iPhone

[TomAtAlki]

I'm in the US now but own an apt in BA. I'll be down for 3 months (Dec, Jan, Feb) this year and more time in BA and less in the US as time goes on. I am planning to buy an iPhone which I see just went on sale in AR. I'm trying to decide whether to buy in the US or AR. The phone is much cheaper in the US but using it for calls or data when out of the US is very expensive. I can't seem to find how much the AR model would cost if I used it in the US for calls and/or data. Does anyone know if the AR model is unlocked? Can a nonresident even buy one or can I buy one and use it for pay as you use it? Lots of questions. Any info on the AR iPhone would be appreciated

 

[dfwemr]

Tom,
I have an iphone in the US and an unlocked razr for Buenos Aires with a local sim card from personal. The roaming charges either way whether ATT or Claro (Arg carrier) are outrageous and not worthwhile. I use the IPhone in the US and the unlocked prepaid sim in Argentina and it works great. It is not that expensive and why have 2 contracts and 2 iphones. The iphone from the US can be sim locked meaning it will not raom but you can use wifi for data in argentina. That is what I do. I use the iphone at wifi spots (tons in BA) for email and web etc and the personal sim card on the razr for cell calls in argentina. The other option is get an itouch and use it for wifi and email only and use an ulocked cell phone with a chip from us when in US and one from Argentina when in Argentina. Either way works. Until ATT unlocks the iphone for real or apple cells an unlocked version, you are stuck with 2 devices. I would not recommend buying an unlocked iphone,it bricks out a lot, too much hassle. good luck

 

[dfwemr]

Tom,

you do not want to unlock the iphone via lee's link. You will not be able to use ap store or sync with new firware. It bricks out. Not worth it plus you will not be able to use visual voicemail etc. My friend unlocked his and it is about useless. Read what I wrote first.

 

[ryanmpls]

how do you guys see the iphones use a year from now in argentina? i'm thinking about buying one here bc i spend 2 hours a day on a bus and do freelancing so having something like an iphone would help me do business on the go here and i'm planning on carrying my freelancing to argentina. any ideas on how things might unfold for iphone use and cost in the next year?

 

[Buen Goro]

hey-
I would be willing to sell you my unlocked australian iphone. Its a year old and has a crack on the back-but you can use an argentinian sim and access 3g internet, without restricting yourself from the app store and all the functionality of apple-approved software. HOWEVER i wouldnt be willing to párt with said iphone until my family can bring me a new one in november
pm me if you're interested

 

[katti]

how do you guys see the iphones use a year from now in argentina? i'm thinking about buying one here bc i spend 2 hours a day on a bus and do freelancing so having something like an iphone would help me do business on the go here and i'm planning on carrying my freelancing to argentina. any ideas on how things might unfold for iphone use and cost in the next year?

I don't know about Iphones in Argentina, but in Belgium they are exptremely popular. If you want one, you must wait 6 weeks before you get it. It has been so since the 1st model, and it is still so today. What I see now is that the price for the data traffic is increasing, month by month. And it is increasing rapidly. As soon as the providers notice it is used a lot! I used to put mine on 'fetch' all the time, but last time in Argentina (during 2 weeks) I had a 400 euro data traffic bill. So now I put off, and only get mails through WIFI.

Right now data traffic is cheap here in Argentina, (compared to Belgium anyway), so cheap that when we move (next month) even my kids will get a data traffic sim card. (they are teenagers, used to send 2000 SMS messages a month, it will be the cheapest way for us to let them keep contact with the Belgian friends)

Here the Blackberry is very popular for data traffic, and when you are with Movistar, they even install everything for you.

I am not sure but I am told that data traffic outside of Capital Federal IS very expensive. So depending on your needs...

 

[SilverStar]

I got an iPhone from Claro, 2yr contract for $228AR/Mo 400 Minutes, 200 text, and unlimited data. 16mb Iphone3g was $1,000AR.

Fred
www.silverstarcar.com

 

[krishansen4tango]

I am in the throes of deciding which multimedia device/unlocked phone to buy to use abroad, including extended periods of time in BSAS. I am just back in USA for 3 weeks, and as I understand it (please correct any misunderstanding), though I would love to have an IPhone (I have an Apple laptop) or hi-end Nokia or maybe Blackberry, probably w/ Movistar cards there, I understand that unless permanent resident (I am not), I cannot get a phone contract there, and can only use prepaid cards for buying minutes for everything (which is also a way to get any phone cheaper, I think).

I want phone mainly as phone, but really also want a decent camera in it, and WIFI feature, with internet access available on the go, when possible (sans computer). It seems to me that many features of the phone MAY not be available, just buying minutes, but not sure. Would appreciate all replies also sent to my regular email, if possible, and thank you so much!!:
[email protected]

 

[2GuysInPM]

I am in the throes of deciding which multimedia device/unlocked phone to buy to use abroad, including extended periods of time in BSAS. I am just back in USA for 3 weeks, and as I understand it (please correct any misunderstanding), though I would love to have an IPhone (I have an Apple laptop) or hi-end Nokia or maybe Blackberry, probably w/ Movistar cards there, I understand that unless permanent resident (I am not), I cannot get a phone contract there, and can only use prepaid cards for buying minutes for everything (which is also a way to get any phone cheaper, I think).

I want phone mainly as phone, but really also want a decent camera in it, and WIFI feature, with internet access available on the go, when possible (sans computer). It seems to me that many features of the phone MAY not be available, just buying minutes, but not sure. Would appreciate all replies also sent to my regular email, if possible, and thank you so much!!:
[email protected]

For us to get data plan for one of our own unlocked iPhones, Claro required us to get a contract, show DNI, an setup direct debit from our local bank account. They also ran a credit report (Veraz / Equifax) using our DNI numbers. So at least with Claro, residency and credit history was required in our case.

However, you can use an unlocked iPhone or any other phone w/ a pre-paid sim card for calls, and then use the data features via WiFi only. Other data feartures, like location services, and visual voice mail will likely not work with a pre-paid / wifi setup.

Good luck!