :thumbsup:

Well you can disable your phone from roaming at all... but if for example I'm in the middle of TFDL where WIND signals don't penetrate, my phone will connect to Rogers which reaches where I'm at and hence roams. At the same time, though I'm connected, it doesn't actually let me use any roaming because I'm in Calgary.

[Guillermo]

so I called Mobilicity at Northland, and ended up buying the Nexus S from Mobilicity for $350. My Telus contract doesn't end for another month, but the summer promotion thing is ending in a week AND Mobilicity is for some reason discontinuing the phone, and they are SOLD OUT everywhere, including the main warehouse in Toronto. So I bought it today with the super cheap promo plan, and ended up getting the second to last one from Northland! Seems like I had pretty magical timing for getting such a SWEET deal on the phone. It's listed for $499 EVERYWHERE else I've looked.

I ended up going with a $40/month plan, which is essentially unlimited everything, including long distance anywhere in north america. i've haven't noticed any problems with reception, but then again i'm not sure to tell if I'm roaming or not.

One thing i'm worried about is incurring roaming data charges when my email checks itself every 5 minutes...