Cell phone questions

Hi there, yes we unlocked our i phones prior to arrival. Once here we bought a zain sim card...and that's it. No problems at all. Good luck with the move!!

How do you get ipones unlocked? Can I use the ipone 4 there?

I currently use an i-phone 4... no problem. However, the unlocking part is another story. Also, though I don't know for sure, make sure that the phone you have actually has a sim card (mini sim for i-phones) slot. I think most of the phones in the US do not have this (anymore).

Good luck!

yes u can unlock it once u reach here , and here its micro sim , when u purchase a zain or wataniya sim ,there they will cut that sim into micro shape , and u can use it here

....

sad, iSheep, so bedazzled by the iCommunity.

android & proud

crittle i'd heed the words of SCG, hes in the business. if ur iphone is locked to your GSM back home, and as SCG said does not have a mini-sim-card, then it would be very difficult/costly to unlock.

there are a myriad of offers here on data lines with iphones being given dirt cheap, check zain, wataniya or viva for said offers.

I got my iPhone from Qatar and I'm pretty sure it is an unlocked phone. Geez its all these little things you have to sort out. Leaving Qatar in 7days to go back to Bonny Scotland before heading to Kuwait eekkk so excited

What are the phone companies there? I take it Vodafone isn't there?
Ally

Wataniya
Zain
Viva

Which one is better for the iPhone charges?

Yeah, I thought about the whole SIM card issue after I posted this. My phone won't work there. I will just get an android when I get there. Happy, legacy? I actually had an android before this...it had battery problems. I only got the iPhone because I knew the battery would last more than 4 hours. Just won't have that SAME android phone again!

I have spoken to some of my colleagues and I've heard mixed stories about the unlocking of phones in the states. But the skiny is this:
1. If you bought your phone as part of plan (meaning paid little/free for it) then the phone is looked at like a lease until the contract is up. If this is the case, they will not unlock the phone as it is in the contract agreement.
2. If you bought the phone outright, then they should. However, I did hear stories about the phone companies not doing it. It's a money thing.

I do feel as though you can play hard ball with them and they will for the second instance. Just mention a lawyer. They tend to cave rather quickly when it becomes a legal issue.

Good luck!

Satcomguy wrote:

I have spoken to some of my colleagues and I've heard mixed stories about the unlocking of phones in the states. But the skiny is this:
1. If you bought your phone as part of plan (meaning paid little/free for it) then the phone is looked at like a lease until the contract is up. If this is the case, they will not unlock the phone as it is in the contract agreement.
2. If you bought the phone outright, then they should. However, I did hear stories about the phone companies not doing it. It's a money thing.

I do feel as though you can play hard ball with them and they will for the second instance. Just mention a lawyer. They tend to cave rather quickly when it becomes a legal issue.

Good luck!

I have been told that AT&T will now unlock them, but it is still under contract. I recently got a free phone offer though. I was thinking of using that free phone (Windows phone) for my US number since I won't be using it as much over there. I just don't know if AT&T will do it. Not even sure if i should bother, since there is no sim card slot.

Thanks for all the help though!

I was going to take a small iPod touch, with a preloaded app like Tango on it (to call home to the States) from a wifi area.  Then as soon as possible, just get one of the plans there in Kuwait.  Do we have to wait for our id card and all that to be processed before we can actually get a phone?  Realistically, from the time I land, how long do you think it will take to get a phone, and how much will I have to put down for it (I am arriving with limited funds)?

lme wrote:

I was going to take a small iPod touch, with a preloaded app like Tango on it (to call home to the States) from a wifi area.  Then as soon as possible, just get one of the plans there in Kuwait.  Do we have to wait for our id card and all that to be processed before we can actually get a phone?  Realistically, from the time I land, how long do you think it will take to get a phone, and how much will I have to put down for it (I am arriving with limited funds)?

Well lme,
  Using the internet is by far the most cost effective way to communicate anywhere in the world... even locally as it typically is all but free. Having said that, to get a phone here is cheep and easy. All you have to do is get a cheap phone when you land and buy calling cards. If all it is for is calling locally, this is by far the best way to go for an immedeate solution. You can even get a used cheap phone for as little as 10KD (~$35USD), perhaps even less.

But, to get a plan and have a monthly payment, you will need a civil ID and getting a civil ID can take (in my limited experiance and conversations) 2 weeks to 6 months (depending mostly on how important your employer views your services{at least that I've noticed}).

Hope this helps!
Cheers!

ksfm12 wrote:

How do you get ipones unlocked? Can I use the ipone 4 there?

Hi, For UK telecom , There are ways to unlock an Iphone. I did unlock an Iphone which is from orange- UK through a service provider named prounlocking.com and got the instructions for unlocking at mobileunlockguide.com

lme

u can get a prepaid plan without the need for an paperwork

Is there also prepaid with use of internet on your phone. Because not staying long time, but still want to use internet some times.