# IPhones in Dubai



## neilrock (May 7, 2011)

Hi,

I will be moving to Dubai from UK and have an iPhone already.

Is it worth keeping or, are costs so high, it doesn't become worth it's while so just need to buy a new/different phone?

Thanks.

Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

I've got an iPhone which I bought outside the UAE. You have a choice of 2 networks: Etisalat and du. Didn't find etisalat's data packages very good unless you've bought the iPhone through them so I'm with du. For data it's fine. You can pay for as you want and AED 100-200 a month covers heavy data use for me. Calls aren't so great. Call quality often sucks. Was with Etisalat bedew and their call quality is much better IMO. 

I think there are cheaper data deals for BB but doubt it's worth the cost of buying one just to benefit. 

When you first get here make sure to turn off data roaming or you will be well and truly stung on you contract back home even if you just turn your iPhone on


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## Sandgroper74 (Mar 1, 2011)

I just buy pre-paid Etisalat vouchers and have a wireless LAN router at home. Many cafes have free Wi-Fi.


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## imom (Jun 4, 2011)

You might want to switch off data even on a local etisalat connection. I believe they are charging AED 20 (£3.30) per MB! I couldn't understand at first how I was going through my AED 50 recharge every 2 days.


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## Guest (Jun 4, 2011)

This is serious topic. I am not yet in Dubai, but Iphone is very important to me and I want to keep it ;-) 

What apps store does it connect to in dubai? Like in GErmany you have a germanic apps store, which has germanic apps, and it sucks a lot if you cant download some apps from US apps store or when your apps are in German :-( Does it connec to US appstore in Germany?


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## niceday (Jul 13, 2010)

The "appstore" you connect to is based on the location your apple id, so if you can keep a German address and bank account keep that for your apple id you can connect to that.

If you would prefer to use US "appstore" just create an account on Apple Store with any US address - you can then just purchase itunes vouchers to feed this account as you would need a US bank account otherwise.


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## neilrock (May 7, 2011)

Thanks everyone... I think I'll just use it as a phone... Xx

Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


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## Guest (Jun 5, 2011)

niceday said:


> The "appstore" you connect to is based on the location your apple id, so if you can keep a German address and bank account keep that for your apple id you can connect to that.
> 
> If you would prefer to use US "appstore" just create an account on Apple Store with any US address - you can then just purchase itunes vouchers to feed this account as you would need a US bank account otherwise.


I hate my German appstore, coz I want the US or UK appstore with english apps. 

To ask my question again, if I buy a Iphone in UEA or if I register with an UEA address and UEA based credit cared: what appstore will I connect to? I assume there is no UEA appstore so it must connet to some different "appstore".


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## Guest (Jun 13, 2011)

can you get an iphone here without a data plan?


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## imom (Jun 4, 2011)

djawaid said:


> can you get an iphone here without a data plan?


Some of the shops have told me yes, as I have been looking at getting an iPhone 4 but I can't verify.


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## Armen (Mar 2, 2011)

white_jasmin said:


> I hate my German appstore, coz I want the US or UK appstore with english apps.
> 
> To ask my question again, if I buy a Iphone in UEA or if I register with an UEA address and UEA based credit cared: what appstore will I connect to? I assume there is no UEA appstore so it must connet to some different "appstore".




I have an iphone with a data package from Etisalat, the apps store you connect to from here has english apps and arabic apps, so it is not the US apps store it must be hosted in Europe or US but trageting the UAE/Middle East customers


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## BurjAlEnglish (Jun 21, 2011)

I found Etisalat to be a better iPhone option. I pay about AED200 a month for 150 mins and 1GB data...


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## Richdufai (May 25, 2011)

I am planning on bringing my locked Iphone 4 from USA to Dubai. If I sign up for Etisalat or DU, will they unlock it for me?? or should i go do it myself which I hate to because the IOS is superb compared to Cydia and I like the apple app store.


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## mevans (Dec 24, 2010)

Unlocking is completely different to jailbreaking your iphone. And even if you do jailbreak it, you can still use appstore. The only difference is you have the choice of installing third party apps from cydia.
The main point is JAILBREAKING DOES NOT REMOVE CARRIER LOCK!


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## Richdufai (May 25, 2011)

mevans said:


> Unlocking is completely different to jailbreaking your iphone. And even if you do jailbreak it, you can still use appstore. The only difference is you have the choice of installing third party apps from cydia.
> The main point is JAILBREAKING DOES NOT REMOVE CARRIER LOCK!


Dont you have to Jailbreak to remove the Carrier lock? Also if you do this and connect again to itunes, the phone will get re-locked. This has happened to me with the first generation Iphone.


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## mevans (Dec 24, 2010)

You do not have to jailbreak to unlock the phone. Most unlocking shops have the ability to unlock iphones.
The carrier lock is stipulated by the network provider and if you are willing to pay for it, they will unlock the phone for you.

As for itunes, it will only remove the jailbreak if you update the firmware when you connect to itunes.


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## Richdufai (May 25, 2011)

Did not know IPhone could be unlocked without Jailbreaking. Will try it when I get there...thanks!


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## Nita... (Apr 9, 2011)

It's best to get it unlocked before you come to Dubai, just ask your current provider to do it (in the UK it's also cheaper to do it than in Dubai). In Dubai i asked quite a few shops to unlock my iPhone and they all said it had to be jailbroken... may be I went to the wrong place....


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## Richdufai (May 25, 2011)

My provider in the US (AT&t) will not unlock it for me, even if I pay the lease termination fee! Why a class action suit has not been filed yet, I always wonder. I was surprised to hear that myself when Mevans said that IPhone could be unlocked without jailbreaking for good. Need to figure out how to do this in the US itself before we leave.....


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