Database Users

Price @ T-Mobile! Really want to buy! Your opinion please...

Hey everyone, I hope this is useful for anyone else looking for the HD2 and are currently in a long term contract.
On T-mobile's tariff list, there is the HTC HD2 on a 18 month contract @ £13.50 (plus the phone cost of £195.73)
£13.50 x 18 = £243
£243 + £195.73 = £438.73
Currently that is cheaper than buying it SIM Free, and I can pay a good half of it, over 18 months. Does this sound good, or am I missing something here?
I am currently on a 24 month Orange Contract with a HTC Touch HD (Blackstone), it only started in January and it is my main contract with 800 Minutes, Internet, etc, etc, So i won't be using the T-Mobile SIM.
1. Is this worth doing? Or is it too much hassle and I am better of getting it SIM free?
2. Will the Phone from T-Mobile be Unlocked? (Apparently O2's HD2 are), if not, Can it be unlocked?
3. Will I enjoy this phone? I use a Touch HD, with a custom ROM, can't fault it, love the phone, love the keyboard, I am a long time WinMo user.
Thanks very much.
Any assistance will be much appreciated!

T-Mobile phones are nearly always locked and various reports here from people who've got one directly from T-Mobile have said that the HD2 from them is locked.
The ones supplied by O2 are also locked.
Both are very lightly branded by software. Externally there is no operator branding.
So you must factor in the price of unlocking the handset (around €22) as well as the fact that you'll have a HD2 with a CID of a branded phone.
I'm sure it's possible to buy one sim-free and unbranded from various places for around the same price of £460 (price of T-Mobile inc. contract + unlock fee), but I suppose the 'interest-free' way of doing it may appeal to you.

I've also heard that the o2 ones are locked but o2 will happily unlock it for you,they even have a link on their site for doing so apparently..

I really appreciate your comments, its been really helpful.
I will keep looking around for a HD2 SIM Free.
Any unlocking solutions? Like the one you have referred to as being 22 euros?
I had a look at o2's website, I can't seem to find the HD2 on their website, even then, they are not tariffs which look like they will be cheaper in the long run, oh well.
Thanks very much again.

terrytpot said:
I've also heard that the o2 ones are locked but o2 will happily unlock it for you,they even have a link on their site for doing so apparently..
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The problem is no one has actually had their HD2 unlocked by O2 for free so far. There's been no report of it happening on this forum at all. Someone from here said that they rang O2 and they said that they would unlock, but they'd have to wait 28 days and pay £15. Until it's been verified by a member on here that O2 will unlock via that link (and maybe even for free) it's just hearsay.
The link to get a HD2 unlocked for €22 is:
http://www.unlock-phone-htc.com/unlocking-htc-hd2.html
Some members here have used this service so should be good/safe to use.

kai_ said:
T-Mobile phones are nearly always locked and various reports here from people who've got one directly from T-Mobile have said that the HD2 from them is locked.
The ones supplied by O2 are also locked.
Both are very lightly branded by software. Externally there is no operator branding.
So you must factor in the price of unlocking the handset (around €22) as well as the fact that you'll have a HD2 with a CID of a branded phone.
I'm sure it's possible to buy one sim-free and unbranded from various places for around the same price of £460 (price of T-Mobile inc. contract + unlock fee), but I suppose the 'interest-free' way of doing it may appeal to you.
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Click to collapse
HD2 from Mobiles,co.uk are all unbranded and unlocked as far as I am aware. I got mine from them on Vodaphone, no branding , am using Orange sim in it at the moment......

I bought mine from http://www.mobilephonesdirect.co.uk/
Same price as from tmobile but unlocked and stock ROM. also 3 months free insurance.

kjt57 said:
HD2 from Mobiles,co.uk are all unbranded and unlocked as far as I am aware. I got mine from them on Vodaphone, no branding , am using Orange sim in it at the moment......
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that is exactly my story too lol, had mine delivered from mobiles.co.uk on monday on a voda contract, 30 quid a month and half price for 6 months, but using my orange sim as got 8 months left on the contract!

I had this thought the other day about buying with a contract, if it was about the same price, as a way of cheap financing (no interest!). But, I am in the U.S. I'm thinking they would probably flag this somehow when the billing address shows up as being in the U.S.? ... What do y'all think?

ugarhino said:
I had this thought the other day about buying with a contract, if it was about the same price, as a way of cheap financing (no interest!). But, I am in the U.S. I'm thinking they would probably flag this somehow when the billing address shows up as being in the U.S.? ... What do y'all think?
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You can only get a contract with a carrier in your country of residence! They'd have a hard time recovering debt if you decided not to pay 3000 miles away lol

kai_ said:
The problem is no one has actually had their HD2 unlocked by O2 for free so far. There's been no report of it happening on this forum at all. Someone from here said that they rang O2 and they said that they would unlock, but they'd have to wait 28 days and pay £15. Until it's been verified by a member on here that O2 will unlock via that link (and maybe even for free) it's just hearsay.
The link to get a HD2 unlocked for €22 is:
http://www.unlock-phone-htc.com/unlocking-htc-hd2.html
Some members here have used this service so should be good/safe to use.
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Click to collapse
I work for O2 and we had an internal announcement saying that they would unlock contract phones for free, although as everyone has been told it can take 28 days to receive the instructions. They should only be charging you £15 if you want to unlock a pay as you go phone. If you don't mind the wait then it's probably worth doing it through the link. That said it's a service they only launched a few weeks ago, so i wouldn't be surprised if there are a few issues initially.
Getting back on topic i'd say you would be better off getting it from T-Mobile rather than O2 if you are looking for the cheapest deal.

I Got mine from www.onestopphoneshop.co.uk It is sim unlocked and a choice of networks. Best of all they pick up the phone when you try to contact them! unlike mobiles.co.uk and mobile phone direct. I Dont like 18 month contracts as new phones are released to often. My 12 month contract with vodafone cost £540 total.

mndl632 said:
I work for O2 and we had an internal announcement saying that they would unlock contract phones for free, although as everyone has been told it can take 28 days to receive the instructions. They should only be charging you £15 if you want to unlock a pay as you go phone. If you don't mind the wait then it's probably worth doing it through the link. That said it's a service they only launched a few weeks ago, so i wouldn't be surprised if there are a few issues initially.
Getting back on topic i'd say you would be better off getting it from T-Mobile rather than O2 if you are looking for the cheapest deal.
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Generally O2 phones purchased on contract are unlocked from the off. The only exception to this was the iPhone (until recently anyway).
I know some people on the O2 Simplicity (sim only rolling contract) tarriff who managed to buy the HD2 'outright' but they came locked to O2. How does that work for unlocking purposes - will O2 still unlock for free? I mean it's entirely possible that they can leave almost immediately after obtaining the unlock code.

you're correct pretty much all o2 phones on contract are unlocked apart from the iphone and palm pre. Not sure about those who got the HD2 outright from O2, i'd assume they would still unlock it for free as these people have paid to get the phone outright.

Ah this has been most helpful!
I can't wait to order now, I am about to soon put my Touch HD on ebay, shove my Orange SIM card in an old 8310 lol until the T-mobile HD2 arrives! Can't wait!
Thanks a lot everyone for your input! I hope I can get it unlocked soon after it arrives too.

Pay as you go vs sim free....

Whats the main difference between the 2, the woman in carphone warehouse assured me u can use any sim card in the phone which seemed strange cos i thought they were network locked on payasyougo....

Carphone Warehouse buy their phones Sim Free and just give you either a contract or PAYG SIM, that's why they can sell the phones on networks not officially supported.

Cool so she wasnt lying then! 399 pay as u go from carphone.
Baffles me why its 450 sim free and 400 payasyougo

Confuses me as well, doesn't seem like a network would give CPW £50 just to include a PAYG SIM.

Well technically u have to buy the top up which is £10 so it could just be to try and keep people on that certain network... I see crazier things regarding cashback ie o2 £100 caahback on a 12 month contract.
Go figure... Thx for the replies dude

Desire HD - UK Handset only options?

Hi,
Looking for a Desire HD as my first Android Handset; jumping the iPhone ship because I'll be honest, I'm getting bored with how closed it is. So I'm looking for a handset only Desire HD, but not the official SIM free supplied on Amazon, play etc; would prefer a network locked Vodafone UK handset. Has anyone found anywhere cheaper for such a handset? (Except eBay, I really don't trust it).
Thanks in advance.

pretty sure the only way to get just the handset is to buy it outright and simfree.
the alternative is to go on a plan and pay for the handset as part of the plan
im really not to sure what you are asking you cannot buy a 'locked' handset cheaper you can only get it sim free or on plan

I was more thinking along the lines of a pay as you go handset, but not to worry.

JamesHalfpenny said:
I was more thinking along the lines of a pay as you go handset, but not to worry.
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Click to collapse
i dont think high end handsets are usually offered as a payg or prepaid well at least thats the case here in australia.
i use prepaid but i just buy simfree when its time to upgrade you can generally sell the handset then add another couple hundred and get the new one

Got mine from three for £450 and the first batch appear to be network unlocked.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

I got mine on Saturday from Phones4U for £445-00.
As much as I hate that shop, most of the handsets there are unlocked as they can give a wider choice on networks.

nsayani said:
Got mine from three for £450 and the first batch appear to be network unlocked.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
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Were they willing to sell it to you on PAYG nicely or did they try force you on contract? I doubt they'll have any stock in London..

dingdong3000 said:
Were they willing to sell it to you on PAYG nicely or did they try force you on contract? I doubt they'll have any stock in London..
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I went to a phones 4 u in Oxford street London yesterday and they was going to sell me it on payasyougo for 450, and they had it in stock.

dingdong3000 said:
Were they willing to sell it to you on PAYG nicely or did they try force you on contract? I doubt they'll have any stock in London..
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My two local stores wouldn't sell it on PAYG only on contract as they had limited stock despite advertising it in the store display as available on PAYG. Another store about 30 miles away had plenty of stock and had no issues selling it without a contract.

P4U at the MetroCentre refused to sell me one without a contract, CPW 15 feet away from it were willing to sell theirs @ £495 - more than I wanted to part with so I've took out a contract anyway direct with Vodafone. Roll on delivery time.

I went in 11 phone shops in Norwich, Carphone Warehouse was the only one of them to have ANY in stock (they had 2) and would ONLY sell on contract.
Now i'm stuck in an 18 month contract as I couldn't wait any longer I wanted to buy it sim-free but had no other choice....but wait....f that...

Carphone Warehouse Network Price Promise

Has anyone tried using the Network Price Promise from Carphone Warehouse to get pay as you go phones from them and comparing the price with o2?

tankcmy said:
Has anyone tried using the Network Price Promise from Carphone Warehouse to get pay as you go phones from them and comparing the price with o2?
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Click to collapse
i got one yesterday from CW, £399.00 PAYG, it was on O2 but i unlocked it.

I tried 3 different cpw stores today, 2 had stock but couldn't price match O2 payg as cow aren't offering the phone on payg yet and there was nothing the guy could do either as it wasn't on their system. I was told to try next week.
I read somewhere else on this forum that cpw will be dropping their sim free price to the £400 mark in the next week or so. The user claimed to work for cpw n last week correctly claim that they will introduce network price promise on 4th may.
So I'll prob jus wait n see what next week brings.
Sent from my HTC Hero using XDA App

I walked into a CPW store on the Strand today and asked them about this. The person working there told me they would do the Network Price Promise for Pay As You Go, and that the phones sold would be unlocked and unbranded. So even if they don't drop the sim-free price, you have no obligation to keep paying to top up on O2 after buying the phone.

Holding out on the rumours that CPW might be dropping their sim-free price to around £400.
Dunno how much longer I can wait though

sleeco said:
i got one yesterday from CW, £399.00 PAYG, it was on O2 but i unlocked it.
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Did you take anything in with you to show them the PAYG O2 price?

called CPW sales team, said they won't price match as sim free price can't be matched with o2 PAYG price.

Dirky said:
Did you take anything in with you to show them the PAYG O2 price?
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No, and i have not seen the PAYG O2 price, and i must say it is very fast, i have a SGS and i shall compare them side by side.

Andy2.2 said:
Holding out on the rumours that CPW might be dropping their sim-free price to around £400.
Dunno how much longer I can wait though
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Click to collapse
Where did you hear those rumours?

Here are the terms and conditions to their Price Promise
http://selfhelp.carphonewarehouse.com/SelfHelp/request.do?view%28%29=c{f8f63de0-59ee-11df-f6de-f20203001e3d}
Seems like they should still price match even though O2 is locked

robot1000 said:
Here are the terms and conditions to their Price Promise
Seems like they should still price match even though O2 is locked
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Click to collapse
They will price match but only on like for like deals, and seeing as they do not have the phone available for O2 PAYG on their systems yet they cannot sell you the exact same deal and therefore they cannot price match for you.
So you'll have to wait until CPW start offering PAYG deals on the phone.
Although it looks like O2 have taken the PAYG price off their websites, in fact you can't buy if on PAYG from their website anymore, so I'm not too sure if O2 have that offer on anymore. might have to check instore.

tankcmy said:
Has anyone tried using the Network Price Promise from Carphone Warehouse to get pay as you go phones from them and comparing the price with o2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try best buy. Same company less snobby. And their price match if they agree knocks off further 10%
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

AT&T Comrades:

Hey...have mine shipping Friday.
I intend on doing what I did with my SGS2 on ATT and that is get it set up on prepaid $50mo unlimited. They sent me my sim card without getting my imei# last time.
Not so now ....they've become adamant about this now.
I'm going to use my imei from the Note...but just tell them its an old unlocked Raze or something .Since its GSM....they can't tell I think.
Does anyone know if there's anything/code in these #'s that indicates whether or not its a smartphone or not. (Smartphones not allowed on these plans).
Thanks

As you are aware ATT doesn't sell international galaxy Note's so when they see the Notes IMEI register on their network OLAM will not know what device it is when it cross references its device list.
This is why you can have the $10 medianet unlimited plan when you use an unlocked, unbranded phone that AT&T doesn't offer. It will work exactly the same way as unbranded Nokias and the gt-19000.

but where do you get the sim card from? they send it to you?

Buy the cheapest phone they offer. When they ship the phone to you simply use that SIM card in your unlocked unbranded device.

inurb said:
Buy the cheapest phone they offer. When they ship the phone to you simply use that SIM card in your unlocked unbranded device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also other idea:I buy two SGSII for 200.00US and sell on ebay for 450.00 for downpayment for the Note

Good stuff guys!!
I am on T-Mobile right now and I am thinking of
1. Removing my unlimited data plan from TMo
2. Go to their lowest monthly plan just for the calls ( i wud not want to totally get rid of TMo for now)
3. Get a new AT&T plans, with a descent phone
4. Sell the phone eBay/Craigslist
5. Fwd calls from my Tmo # to AT&T
6. Use Note with AT&T
Just waiting for Note to launch in more European countries which MIGHT bring down a price little more (I hope)

Thank you.
inurb said:
As you are aware ATT doesn't sell international galaxy Note's so when they see the Notes IMEI register on their network OLAM will not know what device it is when it cross references its device list.
This is why you can have the $10 medianet unlimited plan when you use an unlocked, unbranded phone that AT&T doesn't offer. It will work exactly the same way as unbranded Nokias and the gt-19000.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Don't they sell GoPhones at Best Buy?
Will the note access the 21G Hspu+ using those sim cards????
QUOTE=inurb;18953686]Buy the cheapest phone they offer. When they ship the phone to you simply use that SIM card in your unlocked unbranded device.[/QUOTE]

wonsanim said:
Also other idea:I buy two SGSII for 200.00US and sell on ebay for 450.00 for downpayment for the Note
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WHy not just buy 2 iphone 4s for 400 and sell it for around 600
I usually take a 50% commission fee for something like this
You already owe me 150 $.

drgopoos said:
WHy not just buy 2 iphone 4s for 400 and sell it for around 600
I usually take a 50% commission fee for something like this
You already owe me 150 $.
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Nice sorry i forgot the commissionwhy galaxy because i don't like the iphones

inurb said:
Buy the cheapest phone they offer. When they ship the phone to you simply use that SIM card in your unlocked unbranded device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So i can just get one of those Gophones for like $20 and simply switch over the sim card to the Note?? It's as simple as that and i don't need to do anything else? Also if i do this, will i be able to port my existing verizon number over to at&t?

If I'm already on AT&T using a Nexus One, can I shift my existing number to prepaid if I get some crap phone?