I have some questions on behalf of my dad. He's looking to get the 16gb iPhone 4S purely for data to use for a year or two (he'll be using it in conjunction with his Blackberry). However, after he's finished with it he will likely give it to my sister. So which of the following scenarios makes the most sense:
A) Sign on for a 3-year term for $160 and min. $50 plan/month. $1800 (50*36) over three years plus one-time cost of $160 = $1960. This would allow for my sister to use it after him, but is potentially wasting ~$25/month for voice portion of the plan when he's using it.
B) Buy it unlocked for $650. Use Telus' Flex data plan for tablets, varying from $5 - $35/month (is this possible?). And then when my sister starts using it, she could use any plan (probs around $45?). $650 +(avg. $20/month for data * 12 = $240) + ($45 * 24 = $1080) = $1970.
Unless my math or thinking is wrong, the prices seem pretty even. Is there not really a right answer or am I missing another scenario? Thanks very much in advance.
I tell my solution just for data on my iPhone 4s. I use speakout in Canada it has unlimited data for only $10 a month pay as you go service with .25 per minute voice calls. So far the service is still wide open for now on my unlocked iPhone. It's worth checking it out.
I've never read of someone successfully getting one activated with data only (or even tried recently since tablets became popular)....you'd probably need to just activate the sim card and tell them your "tablet" is at home. Or tell them its an iPad?
I tell my solution just for data on my iPhone 4s. I use speakout in Canada it has unlimited data for only $10 a month pay as you go service with .25 per minute voice calls. So far the service is still wide open for now on my unlocked iPhone. It's worth checking it out.
Does the Speakout 10$ / month data have any port limitations? Can you do any tethering ?
Thanks again for the replies; if the following can work, we'll pick it up unlocked and outright. @Tomato9876 and anyone else: the sim cards for tablets should be compatible though right? Or because it's unlocked and no contract could I simply buy a reg. phone sim card and still use a tablet data plan or some other data-only plan?
If you want to stay with Telus, then consider Telus prepaid.
No contract and 1 GB of data per month for $30/month, and as you need no call time or SMS, you wouldn't need to pay for that if you don't use it. $30/month is all you would pay. Simple. http://www.telusmobility.com/en/ON/p.../add-ons.shtml
Thanks for everyone's help; we picked up his iPhone on Sunday no problem. When picking up the micro sim the Telus rep. gave me a little bit of a scare when continuing to inquire about his new 'tablet'. But we got it done and it works perfectly (esp. w/ flex plan).
Nevermind. I may need some help. A rep. just emailed me today:
Upon review of your account, I see that although advised that you could not activate your iPhone on a Tablet plan, you have done so via self serve. You will need to change this rate plan, as it will not work on your iPhone. If you do not change the plan, you will be billed for all usage at a Pay Per Use charge, as this plan is not compatible with your equipment. If you would like to see how you are being charged, you may view your data usage, by following the steps below:
1. Log in to www.telusmobility.com/youraccount
2. If several accounts are linked to your username, select the wireless number you wish to manage from the Phone Number field at the top right hand side of the page
3. From the "Billing" tab, select either "view your airtime usage" or "view your data usage" under the "Usage summary" heading
The date and time stamp is in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). To calculate the time of the transaction, take the indicated GMT time and subtract the hours ahead of your time zone:
For Pacific Standard Time:
Standard Time: Subtract 8 hours
Daylight Saving Time: Subtract 7 hours
You may choose any of the Voice, or the Voice and Data plans, and complete a rateplan change online, by following the steps below:
1. Log in to www.telusmobility.com/youraccount
2. If several accounts are linked to your username, select the wireless number you wish to manage from the Phone Number field at the top right hand side of the page
3. From the "Plans & add-ons" heading section on the Overview page or from the “Plans & add-ons” tab, select "Change your rate plan"
4. Confirm your phone type
5. Select the rate plan of your choice (Note: some plans cannot be changed online)
6. Compare your current and new plan details along with any service changes, then click "Continue"
7. Please review and select “Confirm changes"
I have also created a follow-up on your account, to confirm that your rate plan has been changed. If it has not been changed by that time, we will change it for you, to the Voice 20 plan, as you are not on a plan eligible for your equipment.
"
So I guess the alternative would be Telus prepaid or Bell (http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...ng-Tablet-Plan)
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Tablet plan data works just fine as long as you change the APN on the phone properly.
Must be isp.telus.com
Leaving at the default of sp.telus.com results in pay per use charges. The tablet plans do not support using the sp.telus.com APN. The email is correct about that point. You would see the charges almost immediately in the data usage section of the website as they are posted to the account.
If you bought the iphone unlocked you would never have to tell Telus that it was an iphone device. Just tell them you are using an ipad, if they say it looks like an iphone is attached to the line then tell them you tested it for a few minutes with an iphone the day you got it but switched back to the ipad. Tell them the SIM is currently in an ipad, it's been in the ipad ever since that test. Tell them you were using the wrong APN settings at first but that technical support helped you fix it up and thanks for the warning.
The ipad can easily be setup with that wrong APN and it would incur those exact same pay per use charges if you did it like that so it shouldn't even sound strange if you explain it like that.
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We think everyone should be able to afford a wireless phone. That's why we were the first wireless company in North America to offer pay-by-the-second airtime, and why we don't charge an activation fee. NO scary contract to sign. Immediate national coverage. And a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. Yes, it's finally time to get a wireless phone.
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Unfortunately, I am not smart enough to realize that hahhaah. I replied to them before seeing your post with the following:
"
Thanks for the reply. I'm sorry, I had went to a Telus dealer in-store and they had activated it for me without problems.
I do have a couple more questions.
1) Could you please possibly then explain why it says in the fine print "if a SIM card is installed on a voice device, airtime is charged at $1.00 per minute". Tablets don't really classify as voice devices, while smartphones do.
2) Are there any other data-only plans that Telus offers for smartphones then? Because otherwise I'll unfortunately have my dad switch to another carrier. Bell, for example, offers a similar data-only plan that is available for smartphones.
If there are no other solutions I will change the plan/deactivate it on Saturday (my dad will be out of town until Friday). I'm sorry if I have caused any inconvenience.
"
What I'll think I'll do is wait for the reply and see if they fall for my bluff (we have four accounts). If end up offering the plan or something comparable I'll take it. If not, I'll tell them I'll switch carriers for my father's phone and just use the already purchased micro sim for our existing 'iPad'. Then I'll switch the the phones APN to isp.telus.com, which I just access in the phone settings and don't have to do change anything on my Telus account? But if that doesn't work, we'll just have to bite the costs and then switch to Bell for my dad.
I do have one question though: my father bought it directly from the Apple Store and thus unlocked, so how does Telus recognize that it's an iPhone?
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Originally Posted by kodakball
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