Are cell phones cheaper in the states?

[champ91]

I'm planning to go down to the states for during the holidays, might pick up a new cell phone. Just wondering if it's the same price as here or cheaper, w/o contract of course. If so, anyone know any good stores?

[d_jedi]

Dunno about prices.. but just beware of the phone you buy.. there are different technologies (GSM, CDMA are the ones that come to mind.. but there are others) that are mutually incompatible. IE. you can't activate a GSM phone on Bell, nor can you activate a CDMA phone on Fido.

[jerryhung]

I think it's cheaper to buy a phone from RFD members

It's $$ to buy a phone alone ANYWHERE

Also, in US, phones are usually locked to providers
Verizon, Sprint -> CDMA? non-GSM for sure
Cingular (AT&T), T-Mobile -> GSM

Unless you want to unlock them, I say why bother

[Blazin_Sunfire]

umm..... just google and get the names of phone companies of the states, then check out their prices.

[akito925]

I think it's cheaper to buy a phone from RFD members

It's $$ to buy a phone alone ANYWHERE

Also, in US, phones are usually locked to providers
Verizon, Sprint -> CDMA? non-GSM for sure
Cingular (AT&T), T-Mobile -> GSM

Unless you want to unlock them, I say why bother

using both ot thoses phones here Cingular (AT&T), T-Mobile -> GSM, on rogers

[TorontoHawk]

Think of the compitition,they may be cheaper there.GSM is better than CDMA,they are easily unlocked.Once i see there r a cheap treo 300,but find it is CDMA and locked ,i have to give up.Good luck

[HowEver]

Phones are less expensive in the U.S., but pretty much only if they come with phone company contracts.

Still, there are many places where you can buy them, but unless it is an unlocked GSM phone (Rogers, fido) you are going to have a lot of trouble and expense, if it is even possible to use the phone at all.

Also, unless you have a Canadian distributor, buying a phone that crosses the border is going to cost you brokerage fees, etc. www expansys ca might have work best for some people.

[thelefteyeguy]

Phones are less expensive in the U.S., but pretty much only if they come with phone company contracts.

Still, there are many places where you can buy them, but unless it is an unlocked GSM phone (Rogers, fido) you are going to have a lot of trouble and expense, if it is even possible to use the phone at all.

Also, unless you have a Canadian distributor, buying a phone that crosses the border is going to cost you brokerage fees, etc. www expansys ca might have work best for some people.

Yes this is true, if you are just going to a shopping mall you cannot get one of these phones cause it is usually very expense without a contract. Plus you will need to buy it full prices and then get it unlocked. Best to find out first where to get unlock phones in NYC stores...lol maybe chinatown in NYC?

btw, you already know about HoFo, so you can easily get one from there from a US seller and ask him to ship as a gift....I got a E715 shipped from NYC last christmas (hehe without brokerage)

[thelefteyeguy]

the main reason ppl are selling phones on HoFo for great prices (in the states) is that they get cheap/free phones from their companies (after a 2 yr contract saying the phone's lost/broken/crap etc), they just continue to use their old phones.