My daughters cell phone is going on the blink which wenhave anpost paid plan with. We aren't wanting to lock into a 3 year contract with Bell Mobility with the iPhones they sells(our only carrier here). I'm a bit clueless about what unlocking is. Can we buy an unlocked iPhone (eBay,etc.) and somehow use it on a post paid plan with Bell Mobility?

I believe you can buy an "Unlocked" phone directly from Apple.
It will not be assigned to any particular carrier. When you choose a carrier you will purchase one of their SIM Cards to put into your phone to make it active on the carriers network.

DavidH

Are you planning on pulling the SIM card from her old phone and putting it in an unlocked iPhone? (you can)

So, that would be just like the iPad? I'd provide my credit card info, etc. and we'd have service?

I believe you can buy an "Unlocked" phone directly from Apple.

Keep in mind that if you do buy from Apple, you pay full retail for the phone. A base model 16 GB iPhone 4S is $649 right now. I have an unlocked iPhone 4 32 GB I bought direct from Apple at over $900 with Applecare.

There is no discount available as there is when you buy a locked Bell iPhone likely worth only $200 or so with a three year contract. Since you don't want a locked phone or a contract, your only option is to look for a used unlocked iPhone and they still sell for a pretty high price.

While jail breaking does unlock an iPhone, as I understand it, it's a pain in the rear to update as you are at the mercy of the unlock program to update the iOS when changes are made.

The locked version from Bell or the unlocked version from Apple would accept those upgrades problem free. It was more than I wanted to mess with in my case and I chose to pay the premium to Apple for the unlocked phone.

The unlocked iPhone 3Gs on eBay are going for roughly $250. So, all we would do is get a Bell SIM and purchase a data plan (500MB-$20)?

The unlocked iPhone 3Gs on eBay are going for roughly $250. So, all we would do is get a Bell SIM and purchase a data plan (500MB-$20)?

That sounds like a solution, but be careful that 'unlocked' is truly unlocked and not 'jailbroken' to avoid future update issues. ;)

Any "unlocked" phone selling for $250 isn't genuinely carrier-unlocked and thus will not remain unlocked if you upgrade iOS. The unlock will have to be re-done (if possible, and so far in iOS 5 it hasn't been possible) after each iOS upgrade.

The good news is that the 3GS is likely at or very near the end of its upgradability.

No point in buying an unlocked phone just to sign up with bell, unless you travel a lot, and plan to use different sim cards from different providers.

Let me explain what unlocking is. When a phone is unlocked, it allows you to use it with any provider (bell, rogers, fido, telus, etc..) given that phone is compatible on their network.

From your description, i would say all you need is a used locked bell iphone. Locked just means you can only use it with bell. You don't need to sign a contract if you already have a locked phone. You may have to pay an activation fee though. Its only a one time fee. If i recall correctly, its a $35 fee.

Just be aware that if you do buy a locked phone, it has to be locked to the provider you decide to go with. For example, you can't use a locked rogers iphone on the bell network. For rogers, you would need a rogers locked phone.

As someone already mentioned, most iphones on the used market that claim to be unlocked are only software unlocked. Which means if you ever upgrade the software, you phone goes back to being locked, unless you there's new unlocking software, and you know how to do the upgrade.

I say stick with a used locked bell phone, since you are going with bell anyways.

Any "unlocked" phone selling for $250 isn't genuinely carrier-unlocked and thus will not remain unlocked if you upgrade iOS. The unlock will have to be re-done (if possible, and so far in iOS 5 it hasn't been possible) after each iOS upgrade.


This is inaccurate. Just confirm the iPhone is *factory* unlocked. In the last month off of local Craigslist I have bought a factory unlocked iPhone 3G for $150 and a factory unlocked 3GS for $260.

This is inaccurate. Just confirm the iPhone is *factory* unlocked. In the last month off of local Craigslist I have bought a factory unlocked iPhone 3G for $150 and a factory unlocked 3GS for $260.

You're right. I should have said "LIKELY not to be factory-unlocked." Mea culpa.

You're right. I should have said "LIKELY not to be factory-unlocked." Mea culpa.

Whew !!
Glad we got that straightened out!!
:clap:

The 3GS also still sells directly from Apple unlocked for $375

I got a free iPhone 3gs from my brother-in-law. This is my first cell phone ever.

The sim card was removed prior to my taking ownership. As was the sim card tray..... I went to SaskTel to get a card. BTW, that's when I found out the tray was missing. Travelled across town to a store that sells sim card trays. Bought a tray for $10 and noticed that they sold bongs, too. Didn't need a bong. Went back to SaskTel (Jump.ca) and got my card. That's when I found out the phone was locked. Was told to go back to the bong dealer and get it unlocked for $40. Instead I went home. Found out that the phone's previous carrier was Rogers. Not interested in going with Rogers. So it began. I spent many hours sifting through information, checking and double checking the jailbreak/unlock process for a 3gs. Finally found a process that seemed popular. Went through many steps and got it working on IOS 4.1 and firmware 06.15.00. Then I tried upgrading to IOS 5.1 using another lengthy process. All went well except not really. Everything was there but I couldn't get a service connection. Tinkered with it for several hours more but no luck. Went through another lengthy process as I downgraded back to IOS 4.1 and firmware 06.15.00. We're good once again, phone works fine.

Morale of this story? Tear it apart if you can afford to do so. Since the phone was free to me I went for it because, as with all previous experiences like this, it's an excellent learning opportunity. Hacking the crap out of my phone I learnt more in 2 days about what makes it tick than some people who have had phones for years.

Are you planning on pulling the SIM card from her old phone and putting it in an unlocked iPhone? (you can)

I don't believe her phone has an SIM card. At least not removable.

Morale of this story? Tear it apart if you can afford to do so. Since the phone was free to me I went for it because, as with all previous experiences like this, it's an excellent learning opportunity. Hacking the crap out of my phone I learnt more in 2 days about what makes it tick than some people who have had phones for years.

Or, just post a local ad to trade a locked Rogers 3GS for a SaskTel one. I've done this before for Rogers/Fido and Fido/Bell and usually get a trade within days. Given that I like to run the developer preview and the latest iOS I don't want to have to wait around for the next jailbreak/unlock.

I don't believe her phone has an SIM card. At least not removable.

Bell (or whoever) can usually switch your account from a phone to a SIM, which then you should be able to put into the iPhone. Make to to take into account if you have data or your account or not and if you need it.

All iPhones sold in Canada have SIM cards. The only ones that don't are the special iPhone 4 model sold by Verizon and Sprint.

How do you know the phone they have now is an iPhone? They are looking to buy an iPhone.

All iPhones sold in Canada have SIM cards. The only ones that don't are the special iPhone 4 model sold by Verizon and Sprint.

Back to this thread I posted. My son is going to college this Fall and needs another phone as his present one is on the way out. Let's say he purchased a used iPhone locked to Bell. So, what I gather is this: He would go to a Bell store and pay the activation fee to get a phone number assigned to it along with the monthly plan for using it as a phone. Now, the data plan is something altogether different, right? He would insert the SIM card and purchase the 500MB plan ($20 a month), correct? So, all in all, to use the iPhone without a contract, it will still cost roughly $50 a month. That's what I am figuring.

sounds right...i'm unlocking both of my 3gs phones now to sell...even though they are locked to Bell

He would go to a Bell store and pay the activation fee to get a phone number assigned to it along with the monthly plan for using it as a phone. Now, the data plan is something altogether different, right? He would insert the SIM card and purchase the 500MB plan ($20 a month), correct? So, all in all, to use the iPhone without a contract, it will still cost roughly $50 a month. That's what I am figuring.

Since the phone is not technically on contract, you wouldn't need to buy a data plan straight up with your regular plan. However, it seems that Bell has a great voice & data plan for $50. You get 300 Minutes & 500 MB of data + all the other features they have. By the way, Bell is offering 100 minutes more for your plan in N&L than in Ontario... Lucky! Voice and Data plan from Bell Mobility | Bell Canada (http://www.bell.ca/Mobility/Cell_phone_plans/Voice_and_Data_plans)

Since The Phone Is Not Technically On Contract, You Wouldn't Need To Buy A Data Plan Straight Up With Your Regular Plan. However, It Seems That Bell Has A Great Voice & Data Plan For $50. You get 300 Minutes & 500 MB of Data + All The Other Features They Have. By The Way, Bell Is Offering 100 Minutes More For Your Plan In N&L Than In Ontario... Lucky! Voice and Data plan from Bell Mobility | Bell Canada (http://www.bell.ca/Mobility/Cell_phone_plans/Voice_and_Data_plans)

Not to derail this thread, but why do you capitalize every word? It makes your posts much harder to read.

It's not an attack, it's a genuine question.

Not to derail this thread, but why do you capitalize every word? It makes your posts much harder to read.

It's not an attack, it's a genuine question.

You are right about it being very hard to read. So hard, in fact, I just skip it.

Kinda Weird Eh???

Not to derail this thread, but why do you capitalize every word? It makes your posts much harder to read.

It's not an attack, it's a genuine question.

I can't believe everyone's been telling me this. I did it because I felt like it's nicer to look at. I edited the post so that you can read it. For me, reading the text is no different than reading other kinds of text.

^

Nice to hear you admit that it is done only for you. Thanks for making it readable for us. ;)

I can't believe everyone's been telling me this. I did it because I felt like it's nicer to look at. I edited the post so that you can read it. For me, reading the text is no different than reading other kinds of text.

Thousands of years of written word vs. what you felt was nicer to look at... Hmmm.

(BTW, utterly unreadable all words capitalized. There's a reason the rest of the English written world doesn't do this.)

Thousands of years of written word vs. what you felt was nicer to look at... Hmmm.

(BTW, utterly unreadable all words capitalized. There's a reason the rest of the English written world doesn't do this.)

Not to mention this is a tough crowd too!!

I checked my locked Virgin iPhone on the Bell website and it says that I have to bring my
iPhone into a store to see if I can switch to Bell, Why have a IMEI lookup if they don't even know if it would work for sure?

Anyways, I think I might have to take it into the Bell store,
They are offering a better plan for Talk, Text and Data than Virgin

Just wondering though, Am I switching providers if Bell owns Virgin?

Ihappen to know that a Bell phone will work on Virgin and vice versa!

Ended up getting a used iPhone 4 for my son that is locked to Bell. That's okay because Bell is the main carrier around these parts.

When I sold my old 3G on Kijiji last year, I advertised it as locked to Rogers and the contract was up. The kid that bought it had his father phone me and had a fit that he couldn't get it to work on Telus.I sent him a copy of the original ad and asked him what was it that wasn't clear? There are people that advertise right on Kijiji that they will unlock iPhones for $20. I also phoned Rogers and they would do it for me for $50. I had to verify that I sold it to him and give them permission to unlock it, After that it was all his to do whatever he wanted to do with it. He still got a heck of a deal even after paying to unlock it. Myself, I would not have a clue on how do to the unlock.

Activated it today with no issue. Stuck with the $25 monthly post-paid plan for now until my son heads off to college. May go with the 1 year $35 monthly contract. That includes the Fab 10 numbers nationwide.