# Cell & data plan questions



## SixCee's (Jun 15, 2012)

I searched the forum, the Internet and both Du and Etisalat websites and can't seem to really find an answer for my questions. I apologize if this was covered somewhere that I missed.*

My husband and I will be moving, with the kids, in the next couple months. I am quite attached to my iPhone, and can't imagine life without it. I understand I can get it jailbroken here before I arrive, but will I then be able to use it, data and all, as soon as I arrive, using a sim I buy at the airport, or will I have to wait until we have established residency and get a contract going?*

It appears Etisalat at least, maybe Du also but I couldn't tell, offers the iPhone for free if you sign a contract, but my husband's friend said that's not a good way to go. Does anyone else have an opinion on that? Does either company offer a data-only plan that works for the iPad and are there very many wi-fi hotspots throughout the area making the data plan unnecessary?


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## HarryK (Aug 31, 2010)

SixCee's said:


> I searched the forum, the Internet and both Du and Etisalat websites and can't seem to really find an answer for my questions. I apologize if this was covered somewhere that I missed.*
> 
> My husband and I will be moving, with the kids, in the next couple months. I am quite attached to my iPhone, and can't imagine life without it. I understand I can get it jailbroken here before I arrive, but will I then be able to use it, data and all, as soon as I arrive, using a sim I buy at the airport, or will I have to wait until we have established residency and get a contract going?*
> 
> It appears Etisalat at least, maybe Du also but I couldn't tell, offers the iPhone for free if you sign a contract, but my husband's friend said that's not a good way to go. Does anyone else have an opinion on that? Does either company offer a data-only plan that works for the iPad and are there very many wi-fi hotspots throughout the area making the data plan unnecessary?


You don't need to jail break it. Before I left the UK I informed my provider (02) that I want it unlocked. They did this immediately at a cost of £15. 

Arrived in Dubai, went into a Du shop with my passport and picked up a sim... Job done.


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## Garth Vader (May 11, 2012)

Someone else on here mentioned doing that with Orange too. Wish I'd known that before I got out here, grumble grumble.


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## Garth Vader (May 11, 2012)

Also, I'm with Etisalat pay as you go. 145 dizzers gets you 1Gb a month, which you'd have to really go at to use up completely in 30 days.

Whenever you top up you can select from Free texts, international and local minutes. The 145 Dirhams for the data gets me 35 free international mins.

3G is really good here too, certainly outside, and even out in the sticks, so I've never really been bothered about hotspots.


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