# iphone!!!



## Chica22 (Feb 26, 2010)

Merry Christmas to you all!!!
Hubby and I never buy each other Xmas presents, preferring to buy something a little 'extravagant' in January/February.

I have set my heart on an iphone (dont know why, and maybe others can convince me that a Samsung, or another phone would be far better). At the moment I have a cheap and cheerful pay as you go. I also like the look of the ipad mini, but think perhaps at the moment to buy an iphone, and in the future buy an ipad mini.

At home we have a SMART TV, that we use very rarely, and only 1mb of internet, so I want to upgrade the internet and include a contract for an iphone.

I have absolutely no idea which is a good buy, and have looked on the Moviestar and Vodafone Websites, but still dont know which would be the best option for us. 

Hubby speaks to family on Spanish National Calls, but I phone the UK via SKYPE. We have been with Iberbanda for the past 7 years and pay around 55 euros a month, which I know is expensive, we have just never bothered to change.

So my questions are:

Should I buy an iphone, if so, do I really need an iphone 5, or are the older models for someone who has never had one just as good.

What advice would members give to change internet, landline and phone etc., any recommendations? I am happy to continue to pay 55 euros a month, but for faster broadband (so I can watch Smart TV/UK TV) and a new mobile.

Should I go to an Apple Store and just buy an iphone or go with a provider?

Any recommendations greatly appreciated!!!


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Hi,

I can't really give specific advice on broadband suppliers in your area because I'm not familiar with the options available to you but with regards to your mobile phone I have to say I am a little bit of an Apple geek And because I use Apple computers for work I bought one of the first iPhones and upgraded a few months ago to the 4S. Having compared the 4S and the 5 there is very little difference apart from the screen size, quality of screen – which to most people is negligible and of course a little bit of a faster processor. Even now I am a bit of and Apple fan I cannot really justify the cost of upgrading to the iPhone five because apart from things I just mentioned it is essentially an iPhone 4 S with one or two tweaks and in a slightly sexier case – although to be honest as to haven't made my mind up if I think the case is sexier or not LOL

I would be very careful about buying a contract mobile phone. I have done this both in the UK and in Spain and certainly in Spain if you take a phone on a two-year contract – or in some cases longer it is almost impossible to upgrade until the end of the contract. I purchased my iPhone from the Apple Store and I would always recommend that you do this if you can possibly afford to do so. This way the phone is free and you are not tied to any contracts and to be honest with you at the moment I've noticed that the mobile phone suppliers seem to be entering a bit of price war and there are many more competitive tariffs available so if you buy the phone free and not locked to a tariff obviously to a long contract period then you are free to change whenever you want to. Do be aware with iPhones that if you have them unlocked this does restrict the use of the phone in some ways and certainly does not allow you then to upgrade to future versions of the software because it essentially locks the phone again.

Having been a fan of an iPhone for many years I recently purchased an LG seven for my partner's birthday because it was something he wanted and this works on the android system and to be perfectly honest with you although it is different to an iPhone it has most of the features apart from Siri which is a fantastic tool that I find very useful. If I was buying a new phone now would I consider an android phone instead of an iPhone? I think that the answer is if I didn't rely so much on the compatibility between my phone and my home and office computers the synchronising documents and things that I probably would look at one of the cheaper alternatives and LG do seem to make some stonking phones.

So assuming that you buy your phone from the Apple Store then you have to think about the network that you choose. Vodafone have got some very competitive tariffs at the moment but as I said I wouldn't encourage you to take your contract phone from them because this ties you to something that will probably be superseded by something a lot more competitive over the coming months. Nevertheless, you can get their tariffs sim only and they have the base and the red tariffs which offer some attractive deals.

Do be aware however that many network providers do not allow you to use the Internet part of the package for telephone calls through providers such as Skype. I did recently look at switching to Vodafone but to be honest with you having been with them in the past and knowing many people that are with them I do not break their customer service is one little bit. Then network coverage however is generally probably one of the better ones out of all of them which is why I personally use Pepephone and have a contract with them. The beauty about this company is that for about six euros a month you get a decent amount of Internet, calls for one cent a minute and there are no restrictions on what use your Internet for so if you wish to make use of something like Skype, Line/Viber or any of the other free to use calling services then you are free to do so. Also whatsapp is a great program for sending free messages between users.

What I particularly like about this company is that whenever they reduced their tariff or offer something more competitive they have automatically provided me with this new tariff in advance of their general public availability. A lot of companies don't – especially if you've bought a phone with them and are tied into a long contract – they may reduce their tariff but they simply keep you on the higher rate that you originally signed for. I think having now been down the route of buying a phone that is Sim free and not tied to any network I would always go down this route again and if you can afford to do so then I would certainly encourage that.

So to summarise my opinion – by your phone from the Apple Store. Buy the 4S rather than the five but don't buy the four because it doesn't come with all of the functions of the 4S – mainly siri which once you get used to you will become slightly addicted to LOL then look for a suitable contract and as I said I can highly recommend pepephone and Bob's your uncle ***** is your aunt!

And if you're paying €55 a month for an Internet landline phone service then you really are being ripped off. If you are using the company that you will use it then I'm assuming this and not get a landline by traditional means to your house but if you search for WIMAX in your area on Google you will no doubt find alternative suppliers. I have one of these services I get a very high speed – much higher than the provider you are using gives and I use Skype as well as another UK-based company for telephone calls and the whole thing costs me around about €30 a month and I can call anywhere in the world unlimited day and night.

Happy shopping!


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## Chica22 (Feb 26, 2010)

Wow Steve, thank you so much for such a comprehensive reply. I will take your advice and look at the iphone 4s, to be honest I looked at the iphone 5 via Apple, and this is way beyond my price range and I doubt whether I would use all the facilities.

I think the main reason I thought of going for an iphone, was I really like the look of the ipad mini, and I thought that probably the best option would be to 'buy in' to the Apple brand.

However I have now been looking at the LG Nexus, which does seem far cheaper, I am not totally computer illiterate but I seem to spend hours looking at the different options and then am no wiser afterwards. So your comments are much appreciated.

I agree that my internet connection is way too expensive and I have been meaning to change for ages, but just never got around to it. So January I will be on a mission to change. Your advice regarding access to SKYPE is particularly useful, as I never knew that I would not be able to use this with some internet providers and I would certainly miss this as a means to speaking to family and friends in the UK.

So I will give myself a deadline of end of January to change providers and buy a new phone. Any thoughts on the Nexus phone?


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Chica22 said:


> Wow Steve, thank you so much for such a comprehensive reply. I will take your advice and look at the iphone 4s, to be honest I looked at the iphone 5 via Apple, and this is way beyond my price range and I doubt whether I would use all the facilities.
> 
> I think the main reason I thought of going for an iphone, was I really like the look of the ipad mini, and I thought that probably the best option would be to 'buy in' to the Apple brand.
> 
> ...


Definately consider with a mobile provider if they allow telephone calls through the internet... VoIP or telefono por IP because many ban it and you cant use skype - Pepephone allow it which is what I like - vodafone only allow it on the higher tarifs!

I dont know about the Nexus but like I said I bought the LG7 for my other half a few weeks ago and I am impressed with it - very nice phone and does everything I think you would need and the screen is considerably bigger then the iPhone 4S yet the overall phone is much lighter! And I have had an LG washing machine for 5 years and quite like their stuff (not that washing machines and phones are anything similar but it's never let me down - touch wood!).


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Don't know about Spain but Google is basically selling the Nexus at cost. If you can get it in the UK it's likely the best bang for the € £ $.

Only downside no 4G


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## Chica22 (Feb 26, 2010)

NickZ said:


> Don't know about Spain but Google is basically selling the Nexus at cost. If you can get it in the UK it's likely the best bang for the € £ $.
> 
> Only downside no 4G


Could you please explain how 4G works, and what would be different in a phone without 4G
Thanks


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Speed basically. 4G at it's best is VERY VERY fast. Now how much this matters at the moment is the question. Many parts of the world have limited or expensive 4G networks. Outside of live video I'm not sure how big of an improvement it'll be at the moment.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

NickZ said:


> Speed basically. 4G at it's best is VERY VERY fast. Now how much this matters at the moment is the question. Many parts of the world have limited or expensive 4G networks. Outside of live video I'm not sure how big of an improvement it'll be at the moment.


to the best of my knowledge 4G is not yet live in spain and even when it does go live it will be very patchy! even 3g is hit and miss if you live in the country lol


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

steve_in_spain said:


> to the best of my knowledge 4G is not yet live in spain and even when it does go live it will be very patchy! even 3g is hit and miss if you live in the country lol


4G's pretty useless in the UK at the moment

Jo xxx


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Get a nice Galaxy S3, the iphones are fast becoming a chav badge.


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## Chica22 (Feb 26, 2010)

bob_bob said:


> Get a nice Galaxy S3, the iphones are fast becoming a chav badge.


Oooh, now you have made me want an iphone!!!!


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

bob_bob said:


> Get a nice Galaxy S3, the iphones are fast becoming a chav badge.


Heh heh .... well, Ive never been classed as a chav before!!!

I have an iphone 3GS and I wouldnt be without it. Its perfectly adequate and you can pick em up on ebay for less than £100 unblocked.


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