What Cell Phone, Buy Here In Us And Bring?

[jkeenan213]

Countdown has started, 60-120 days and we are out.  Just retired...yesterday.  Yard sales every week, craigslist, ebay for the "stuff", been running about a month and it's emptying.  House and big contents are going to auction, better deal than realtor and less time.

 

So retiring means I lose the company phone.  I want to port my home phone number (Vonage) to a cell phone, so wife and I have cells, no land line.  Don't want a contract.  Should I get a cheap CDMA (US) phone trash it then buy in PI, or get a GSM phone here with sim card, bring with me and just get a new sim?  What carrier?

 

Any advice? Carrier?  Phone?  Nothing fancy.

[scott h]

Ah, a topic I know absolutely nothing about..............but will that stop me from throwing in my two pesos??? NOT!!! :hystery: .

 

JK, There is just about every type of plan, phone, add-ons and carrier available here. The next time you see a Filipino who is not looking at his phone, take a picture of it and post it here in the weird and wacky photo section here, or you will not be believed. 

 

I suppose you can buy a wiz bang, go fast, you betcha, top of the line phone in the states and just get a sim card here. A lot depends (in my unprofessional opinion) on what you use the phone for? My wife and I only use it for talking and a text now and then. Bought a cheap phone (20 bucks USD) and send the maid to the sari sari store for load when need it.

 

My brother in law on the other hand uses his for everything from talking to watching movies and it has a GPS ap.

 

If it was me? Wait til u get here for any major outlay. Buy a cheap phone, see what your needs are once your on the ground here and if you need to upgrade do it once you have a better feel for what you need.

 

oh and GRATZ ON YOUR RETIREMENT. Welcome to the ranks of the terminally lazy :dance:

[Old55]

Congratulations!!!!!! Keep us posted on your move, and good luck.

 

Like Scott I know next to nothing to do with phones.

Will you be texting? You may want a phone with an easy to use (or in my case see) keyboard.

[frosty (chris)]

Ah, a topic I know absolutely nothing about..............but will that stop me from throwing in my two pesos??? NOT!!! :hystery: .

 

 The next time you see a Filipino who is not looking at his phone, take a picture of it and post it here in the weird and wacky photo section here, or you will not be believed. 

 

 

I had one of those new beaut, whizz bang, do everything phones, it drove me mad, only good thing imo it had was a decent camera, went to the mall and bought a 450 peso do nothing phone that you can text and talk on, suits me, usually 60 peso load a month is enough to get by on, except when my girl has no load and uses my phone :1 (103):

[william_c]

Congrats on retirement....welcome to sleeping late each day!

 

Asawa says to buy your gsm ( sim card) phone there in US and save yourself a lot of money.

Ever so true for the more popular phones.

 

You sure you want to sell your house? Have you given thought to renting it and use

the income?

 

We came here 6 months ago, purchased a home for the infrequent return vacations, and all of us are now anxious to return. Asawa says there's no place like home ..... in the US.

Seriously, you'll know within 6 months if PI is the best choice for retirement as your "adjustment factor"

will be your guide. Health care is not what it is back home. Get used to being sick more often. The food, well you can best decide but we miss many of the items there you will not find here. But, if you like the food, its really good but different than back home.

 

Just my 2 cents.

Congratulations on your retirement.

PS We flew out of LAX on one of the newer, 2 engine, PHIL Air airplanes. Very nice with personal entertainment, moving map, good food, lot less passengers than 747 and comfortable seats.

 

 

[Dave Hounddriver]

If you buy a phone and bring it here, it may not work.  If you insist on buying one there then check to see if you have quad band before buying/bringing it.  If you have the type of phone that does not use a sim card it may not work.  If you buy the kind of phone that is locked to one company, it may not work.

 

Thus my way of doing it has been to bring a sim card from overseas and use it in a local, unlocked phone of your choice.  In recent times I have found local phones to be as cheap as North American phones unless you buy one on a plan and get it unlocked when you get here.  (I tried that 3 times now and once they destroyed the phone in an attempt to unlock it and said "oops" and there went a $300 phone).  With the high cost of unlocking newer phones I would not do it again.

[mogo51]

Is there any phone today that is easy to use for a techno retards???

[Jack Peterson]

Is there any phone today that is easy to use for a techno retards???

 

Yep! For me it was the  Nokia X1 Does what it says on the packet  

Jack :thumbsup:

[frosty (chris)]

 

Is there any phone today that is easy to use for a techno retards???

 

Yep! For me it was the Nokia X1.jpg Nokia X1 Does what it says on the packet  wink.png

Jack :thumbsup:

 

Same as me Jack and I can just leave it on the table at the sorry store while having a beer and no-one will steal it. I think they take pity on me, poor old sod, can't have much money, look at his phone, ok we will buy him a beer to brighten up his day :hystery: salamat my amego's.

[Jake]

Is there any phone today that is easy to use for a techno retards???

This is perfect for us retards: