# Tricky one!



## craignewcastle (Aug 9, 2011)

Does anyone have and use a iPhone 4 in Dubai?? I've been told by my new company out there that receiving emails and data is a fortune.. I really don't want to give up my iPhone for a blackberry! 

Please help


Thanks


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

Most of the iphone users at my work, carry a blackberry for work and subscribe to the 90 dirham plan a month to get one free email (forward their emails to one email account) and utilize the free bbm for work as sms get quite costly here in the uae. Lots of people use whats app to still be able to talk to the ones who do not have blackberries. Everyone I meet seems to not ask for your phone number, but just say "What is your bbm?".... 

If you already have the 4g iphone then dont suggest selling it but my 4g Blackberry was a waste of the money as it is no faster on the etisilat network then a 3g torch that could of been half the price. Huge disappointment. They are testing the 4g though so never know, it might be available sooner or later.


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## FItOutGuy (Oct 25, 2011)

Jynxgirl said:


> If you already have the 4g iphone then dont suggest selling it but my 4g Blackberry was a waste of the money as it is no faster on the etisilat network then a 3g torch that could of been half the price. Huge disappointment. They are testing the 4g though so never know, it might be available sooner or later.


iPhone 4 & 4S aren't 4G, they've just been tagged with the number 4. The iMessage feature is basically the same as BBBM, meaning texts are free.


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## craignewcastle (Aug 9, 2011)

So let me get my head round this... I pay 90 dirhams and i can get to use my hotmail email address or company email address on my iPhone and receive as many emails as I like?? I'm trying to avoid a blackberry as I can't stand them!!


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

Haahaaa...No, same similar price for the data itself. I dont know if emails count towards your limit though on the bb as I get alot of emails (with picstures) and never go over my 1G limit on my blackberry. I know iphone has a similar program for iphones themselves to message, but they seem to be the miniority phone here and I dont know too many people with iphones. Everyone has a blackberry that I seem to meet, even if they have a different type of phone as well  But then, maybe I just dont know too many western people.... and poor non special passport folks who get paid a few thousand dirhams use the du 30dir/50dir etisilat blackberry messaging plan quite a bit here 

Check out the prices for data plans on the etisilat sites. Google for du... I meant to but didnt. 

My DataPlan

My DataPlan


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

FItOutGuy said:


> iPhone 4 & 4S aren't 4G, they've just been tagged with the number 4. The iMessage feature is basically the same as BBBM, meaning texts are free.


As far as I have found, most people I know who have iphones use whats app to communicate with most of the bb people here.

And good to know. I thought they were 4g.


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## craignewcastle (Aug 9, 2011)

It's not the messaging that's the problem! With my new job am going to be on the go a fair bit and will need to send and receive emails during the day, I've been told by a few people you can charged a fortune using a iPhone! I don't believe this I'm sure you can buy a data package


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

I dont know what you will be doing or working, but where I work, the guys send messages to each other pretty constantly out in the field all day as calling is EXPENSIVE here and emailing just isnt practical. When you are on the ground, you will get a feel if communicating this way is part of your companies culture. They may be kindly telling you, to get a blackberry. 

Data itself is the same price, on the blackberry or the other phones as in the links provided show.


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## FItOutGuy (Oct 25, 2011)

Jynxgirl said:


> As far as I have found, most people I know who have iphones use whats app to communicate with most of the bb people here.
> 
> And good to know. I thought they were 4g.


Yes, I was using What's App before I got the 4S


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## Expatpunk (Sep 25, 2011)

Get a etisalat 1gb data package for 145aed/month. It enough just to send and receive whatsapp msgs as well as emails. I use a android xperia ray. I just came on Friday and realize now how expensive actual calling costs.


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## ccr (Jun 20, 2010)

As mentioned, there are different tiers for data plan for the iPhone so chose one depending on your needs and/or how much your company is willing to pay. My wife is on pre-paid, constantly on SMS and email, and never used up her monthly package for the minimum tier.

The only advantage BB has is when you are traveling (outside of UAE), the dataplan doesn't count for outside of UAE and you will be charged additional roaming cost.

Other than that, BB is either for people who travel outside of UAE a lot, or can't afford the dataplan. I will NEVER EVER EVER go back to BB (even if I have to pay for the dataplan myself) now that I have a taste of the "good life" with my iPhone 

At the rate they are going, BB will be declaring bankrupcy soon anyway...


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## Confiture (Jan 9, 2011)

Expatpunk said:


> Get a etisalat 1gb data package for 145aed/month. It enough just to send and receive whatsapp msgs as well as emails. I use a android xperia ray. I just came on Friday and realize now how expensive actual calling costs.


Mrs Confiture has this for her smartphone. The handset choice is irrelevant, it's just a data add on.

She runs two email accounts, facebook and other online services.


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## craignewcastle (Aug 9, 2011)

So 145 aed should do the trick?


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